Executive Summary
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Internal Communications Survey

April 2008

Prepared for:

Marie-Josée Bernier
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
1 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 4B1
819-997-4427

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français sur demande.

Contract number: 82082-087722/001/CY
Contract date: February 8, 2008

Executive Summary 

Background and Objectives

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is committed to engaging employees, establishing a healthy work environment, nurturing a culture of teamwork, and building leadership capacity.  As such, communicating with employees is integral to fostering an environment of knowledge, vision and values.

To this end, the CRTC undertook a baseline survey of employees to:

• evaluate the current status of the workplace satisfaction issues identified in the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES);
• understand the usage and perceived efficacy of current internal communications activities and tools;
• assess satisfaction with internal communications activities and tools;
• assess employees' understanding of the organization, its role, priorities, mandate and structures; and
• determine employees' preferences related to receiving and accessing internal communications.

Methodology

An online survey was conducted with a total of 203 employees between March 18 and March 28, 2008.  A survey invitation was sent to all 465 employees for an overall response rate of approximately 43.6%.  The overall survey results can be considered accurate within +/- 5%, 19 times out of 20.

All survey questions were analyzed by nine key analysis variables, including survey completion language, region, branch, classification, tenure with the CRTC, tenure in position, employee status, whether or not respondents are involved in the development, maintenance or management of internal communications materials and whether or not respondents are planning to leave the CRTC in the next 5 years.  All significant findings are reported in the report.

Key Conclusions

Intentions to leave the CRTC

Many survey respondents have intentions to leave the CRTC in the next five years to retire. Indeed, half of all respondents are either considering leaving the CRTC in the next 5 years (30%) or are sure they are leaving the CRTC within the next 5 years to retire (20%).

The most common motivation for the decision to leave the CRTC was lack of career development opportunities.  This motivation to leave the CRTC was more likely to have been mentioned by those who completed the survey in English and those who have been working at the CRTC for 3 to 10 years.

Working at the CRTC

While a small majority of employees agreed that they understand the CRTC's Future Direction Initiative, about 40% agreed that they could clearly explain the Initiative to others and that their input into the Initiative will make a difference.  Those who completed the survey in French and those in the Policy Development and Research and Telecommunications branches were much more likely to agree.

There is a strong belief that Canadians have a negative perception of the CRTC.  This is particularly true among those who have been working at the CRTC for 3 years or more and those occupying indeterminate positions.

Quality of Work

While close to three-quarters of respondents agreed that when they communicate with their immediate supervisor they feel free to use the official language of their choice and the materials and tools provided for their work are available in the official language of choice, only about half of respondents agreed that when they prepare written materials, they feel free to use the official language of their choice.   Those who completed the survey in French were much less likely to agree that they feel free to use the official language of their choice.

Only about half of respondents (52%) agreed that they can balance personal, family and work life in their current job.  Indeed, those in the Corporate Affairs and Operations branch and those who have had a promotion in the past 3 years were less likely to agree.

Those who have been working for the CRTC for 3 years or more and those who occupy indeterminate positions are the ones most likely to say that the quality of their work suffers.  Reasons for this include constantly changing priorities, lack of stability in the organization, unreasonable deadlines, and having to do more with less.  Those in the Legal Directorate/Chairman's/Vice-Chairman's Office were least likely to indicate that having to do more with less negatively impacts the quality of their work and those in the Telecommunications branch were more likely to indicate too many approval stages negatively impacts the quality of their work.

Career Progress

The main factors adversely affecting career progression include lack of access to developmental assignment and restrictions in the area of competitions.  Lack of access to developmental assignments was more likely to aversely effect career progression among those who work in the Policy Development and Research branch and those planning to leave the CRTC in the next 5 years ,while restrictions in the area of competitions appear to be more of an issue for those who completed the survey in English and those with CS/CR/FI classifications.

About one in seven respondents (14%) indicated that discrimination has adversely affected career progression.  Those who completed the survey in French, who have been working for the CRTC for more than 10 years, who have not had a promotion in the past 3 years and who are planning to leave the CRTC in the next 5 years were more likely to indicate that discrimination has adversely affected career progression.

Internal Committees and Internal Culture

While awareness of CRTC's internal committee was high, knowledge and belief of whether these committees are meeting their objectives was low. Awareness of the committees was higher among those who completed the survey in English and those who occupy indeterminate positions.  Less than half of respondents believed that the Social Committee, CRTC Youth Network and Diversity and Equity Committee has made important advancements in achieving their objectives and less than a-quarter of respondents believed that the Health and Safety Committee and Official Languages Committee has made important advancements in achieving their objectives.

Just over half of CRTC employees who responded to the survey indicated that stress / anxiety is present in the internal culture at the CRTC.  Those who have been working at the CRTC for more than 10 years were more likely to indicate that stress/anxiety is present in the internal culture.  In addition, those who work in the Broadcasting branch were more likely to indicate that predictability and transparency are not present in the internal culture at the CRTC.

Information Needs and Sources

Respondents rated the amount of information they receive on general announcements and decisions and hearings positively.  However, 22% indicated they do not receive enough information on CRTC's priorities and another 31% indicated they do not receive enough information on organizational changes.  Those who work in the Telecommunications, Legal Directorate/Chairman's/Vice Chairman's Office, and Broadcasting branches were more likely to indicate they do not receive enough information on CRTC's priorities.

Frequency e-mails, the Weekly News bulletin and colleagues/word-of-mouth were the main way that respondents receive internal information.  The Chairman's email messages were the most common way to receive information on CRTC's priorities and the Frequency email was the most common way to receive information on organization changes.

The research clearly indicates that improvements are required to address concerns related to internal communication at the CRTC.  Just over half of survey respondents rated communication to employees as good or very good, while 10% rated it as poor or very poor.

Survey respondents were generally satisfied with the various internal sources of information.  However, over one-third of survey respondents rated The Zone as poor or very poor.  Survey respondents were more satisfied with the Frequency e-mail, Chairman e-mail messages, Weekly news bulletin and managers/supervisors as sources of information.

The Zone

Virtually all respondents had heard of The Zone and it was also frequently used as a work tool.  Among respondents aware of The Zone, over half use it daily or a few times a week.

The most popular areas of The Zone included the HR Info, Weekly News and Phone Book areas.  The least used areas included the Finance, E-Library and Strategic Communications.  The Phone Book, News Desk and HR Info sections were deemed the most useful areas of The Zone.

The research clearly indicates that improvements are required to The Zone.  Less than half of survey respondents indicated they were satisfied with the Intranet site.  Perhaps contributing to this lower satisfaction score are the low agreement scores related to site visual appeal, ease of finding information and finding information quickly.  This is further supported by the top two suggested improvements for the site which were to improve navigation and improve the look and feel of the site.

Internal Communication Preferences

Respondents indicated that their preferred way, overall, of receiving internal communications was through the Frequency e-mail followed by a weekly bulletin.  Preferences differences according to the type of information distributed.  Specifically, the Frequency e-mail was preferred for organizational changes, career and training opportunities and general announcements.  E-mails from senior management were preferred for information on CRTC's priorities and organizational changes, while The Zone was preferred for information on decision and hearings.

Date Modified: 2008-08-12