Teamwork at the heart of policing in Scotland
Teamwork remains at the heart of policing in Scotland according to a survey of officers, staff, and volunteers.
Participants in Police Scotland’s annual workforce survey scored teamwork at 77% overall - the highest scoring category and at the same level as a survey last year.
Of 10,770 respondents, 87% said they work effectively together, support each other and can be relied upon if things get difficult.
Survey participants said they value making a difference in society more than they do any personal achievement, with 70% agreeing they put public service first. However, only 29% agreed they have sufficient people resource.
Culture, (66% overall score), supervisors and first line managers (66%), and individuals’ roles (58%) were all rated moderately with some improvement compared to last year, while the organisation (44%) and leadership remained the most challenging areas, despite a seven per cent scoring increase around leadership (36% to 43%) compared to last year.
There was also a four per cent drop in score (56%) on last year for the organisation being one colleagues are proud to work for.
Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “Police officers, staff, and volunteers work together with determination, skill, and professionalism every day to deliver for communities and we know a strong team ethos is at the heart of effective policing.
“I have led increased communication, engagement, and visibility for senior leaders and, although we have seen improvement in scoring in that area, this will continue to be a significant focus for me, the Chief Officer Team, and all our senior leaders.
“Our officers and staff are consistently highlighting resourcing challenges and this survey continues to underline that we are a service under pressure.
“I want to thank everyone who participated in the survey and reaffirm my commitment that we’ll act on what our workforce tells us to improve their day to day experiences.”
Police Scotland’s annual survey opened on 4 August, 2025, for nine weeks. In total, 10,770 responses were received, equivalent to 46% of the workforce. It was anonymous and designed by a third party provider.
The results can be read below.
Workforce Survey OE Comments - Accessible Version
Workforce Survey Headline Insights - Accessible Version