Results of the 2018 Staff Survey
Tuesday, 09 April 2019
Message from Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort
Dear colleagues,
I am writing to share the results of the 2018 Staff Survey with you.
The 2018 survey was shorter than the full survey in 2017, as it focused on the key areas identified for action from the 2017 survey and the focus groups that followed it. We wanted to take stock of the progress made on those areas – including the work undertaken by the People Plan Programme Board – and whether that progress was visible to and having an impact on colleagues.
In all, 2,507 colleagues across all areas and job roles completed the 2018 survey and I am grateful to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. You can access the full 2018 Staff Survey report for the University.
The survey identified clear areas where we need to do better, notably around change management, managing staff workload, University-wide co-operation and the University listening to and responding to staff. Only 57% of the respondents felt the University Executive Board (UEB) set out a clear vision and only 54% thought we managed and led the University well. This is clearly disappointing and my colleagues in the UEB and I will work hard to improve in these areas. We also want more than just 44% of our colleagues to feel that we listen to and respond to your views.
We must continue to build upon the positives too. The areas where we have seen the most improvement include colleagues feeling valued by the University and thinking the University is a good place to work. It is great to see that 90% of those who participated agree with these statements, compared to 87% in 2017. In addition, our 'Employer of Choice' score has increased this year to 3.38 out of a possible maximum of 4.00 (compared to 3.32 in 2017). It is now higher than the median score of 3.36 for other higher education institutions who work with Capita on their staff surveys.
Work is already underway to act on both the 2017 and 2018 survey outcomes. For example, the People Plan Board has a dedicated workstream on the critical role of leadership and management. Members of the board are also part of the Change Management Working Group, which is looking at how we manage and communicate change. The results of the survey, and in particular the need for openness and dialogue, are also informing the process for developing a new University strategy.
The reports related to your School or Function can be accessed here. I and Heads of School and Heads of Function want to work with you to agree or update actions going forward, and HR Partners can help with this planning locally.
Kind regards,
Robert
Robert Van de Noort
Vice-Chancellor