Only 2% of you told us that services had improved under Capita and 70% of Capita employees tell us there is low morale in the workplace.
These are just two of the stand-out results from a report following independent research completed in the summer.
Download the full report here.
Download a special edition of Branch Lines summarising the report here.
Research was led by Andy Holt: a specialist in organisational analysis and service improvement. The research consisted of a series of interviews with senior managers and representative staff in both West Sussex County Council and Capita, desk-based research and two surveys: one aimed at Capita ‘customers’ (i.e. people like you who use their services such as IT, Payroll, HR, Pensions etc) and the other aimed at Capita employees.
We recognise that Capita staff work very hard to deliver the best service they can. Our report is not critical of them in any way. Many customers appreciate the effort individuals put in to help overcome systemic problems.
However, the results reveal a largely demoralised workforce bound by restrictive corporate processes, unable to be creative or autonomous in the management or delivery of services. It shows the standard of service is perceived to be poorer under Capita management, with both ex-WSCC and ex-SERCO staff telling us they were happier and more effective working for their former employers.
But the problems are not all generated by Capita. The council too must take responsibility for some of the issues survey respondents highlight.
The report – either in its full form or Branch Lines summary – makes for enlightening reading.
As many non-union members took part in the surveys, we believe as many employees and customers as possible should read this report. If your colleague is a non-union member, please send them the link to this article, and encourage them to join us.
The union has requested changes to improve both the workplace and quality of service delivery. These are shown in the report and summary.
We will be robustly challenging managers and closely monitoring performance and change in the coming months. We will report back to you when we find evidence of – or resistance to – making positive change.