About 28 per cent - or 147 of Lyndoch's 520 staff - volunteered to participate in the anonymous cultural review survey which was carried out in December, the confidential results of which were leaked to The Standard on Tuesday.

Lyndoch Living chief executive officer Doreen Power addressed staff on Tuesday about the findings of the survey and unveiled plans to lift staff morale.

Concerns were raised by staff in relation to gossiping, bullying, staff shortages, workloads, favouritism and old equipment, and many were concerned about the potential for backlash.

"The overarching respondent replies appear to be quite heightened and focused only on the negative aspects about their working culture, with those opinions siloing any positivity," the survey found, although it did say some respondents had "a more balanced approach to the questions".

"It is clear that some changes need to occur to keep faith in the process and address the negative issues and attitudes," the report recommended.

Ms Power said the external consultant was engaged to conduct the survey in response to social media "attacks" on the organisation because she wanted to hear from staff about what the issues were so they could be addressed.

The social media commentary, she said, was different to what she experienced every day across the organisation.

She said some staff and residents had been accosted in the streets about Lyndoch.

"They're proud to be at Lyndoch and they feel that they're under attack and that's something I can't tolerate," she said. "I've got their back and I'll stand up and fight for them."

She said Lyndoch had been undergoing significant changes in the last four years "moving from an old people's home to an exciting place for living and living well".

Ms Power said the survey was a snapshot of a point in time which focused only on culture, morale and values.

"All staff need to uphold the values. This includes the executive, management and older staff," she said.

Ms Power said communication needed to be timely and transparent, and "we can always do better".

"I'll take that on board. I think sometimes you do get a bit complacent," she said.

Criticism in the the survey was not just levelled at management, but other staff.

"What was concerning for me was older staff not welcoming newer staff," she said.

Ms Power said she would take on board the criticism levelled at her.

"I have to look at myself. What can I do?"

Ms Power said the survey was a one-off and was not like the bi-annual staff surveys Lyndoch usually carried out which found 59 per cent satisfaction with the organisational leadership - up three per cent on the previous survey and up nine per cent on the previous five years.

Lyndoch will hold another staff satisfaction survey in March this year.

She said staff turnover at Lyndoch was 15 per cent - five per cent below the national average, and since she had been there staff numbers had increased by 120.

Ms Power said Lyndoch had recently passed a surprise audit of the quality and safety of care at Lyndoch

She said it was "a great congratulations to staff" after 45 per cent of the 173 organisations audited failed to meet the standards.

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