Staff reveal key concerns

COUNCIL CULTURE: Review update shows problem areas

GEELONG council has revealed the chief concerns raised by almost 1000 staff members in the city’s push to resolve internal cultural problems, including allegations of entrenched bullying.

City of Greater Geelong chief executive Martin Cutter yesterday released an update on the review of the council’s processes for dealing with bullying and harassment, after the Geelong Advertiser revealed a long list of organisations and individuals who raised concerns of an ongoing culture of bullying.

Almost 1000 staff members gave feedback to the review in September, identifying four key concerns the workers wanted addressed, including:

A LACK of fairness, support and respect;

A FEAR of addressing issues and failures to address poor performance and behaviour; ORGANISATIONAL barriers to getting things done including operating in silos; and, UNCLEAR expectations.

The key concerns — along with a series of elements employees wanted to retain — were used to develop eight areas of focus for the organisation. The city will now develop an action plan.

Speaking to the Geelong Advertiser, Mr Cutter conceded the city’s cultural problems would take time to solve, but hoped the Working Better Together program would be integral to the process.

“Culture is not changed overnight, it’s changed over many, many years,” he said.

“We recognise the organisation’s got some way to go, we’re not hiding from that at all.

“Our staff have told us that; what we’ve got here is what our staff have told us.

“We need to create an environment where people feel safe to raise any matters they’re concerned about, and part of the challenge I think we faced, is because they haven’t been properly addressed over many, many years, these things build from small things into larger things.

“It is my No.1 priority to change the culture and improve the culture here in my term. I will have failed if I don’t make a difference.”

Australian Services Union spokesman Mark Brady said there had been a “definite culture shift” and the city over the course of the year.

“In general, the ASU are relatively happy with the work being done to improve the culture so far, but there is still a lot more work to be done,” Mr Brady said.

Mr Cutter’s update on the city’s review comes after a report revealed the city’s municipal monitor was pleased with the council’s progress in addressing cultural issues, having previously encouraged the chief executive to “clear the air” in the wake of criticisms of “computer-generated” and “meaningless” responses to requests for details on action taken.

“People and culture shows a promising reinvigoration,” municipal monitor Jude Munro said in the November report.