Employees

About these measures: These measures look at the degree that targets are met for employee survey results and safety factors. The survey ratings detail trends in employee views on workplace practices, effectiveness, accountability, resource management and satisfaction. Employee accidents and lost time information are tracked by Human Resource personnel and help inform priorities for procedure and equipment improvements as well as training and safety education.

Ratings from 2006 employee survey

Satisfaction Index: 3.62 on a 1-5 scale, 5 as best
Workplace Practices Index: 3.21
Availability of Resources Index: 3.62
Role of Employee Index: 4.08

2008 employee rating targets

Satisfaction Index: 3.75 on a 1-5 scale, 5 as best
Workplace Practices Index: 3.5
Availability of Resources Index: 3.75
Role of Employee Index: 4.2

Most ratings were similar to prior years, although employees rated the following statements more favorably in 2006 than in the 2004 survey:

"Employee are held accountable for their performance at work," and

"Overall, I'm satisfied with the level of involvement I have in decisions that affect my work."

Influencing factors: Overall, the ratings of DNRP employees on these survey questions have remained steady since the survey was first conducted in 2000. The slight increase in ratings for the accountability question is likely a result of an increased focus on supervisory responsibilities and addressing employee performance and behavior. Improvements in supervisory skills, labor relations and perceptions of fairness have likely contributed to the improved rating on the job satisfaction question.

Strategy going forward: DNRP's Human Resource work plans continue to focus on strengthening performance management, accountability, supervisory development and collaborative relationship with unions. This focus was developed in response to the concerns and perceptions expressed through prior employee surveys.

2006 employee safety results

Total incidents with injuries: 191
Average days lost per injury: 16.5

The number of "incidents with injury" is steady from prior years, although the number of days lost to injuries has been reduced from prior years.

2006 targets:	Total incidents with injuries to fewer than 175
	Average days lost per injury: 17

Influencing factors: DNRP has almost 1,800 regular employees, many of whom perform challenging tasks, including operating and maintaining complex infrastructure systems that run continuously, such as wastewater treatment plants and a wide variety of heavy machinery. Employees also respond to floods, chemical spills and illegal dumping, while monitoring conditions in deep woods, fast-flowing rivers, high peaks and in Puget Sound.

The decline in lost days due to injuries can be primarily attributed to increasing light duty assignments for injured employees, procedure and equipment improvements, and increased safety ethic among field employees. The aging of DNRP's workforce also affects workplace accidents and injuries; as employees age, many of the physically demanding jobs create the likelihood of work-related injuries and chronic conditions.

Strategy going forward: DNRP will continue to build a safety ethic and make safety training a high priority. Emphasis will be placed on training related to safe procedures when performing tasks that lead to slip/trip hazards, or can create repetitive stress injuries. The King County Healthy Incentives program is instrumental in promoting a healthy lifestyle, which translates to employees who are more capable of performing physically demanding jobs.

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