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Alan Rudge

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Proof of engagement – it worked for me

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Councillor Alan Rudge, cabinet member for equalities and HR at Birmingham City Council has driven forward an award-winning employee engagement programme that will increase performance and productivity and protect the quality of the service delivered. He explains how it has improved staff engagement and the importance of putting people first.

 

People are at the heart of the BEST programme (belief, excellence, success and trust) and an investment in this award-winning employee engagement programme, has proved to be instrumental in driving forward change. It is part-designed by staff to engage and empower staff; promoting a culture of innovation. It is designed to motivate and to generate and act upon ideas in order to improve the quality of the service delivered to citizens.

More than 25,000 people have taken part in workshops, which have generated more than 6,000 innovations and service improvements. Examples include the recovery of £334,000 in overpaid housing benefits, a Christmas event for the Polish community and redesigning and improving communal gardens at a sheltered housing development.

More than 75% of staff who have taken part in a BEST workshop say that they feel more engaged and motivated. A staff-wide weighted survey revealed the proportion of employees ‘motivated’ in their current role had improved from the 56% in 2006 to 83% in 2008.

A study by Kingston Business School has verified 76% of staff are ‘strongly and frequently’ motivated and the number of staff agreeing they feel proud to work for Birmingham City Council is an impressive 90% in 2008.

Listening has proved to be a valuable skill throughout this programme, staff now believe that their voices are heard and they know that they can influence and make a difference. This is the real differentiator between this and other employee engagement programs. We have not just paid lip service to the concept but invested heavily in integrating the programme into the council’s systems of performance and development reviews as well as the pay and grading system.

Engaging people’s hearts and minds to harness the success that comes from a committed and loyal workforce is recognised as a vital component of success at all levels within Birmingham City Council. It is this commitment that has contributed significantly to increasing and sustaining motivation and job satisfaction in order to improve performance and I look forward to further achievements.

One Response

  1. a clearer picture please

    "76% of staff are ‘strongly and frequently’ motivated and the number of staff agreeing they feel proud to work for Birmingham City Council is an impressive 90% in 2008" although this sounds impressive I am always suspicious of percentages could the actual number be identified as I understand it thare are around 60,000 employees in Birmingham Council which makes it around 5,400 contented workers. A truely remarkable achievement if acurate but from the many I have spoken to they are not motivated or proud and I have spoken to a lot of Council workers in Birmingham (around 3,500).

    Of course I could be wrong (it has been known) and I dont want to pour cold water on Birminghams fire but if we could have actual figures  it would give a clearer picture of how effective this process is.

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