The Gazette
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The vast majority of the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s 505 employees are satisfied with trust levels among fellow workers.
But 42 percent of employees don’t think senior management leads by example, or “walks the talk,” as surveyors put it.
Those and other results in an unprecedented Fire Department climate survey triggered the formation of an eight-member task force to dig into the issues.
“Employees are doing a good job,” Chief Manny Navarro said, summarizing the survey, but he added, “There’s a perception of relationship issues. A lot of that is based on communications. We’re looking for actionable items to improve that.”
Mike Smaldino, president of Colorado Springs Professional Firefighters Association Local 5, said the survey reinforces Local 5’s concerns.
“This was a chance everybody had to put their thoughts into writing, and, hopefully, some changes might happen because of it,” he said, “or at least some things might get addressed by bringing some issues to light.
“One of the big things people wanted is to have some ability to provide input in guiding the department,” Smaldino said. Many of the task force members belong to Local 5.
The $15,000 survey, conducted by two consultants earlier this year, was commissioned after discord in the department centered on fairness issues, including:
Fire companies being banned from driving fire trucks to grocery stores for food and stopping at convenience stores for snacks and sodas to save fuel. Chiefs were perceived to drive department vehicles at their whim. Fuel reports supported firefighters’ contention that operational units met fuel goals while the administration exceeded targeted usage.
The perception that Navarro, Deputy Chief Steve Cox and Deputy Chief Dan Raider golf on workdays and drive fire vehicles to and from the courses. Although golfing occurred during off-duty time, Navarro halted the practice in June to eliminate a bad perception.
While Navarro said he hasn’t seen traditional indicators of low morale such as absenteeism, a rise in grievances and poor job performance, he ordered the survey to find out what was on firefighters’ minds.
The voluntary survey drew 446 responses, or 83.5 percent. An overwhelming majority of respondents said they were satisfied with work tools, what’s expected, their immediate work group, training and other operational areas.
But the survey results get dicey when management is factored in. For example, 25 percent of respondents said they don’t have the opportunity to share their ideas and concerns with senior leaders.
That same number disagreed that senior leaders treat employees fairly, and 31 percent disagreed that leaders communicate decisions clearly.
Navarro chalked up some negativity to what can be expected in any organization.
Most management surveys show a third of employees critical of leadership, he said.
But being on par with national and international employee polls doesn’t sit well with him, he said.
“That’s not good enough for me,” Navarro said. “I want it 100 percent” approval.
“We have to call ourselves out,” he said. “It doesn’t make a difference what the facts are, the perception is out there.”
Navarro wants the task force to decipher the meaning of the outcome that showed 42 percent don’t think senior leaders lead by example.
The chief, who came here in 1994, said he believes the department needs to improve communication and relationships. That’s made difficult by having 20 fire stations with three shifts of firefighters, he said, adding it takes him three months to visit all shifts.
More visits may be in the offing, however.
“We’ve got to make time in our schedule to get out in these areas and talk to people,” said Deputy Chief Cox, who oversaw the survey.
Navarro said discontent hasn’t weakened job performance, but it can.
One thing already has changed. The ban on driving trucks to pick up refreshments has been lifted if the stops are made en route to or from training or from an alarm call.
However, on-duty grocery shopping will be allowed “only for unanticipated or unusual circumstances,” according to the new policy, issued six weeks ago.
Navarro said he has imposed no deadline on the task force to submit recommendations.
Copyright 2007 The Gazette
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News