Police Scotland has recently presented the results of its 2024 workforce survey.
In it, Police Scotland can be said to be 'overly optimistic', as it places emphasis on the positive aspects of the survey but fails to acknowledge
The workforce survey raised some critical issues.
Accentuating the Positive
The report's tendency to focus on the higher scores whilst needing to acknowledge the significance of the lower ones makes for uncomfortable reading. For instance, it emphasises that the overall engagement index score was 57%. Whilst this is just over half of the workforce, it is worrying that Police Scotland seems to be unconcerned that nearly half of its workforce did not respond to the survey. It is also noteworthy that Police Scotland points to high scores for teamwork and collaboration in the report, yet neglects to mention that only 27% believe there are sufficient people resources.
Framing Context
Some of the survey results have been portrayed in a positive light, despite the data suggesting otherwise. For example:
• "Mixed levels of agreement indicating opportunities for improvement" is used to describe scores as low as 50%.
• The report states that "two fifths of respondents would recommend Police Scotland as an employer". This, however, conversely indicates that the majority of respondents would not recommend Police Scotland as an employer.
Glossing Over Serious Issues
Perhaps most concerning is the report's representation of data relating to harassment, bullying, and discrimination. It briefly mentions that 20% of staff have experienced these behaviours, but it does not delve into the implications of this finding. It would also have been helpful if the report had categorised this data in terms of protected characteristics, which would have enabled the identification of potential racial disparities.
Race-Related Issues
The survey results provide minimal insight into race-related issues within Police Scotland. The only mention of ethnicity is a single line stating that "Similar views across all protected groups" were observed. This cursory treatment fails to address potential systemic issues faced by minority ethnic staff.
Moreover, the report indicates that only 2% of respondents identified as part of a minority ethnic group, which reveals a lack of representation within the Force. Disappointingly, this figure is presented without context or discussion of its implications.
In conclusion, while the survey provides valuable data, the way the results have been presented and the absence of context around some data indicates a desire to emphasise positives whilst failing to acknowledge those areas that require growth and improvement. This approach risks undermining the credibility of the survey and, more importantly, may hinder meaningful progress in addressing the significant challenges facing Police Scotland's workforce.
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