As we predicted a year ago, the decline in HMRC staff morale has been bad for low-income customers who depend upon such staff getting things right. This last year has indeed seen a deterioration of service in many areas while the latest survey of 50,000 staff shows that the decline in morale is continuing and, indeed, accelerating.
The figures below give an inkling as to why this might be so.
The latest survey
We have selected a few of the key statistics where HMRC results were the worst out of the 11 departments. Only:
- 11% feel that HMRC is well-managed
- 17% would recommend HMRC as a great place to work
- 24% think learning and development is adequate
- 12% thought HMRC energised them to go the extra mile
- 22% thought talent was recognised
- 9% think that when changes are made they are for the better
- 11% think change is managed well
- 51% felt that they had the tools and equipment needed to do the job
HMRC did come top in two categories; being trained in data handling and security and being aware of HMRC processes.
It could be argued that such a poor result merely shows the effects of the recession and cut-backs in the Civil Service generally. But that alone does not explain HMRC’s poor performance when compared with the 10 other government departments surveyed.
The relevance for customers
HMRC came 9th out of the 11 departments in striving to serve their customers better. But this result may be explained by the fact that 94% of HMRC staff believe that there are too many approval processes for routine decisions and very few believe that a positive result will occur at the end of any improvement process.
Contented, motivated, trained, and trusted staff do serve their customers better.
A year ago, we recommended a moratorium on job losses and a real focus on the customer. Neither happened, so is it any wonder that the HMRC morale is really rock-bottom now?
(10-06-2009)
Contact Name: John Andrews (0844 579 6700 Fax 0844 579 6701)
