Focus on Respect
The Focus series is a collection of reports that present the results of the 2014 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES), broken down by theme. Focus on Respect looks at results in the area of workplace respect and examines how they relate to results for other aspects of the workplace. The information provided in this report is intended to help target efforts to improve people management practices in the public service.
Results and Comparisons Over Time
The 2014 PSES asked six questionsSee Footnote 1 relating to respect in the workplace. Table 1 shows the results for all six questions.
| Question number | Question | 2008 (%) |
2011 (%) |
2014 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Table 1 Notes
|
||||
| Q22 | I have positive working relationships with my co-workers. | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | 94 | 94 |
| Q25 | In my work unit, every individual is accepted as an equal member of the team. | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | 73 |
| Q29 | In my work unit, individuals behave in a respectful manner. | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | 80 |
| Q55 | My department or agency implements activities and practices that support a diverse workplace. | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | 79 |
| Q56 | I think that my department or agency respects individual differences (e.g., culture, work styles, ideas). | n/aSee Table 1 – Note * | 72 | 78 |
| Q57 | Overall, my department or agency treats me with respect. | 74 | 76 | 79 |
In 2014, 79% of employees felt that their organization treats them with respect (Q57), an improvement from 76% in 2011 and 74% in 2008. In 2014, 80% of employees believed that individuals in their work unit behave in a respectful manner (Q29). When asked whether they have positive working relationships with their co-workers (Q22), 94% of employees agreed, unchanged from 2011.
In terms of equality and diversity, 73% of employees believed that every individual in their work unit is accepted as an equal member of the team (Q25). In 2014, 78% of employees felt that their organization respects individual differences (Q56), a large improvement from 72% in 2011. Further, 79% of employees indicated that their organization implements activities and practices that support a diverse workplace (Q55).
Demographic Findings
Occupational category
The 2014 PSES results indicate that employees' opinions on respect in the workplace vary among occupational categoriesSee Footnote 2. Employees in the Executive category expressed the most positive opinions; employees in the Operational category expressed the least positive opinions. The most pronounced difference between Executive and Operational employees' opinions on respect in the workplace relates to whether individuals are accepted as equal members of the team (91% compared with 58%, Q25) (see Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Text version
Figure 1 illustrates the proportion of employees in each occupational category who responded affirmatively to Q25 (In my work unit, every individual is accepted as an equal member of the team) by occupational category.
| Executive | Scientific and Professional | Administration and Foreign Services | Technical | Administrative Support | Operational |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91% | 75% | 75% | 71% | 68% | 58% |
Community
The 2014 PSES asked employees to indicate the community with which they most closely identify. Overall, employees who identified with the human resources, financial management, and communications and public affairs communities tended to express the most positive views on respect in the workplace. Employees who identified with the security community tended to express the least positive views. For example, 86% of employees who identified with the human resources, financial management, and communications and public affairs communities agreed that their organization treats them with respect (Q57), compared with 65% of employees who identified with the security community.
Age
Employees aged 24 years and under were more likely than employees in older age groups to perceive their workplace as being respectful, particularly in relation to respect for individual differences (89%, compared with 76% to 83% for employees in older age groups, Q56) and whether their organization treats them with respect (93%, compared with 77% to 86% for employees in older age groups, Q57) (see Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Text version
Figure 2 illustrates the proportion of employees who responded affirmatively to Q57 (Overall, my department or agency treats me with respect) by age group.
| 24 years and under | 25-29 years | 30-34 years | 35-39 years | 40-44 years | 45 to 49 years | 50 to 54 years | 55-59 years | 60 years and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93% | 86% | 82% | 80% | 79% | 78% | 77% | 78% | 80% |
Years of service
Similar to the finding for younger employees, employees with less than one year of service in the public service or in their organization tended to perceive their workplace as being respectful. In particular, employees with less than one year of service in the public service or in their organization were more likely than employees with more years of service to believe that their organization treats them with respect (Q57) (see Figure 3).
Figure 3 - Text version
Figure 3 illustrates the proportion of employees who responded affirmatively to Q57 (Overall, my department or agency treats me with respect) by years of service in the public service and in their current organization.
| Years of Service | Less than 1 year | 1 to 4 years | 5 to 9 years | 10 to 14 years | 15 to 19 years | 20 to 24 years | 25 to 29 years | 30 or more years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In public service | 94% | 87% | 80% | 78% | 75% | 76% | 76% | 78% |
| In organization | 92% | 83% | 78% | 76% | 74% | 76% | 75% | 77% |
Organization size
Employees in smaller organizations tended to perceive their workplace as being more respectful than employees in larger organizations. In particular, 86% of employees in micro-organizations (those with fewer than 150 employees) and 88% of employees in very small organizations (those with 150 to 500 employees) indicated that their organization treats them with respect (Q57), compared with 78% of employees in very large organizations (those with 10,000 employees or more).
