Public Service Survey Confirms Supreme Court of Canada as Best Workplace

Every three years, the Treasury Board Secretariat and Statistics Canada conduct a Public Service Employee Survey to measure employees' opinions about their wokrplace.

As reported in an article by Jake Cole in the most recent issue of The Hill Times [registration required], the Supreme Court of Canada once again stands out as the best place to work in the federal public service.

As you can see from the survey results for the Court, the levels of satisfaction and confidence in upper management expressed by Court employees are often way above the average of the entire public service.

As Cole writes:

"Open communications is preached and practised. Employees are kept fully apprised of senior-level decisions and, in many cases, get to have a say in those decisions."

"A lot of effort goes into training, learning and professional development for all employees at all levels. Staff are also encouraged and given as many opportunities as possible to work in different sectors within the SCC. For example, interdisciplinary groups are established and a cross-section of employees is currently working on an agency-wide effort to simplify business processes at SCC."

"Mr. Bilodeau [Roger Bilodeau, Registrar of the Court] tries to communicate personally, as much as possible, with all of his staff. With respect to implementing changes, he says that he makes every effort to explain why changes are needed, to solicit suggested adjustments, and then to ask how to best implement those changes."

Cole also describes some of the Court's values and best practices:

"It appears that Mr. Bilodeau knows everyone at the court by their first name and employees have ready access to him."

"Staff want to do well and get ahead but more for the good of the agency than just for themselves."

"The Supreme Court holds bi-weekly 'tips and tricks' presentations where employees can learn such things as novel research techniques to help improve their work." [note: the sessions are now once a month]

"Periodic all-staff meetings are also arranged so employees can see what court cases are coming up and the key issues involved."

"SCC organizes a number of social events for all employees during the year."

As one staffer interviewed by Cole explains:

"My work makes me feel like I'm becoming part of history."