Performance and Resources report quarter 4 2022 to 2023: Our people, Delivery during 2022 to 2023

Successes

Overall engagement score for the Civil Service People Survey (CSPS) was 69%, +1% point from 2021, and above the CS benchmark of 65%. 

Highest CSPS engagement levels (79%) were amongst our youngest demographic (20-24yrs), +10% points on FSA overall.

Launched the FSA People Plan 2023-26 and refreshed our values, which sets out how we will improve as an employer to deliver our strategy, and maps out how we will attract and grow talent.

20% of new recruits declared a disability in the last quarter, increasing our overall representation to 9.1%, which compared to March 2022 is 1.3% points closer to the CS benchmark (14%) and economically active population (16%).

3 health and safety ambitions were developed for 2022/23. Two of these were achieved with a 45.5% reduction in employee lost working days due to injury and a 49.7% reduction in accident and occupational disease rate. 

• 1,571 people* employed by the FSA as at 31 March 2023 (*includes fixed term and permanent staff)
• 11.3% attrition rate
• 69% CSPS FSA engagement score, a 1% point increase from 2021 and above the CS benchmark of 65%.
• 288 recruitment campaigns run; 284 new starters to the FSA, 98 internal promotions (excludes internal/lateral moves), more than 150 reserve candidates
• 6.08 average working days lost, below the Civil Service average of 7.9 (for 2021/22, average working days lost were 6.27)

Concerns/Risks

29.6% of the workforce has not made an active disability declaration and we need to understand barriers to this.

Take up of employee exit feedback forms is low, we need to undertake more work to encourage completion of the online questionnaire.

The final health and safety ambition, ‘Elimination of incidents required to be reported externally to the Health and Safety Executive’ was not achieved. Key themes have been identified and addressed in the 2023-26 proposals, due to be discussed by EMT in June.

Next steps

Messaging during 'Supportive' and 'Inclusive' ASPIRE values focus months to encourage people to declare protected characteristics.

Socioeconomic background will be added as a field in the new finance and HR system and will be promoted in the planned Social Mobility campaign.
Targets, metrics and key performance indicators to measure progress against the People Plan will be finalised and incorporated into the new performance assurance framework.

We have kicked off the strategic skills forecast to enable gap analysis and subsequent development of organisational development plans as outlined in the People Plan.

We will recruit and train additional Fair Treatment Champions; run the annual ‘Speak Up’ campaign and engage with staff networks and managers to promote understanding of unacceptable behaviours.