€100,000 spent to make Department of Social Protection staff happier

The State’s largest government department has spent €100,000 enlisting a US-owned consultancy firm to help to make its discontented staff happier.

This follows the Department of Social Protection hiring Axiom Consulting Partners to help review its “culture and values” after a survey found almost half (49%) of employees surveyed did not believe their organisation cared about their wellbeing.

The department confirmed yesterday that the fee to Axiom for its work is €99,750 (ex-Vat) and that the firm has completed its work, with Axiom’s report already published to all departmental staff.