VT Research (now Babcock Research) undertook a staff survey for Government Office South West (GOSW). The brief outlined five key objectives from which VT Research formulated an appropriate methodology. These objectives were: to ascertain current staff attitudes; to identify current issues for staff; to produce comparative data with previous staff surveys; to identify what improvements had been made and their impact; and to identify further areas of improvement and concern and recommended actions in the final report, presentations and staff seminars.

A project steering group was established which looked at the most appropriate ways to implement the recommended methodology. The survey was conducted against a backdrop of extensive change within the Government Office for the South West and Government Offices in general and so a communication strategy was developed to keep staff informed about the project with an initial newsletter sent to all GOSW staff launching the project. Staff were reassured about anonymity at all stages of the research process.

Both the survey design and also the quantitative results were tested with focus groups of staff. Final results and recommendations were provided to the client.