Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories, like many other public and private sector employers in Canada, wants to ensure that its employees enjoy a high level of engagement and satisfaction in their work. However, decreases in employee morale are being experienced across Canada in the public sector, and the Northwest Territories is no exception. The results of our own Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey, released last year, identified some areas for improvement, including notable disparities in scores between departments and agencies. In response to this, the Department of Finance supplied GNWT agencies and departments with individualized guides supporting them in interpreting the survey results and identifying areas of improvement.
To further address concerns raised in the survey and improve overall employee satisfaction, the Department of Finance has been working on a corporate Human Resources Strategic Plan expected to be released in April.
The Human Resources Strategic Plan identifies four areas of priority:
Diversity and Inclusion;.
Indigenous Representation and Indigenous Leadership;.
Health, Safety and Wellness; and
Competency Development,
each with their own overarching strategic goals and corresponding objectives.
Under the Human Resources Strategic Plan, each department and agency will develop an implementation plan and complete annual evaluation reporting. Finance will support departments and agencies as they customize their implementation plans to address their respective workforce needs and human resource challenges as identified in the Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey.
Mr. Speaker, the findings from the Survey have also identified some areas for overall improvement including employee morale, which was down 3.4 percent since the last survey in 2016. To address this, the Department of Finance has established an Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Interdepartmental Working Group. This working group will be informed by a targeted survey for employees, a departmental scan, a jurisdictional scan, and research on emerging and best practices. The objective of this working group is to develop an action plan that will provide concrete meaningful actions and resources for departments and agencies to address the needs of their workplaces.
Employees are the GNWT's greatest resource, Mr. Speaker, and I take their perspectives very seriously. I have initiated regular employee virtual town halls where the deputy minister of finance and I answer questions from GNWT employees and speak on issues and initiatives that impact them. These town halls have been a valuable opportunity for us to connect with public servants who are impacted by initiatives such as the Human Resource Strategic Plan and the action plan to improve employee satisfaction. The deputy minister and I have an upcoming town hall scheduled this spring.
Mr. Speaker, an engaged and satisfied workforce is critical to the success of the government. By listening to the needs of employees, the GNWT can better support them and set them up for success, contributing to a government that delivers quality programs and services to residents. I look forward to seeing the good work that will come from these initiatives, from all departments, in the coming months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing.
