NHSScotland Staff Survey 2015 National Report

10 Treated fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect in an environment where diversity is valued

How fairly or reasonably staff feel they are treated at work can affect their engagement and motivation. It is also a legal requirement for employers to promote equality and diversity in the workplace. This section of the survey focused on how fairly staff felt they were treated by their line manager, by other colleagues and in relation to promotion opportunities. Staff were also asked about their experience of unfair discrimination at work.

Figure 7 shows that the majority of respondents replied positively to the following three statements in this section relating to their specific role:

• Q4‐2 I get the help and support I need from colleagues (79% positive responses)
• Q4‐1 My line manager encourages me at work (63% positive responses)
• Q4‐3 My health board acts fairly and offers equality of opportunity with regard to career progression/promotion (62% positive responses).

All three of these statements had an equal or higher percentage positive response in 2015 compared to 2014.

Q4‐3 My health board acts fairly and offers equality of opportunity with regard to career progression/ promotion recorded an increase of 3%, which is the highest percentage point increase of attitudinal questions between the 2014 and 2015 survey, i.e. from 59% in 2014 to 62% in 2015. Across the 22 NHS Boards, positive responses ranged from 36% to 72% (see details in Appendix C).

Some 63% of respondents agreed that their line manager encourages them at work, no change from 2014.

Q4‐2 I get the help and support I need from colleagues had the third highest percentage positive response of all survey statements (79%). Across all Boards, positive responses ranged from 69% to 86% (see details in Appendix C). Doctors in Training, Other Therapeutic Staff and Salaried General Practitioner staff who responded to the survey were the most likely to agree with this statement (89%) and Support Service Staff (67%) the least likely to do so (see details in Appendix D).

In summary, whilst the majority of respondents answered positively in relation to the support and encouragement they received from colleagues and from their line manager, they were less positive in respect of the latter (63% compared with 79% positive responses). There was a large improvement in positive responses with regard to the statement that the Board 'acts fairly and offers equality of opportunity with regard to career progression/ promotion'.

Figure 7 ‐ Treated Fairly and Consistently, with Dignity and Respect in an Environment where Diversity is Valued

[Note: There may be variation up to 1% when compared to the Frequency Data due to rounding.]

10.1 Unfair discrimination

As Figure 8 shows, 7% of staff who replied to the survey reported that they had experienced unfair discrimination during the past 12 months from their manager (Q4‐4); this represents a 1% deterioration over the 2014 score of 6%. Across all Boards, positive responses ranged from 83% to 96% (see details in Appendix C).

Some 8% of respondents reported that they had experienced unfair discrimination during the past 12 months 'from other colleagues' (Q4‐5); a deterioration of 1% compared with 2014 of 7%. Across all Boards, positive responses ranged from 85% to 96% (see details in Appendix C).

Over a third (34%) of those respondents who had experienced unfair discrimination in the past 12 months said that they had reported it (Q4‐6). Nearly a third (29%) of those who had reported discrimination stated that they were satisfied with the response ‐ an increase compared with 26% in 2014. The most common reason for not reporting was 'I felt nothing would happen' (91% of those who did not report the discrimination), followed by 'I was concerned about confidentiality' (79%) and 'I feared what would happen if I did report it' (79%). It should be noted that respondents may have agreed with all, some or none of the reasons listed.

In summary, there was an increase in the number of staff experiencing unfair discrimination in the past 12 months. For the minority of staff who had experienced unfair discrimination in the past 12 months, just one in three had gone on to report it and a third of these were satisfied with the response they received.

Figure 8 ‐ Responses Relating to Unfair Discrimination

[Note: There may be variation up to 1% when compared to the Frequency Data due to rounding.]