Our value of integrity was the driver of this successful project, as shown by the team’s commitment to supporting employees and through that sustaining public trust in our sector.
Background
The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry, and Regions (DJSIR) is committed to cultivating a workplace culture where employees at all levels feel empowered to speak up.
This culture is reinforced by practical tools like the Speak Up platform which provides a ‘no wrong door’ online reporting avenue, and strong leadership messaging emphasising a commitment to integrity, accountability and respect.
Challenge
Encouraging employees to have honest discussions, report issues, and demonstrate integrity requires both robust reporting mechanisms and visible leadership support.
A priority for the department was to create a protected space where employees knew when and how they should speak up and report concerns, and trust that the information they provide will be acted upon appropriately.
DJSIR now maintains a Speak Up platform, a confidential and user-friendly reporting system that allows staff to raise issues anonymously, if they prefer.
This platform has been complemented by ongoing communication from the department’s senior executives, promoting integrity awareness and highlighting the importance of reporting any integrity concerns, along with training sessions, eLearn modules and integrity articles on the department’s intranet and SharePoint-based Integrity Hub.
Senior leaders participate in ongoing training, which emphasises modelling public sector values and fostering open conversations about integrity within their teams. DJSIR’s executive leaders have regular discussions with each other and within their groups on various integrity topics, reinforcing the responsibility for all senior leaders to embed a safe to speak up culture within their teams.
Result
Fostering a safe to speak up culture has created clear and inclusive pathways for employees to voice any concerns, share ideas, have open and frank discussions with their managers, and implement best practice processes.
After DJSIR added a link to Speak Up on the front page of their intranet in April 2024, page views increased by 200% over the following three months compared to the previous quarter (January to March). This suggests that more employees are aware of where to report concerns and feel confident using the tool.
63% of concerns submitted are done so anonymously and 70% of respondents indicate that they have not reported the issue previously, demonstrating that the Speak Up platform plays a valuable role in fostering a culture where staff feel safe and empowered to voice their concerns.