Overall Satisfaction and Member Loyalty: WeHoME Employee Survey Part 6

This section of requests feedback from city employees in the areas of job satisfaction, anticipated tenure, quality of workplace experience within the past year, and the city’s overall progress.

Overall Job Satisfaction

Overall, how would you rate your satisfaction with your job at this time?59% is workers across the USA are are very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their work.   The industry norm is 56% for government workers.   In 2018 WeHoME city workers respondents indicated 48% were extremely or very satisfied with their jobs.   WeHoME employees score a 42%.   The drop of 6 points since 2018 and well below the national average.  

Anticipated Tenure

What are the reasons you expect to work at the City for that length of time?

WeHoME members who expect to be at the City for years to come mention: • Good pay and benefits • Work that is meaningful/valuable and one can feel passionate about • Great colleagues • Interesting projects, chance to learn and grow • Telework (at least for the moment) • Cherishing the City and its residents

Those who anticipate shorter tenure at the City cite: • Better opportunities elsewhere • Retirement on the horizon • Toxic political climate • Lack of advancement opportunities • Stress, disorganization and workloads • Nepotism, favoritism, harassment, bullying and retaliation

Employees who plan to work for the city long term, 15 years or more, made up 17% of the total. This is lower than the industry norm of 27%. Respondents who anticipated remaining at their position for less than 1 year was 5%, less than the industry and US average of 8%.

Employee Loyalty Matrix

The Employee Loyalty Matrix is derived by comparing an employee’s answer on overall satisfaction to their anticipated tenure. • Committed Loyalists: Extremely/very satisfied and plan to stay 2+ years • Satisfied Opportunists: Extremely/very satisfied and plan to stay < 2 years • Change Seekers: Somewhat/not very/not at all satisfied and plan to stay< 2 years • Dissatisfied Compromisers: Somewhat/not very/not at all satisfied and plan to stay 2+ years

Among WeHoME workers Dissatisfied Compromisers were the largest group at 41%.  This is higher than the industry norm of 32% and the US norm of 25%. The second largest group was Committed Loyalists, who made up 38% of respondents. This group’s proportion is smaller than the industry norm of 52% and the us norm of 54%.

Quality of Workplace Experience in the Past 12 Months

How much do you agree or disagree that, in the past 12 months, your experience of working at the City has improved?

Only 26% of employees strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that their work experience had improved in the past 12 months.   In 2018, 39% of WeHoME respondents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that their work experience had improved over the last 12 months.   There is a 13% drop from the 2018 WeHoME survey and below the industry norm of 43% and the US norm of 54%.  Those who disagree somewhat/strongly tallied 38%. This is higher than the industry norm (29%) and the US norm (21%), and about the same as the results from the 2018 survey.

Progress in the Past 12 Months

How much do you agree or disagree that in the past 12 months, the City is moving in a positive direction?

Employees who agree strongly or somewhat agreet the city is moving in a positive direction fell to 32% in 2024 from 50% in 2018. The industry norm for this metic is 43% and the US norm is 54%. Workers who disagree somewhat/strongly that the city has made progress in the past 12 months rose to 38% in 2024 from 22% in 2018. This is higher than the industry benchmark (29%) and the US benchmark (21%).