Key Observations
Respect linked to employee engagement
Respect in the workplace was linked to employees' satisfaction with their organization. For example, employees who agreed that overall, their organization treats them with respect (Q57), were more likely than those who disagreed to be satisfied with their organization (77% compared with 7%, Q59), and to agree that they would recommend their organization as a great place to work (76% compared with 8%, Q58).
Respect linked to positive perceptions of senior management
Employees who perceived their workplace as being respectful tended to express positive opinions on their senior management. For example, employees who agreed that their organization treats them with respect (Q57) were more likely than those who disagreed to believe that senior managers in their organization lead by example in ethical behaviour (73% compared with 13%, Q39) and to express confidence in them (65% compared with 7%, Q40). Similarly, employees who agreed that their organization respects individual differences (Q56) were more inclined that those who disagreed to feel that their senior managers lead by example in ethical behaviour (73% compared with 20%, Q39) and express confidence in them (64% compared with 13%, Q40).
Respect linked to perceptions of ethics in the workplace
Employees who perceived their workplace as being respectful were also inclined to perceive it as being ethical. For example, employees who agreed that every individual in their work unit is accepted as an equal member of the team (Q25) were more likely than those who disagreed to be satisfied with how interpersonal issues are resolved in their work unit (81% compared with 16%, Q24). In addition, employees who agreed that their organization treats them with respect (Q57) were more likely than those who disagreed to feel that they can initiate a formal recourse process (e.g., grievance, complaint, appeal) without fear of reprisal (54% compared with 11%, Q50).
Respect linked to lower levels of harassment and discrimination
Employees who agreed that their workplace is respectful were less likely than those who disagreed to indicate that they have been the victim of harassment or discrimination on the job in the last two years. For example, employees who agreed that their organization treats them with respect (Q57) were less likely than those who disagreed to indicate that they have been the victim of harassment at work (13% compared with 54%, Q63). Similarly, employees who agreed that their organization treats them with respect were less likely than those who disagreed to indicate that they have been the victim of discrimination (4% compared with 32%, Q74).
Prevention and resolution of harassment and discrimination linked to perceptions of respect
Employees who agreed that their organization strives to prevent or resolve harassment and discrimination were more likely than those who disagreed to perceive their workplace as being respectful. For example, employees who agreed that their organization works hard to create a workplace that prevents discrimination (Q80) were more likely than those who disagreed to feel that their organization respects individual differences such as culture, work styles and ideas (91% compared with 30%, Q56).
Empowerment linked to perceptions of respect
Employees who provided responses that indicated that they feel empowered at work were more inclined than those who did not to also perceive their workplace as being respectful. For example, employees who agreed that they have support at work to provide a high level of service (Q18) were more likely than those who disagreed to indicate that, overall, their organization treats them with respect (92% compared with 45%, Q57). Employees who agreed that they are encouraged to be innovative or to take initiative in their work (Q17) were also more inclined than those who disagreed to feel that their organization treats them with respect (91% compared with 49%, Q57).
Methodological Notes
For the purposes of this report, results for the two most positive responses on the scale (e.g., "Strongly agree" and "Somewhat agree") were added together to create a single percentage total for positive responses. Similarly, results for the two most negative responses on the scale (e.g., "Strongly disagree" and "Somewhat disagree") were added together to create a single percentage total for negative responses. The totals used to calculate the percentages do not include the responses "Don't know" and "Not applicable."
The observations in this report do not necessarily indicate relationships of cause and effect, but they can provide insight into connections between different aspects of the workplace.
For additional results and for the distribution of respondents by demographic characteristics, consult the 2014 PSES website.
Appendix
| Occupational Category | Occupational Group |
|---|---|
| Executive | CI-EXC, DM, EC(CRA), EX, EXPCX, GR-EX, LC, MGT, PL, RLE |
| Scientific and Professional | AC, AG, AR, AP-AA, AP-PA, ASG-ITS-LA, AU, BI, CH, CI-SPC, DE, DS, EC, ED, EN, ES, FO, HR, LA, LP, LS, MA, MD, MT, ND, NU, OP, PC, PH, PM-MCO, PS, SE, SG, SI, SW, UT, VM |
| Administration and Foreign Services | AS, CO, CS, FI, FS, HR(CRA), IS, OM, PE, PG, PM, TR, WP |
| Technical | AI, AO, CIPTC, DD, EG, EL, EU, GT, PI, PY, RO, SO, TI |
| Administrative Support | CIASC, CM, CR, DA, OE, ST |
| Operational | CX, FB, FR, GA, GL, GS, HP, HS, IN, LI, PO-IMA, PO-TCO, PR, SC, SR |
| Other | AB, CIVIL, FT, Governor in Council, GR, IM, MDMDG, MG, NB, RE, REG, RM, SP(CRA), Student, UNI, Other |
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