North Carolina State University
2008 Staff Well-Being Survey
Executive Summary
Summary of Survey Methods and Response Rates
The Staff Well-Being Survey (SWBS) was administered during Spring 2008. The SWBS population included all permanent and time-limited, non-probationary, benefits-eligible SPA and EPA professional staff (excluding instructional and upper-level administration, e.g. vice chancellors, vice provosts, deans). The survey was available both online and on paper; the paper version was available in both English and Spanish. 3,243 of the 5,841 staff in the survey population participated in the survey, for a 55.5 percent response rate. With the exception of females being slightly more likely than males to respond, response rates were consistent between various demographic groups (e.g., divisions/department, EPA/SPA classification, occupational activity code, race/ethnicity, age of respondents, number of years employed at NC State). As such, results of the SWBS are generally representative of the entire NC State staff population.
Summary of Overall Results
The following summary is based on those respondents expressing an opinion on a given question (i.e., does not include "don't know" responses). It is primarily a descriptive analysis of the overall results - - it generally does not include the exact percentage of respondents giving a particular response. Rather, results are described as "positive" when at least 75 percent of respondents gave a positive response (e.g., "excellent" or "good," "very satisfied" or "satisfied"), and as "negative" when more than 25 percent of respondents gave a negative response (e.g., "fair" or "poor," "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied"). The topics below are presented in no particular order.
Overall Satisfaction and Engagement
Overall, staff are satisfied with their employment. The vast majority take pride in working at NC State University and say that they feel like they make a difference here. Most say that they would recommend their department as a good place to work - - they feel like they fit in and that they are valued. Almost 90 percent report that in general they look forward to coming to work. While about one-third said that in the past year they had taken one or more days off simply because they did not want to come to work, almost all of those say they did so only once or twice.
One's satisfaction in working at NC State appears to grow over time. Staff are much more likely to say they are more satisfied now at NC State than they were three years ago than to say they are less satisfied. And, most staff members believe that they will continue to work at the University for at least the next three years. Although half of employees had considered leaving the university within the last year or two, only a small percentage had very seriously considered doing so.
Work Activities
Ninety percent of staff say that they have a formal job description for their position, and report that the tasks they perform on a daily basis match closely with what is outlined in the job description. The vast majority are satisfied with the actual tasks/assignments they are asked to do; in fact, over ninety percent of staff report going beyond what's expected of their job because they enjoy the work they do.
Staff are satisfied with the basic training they received to perform their job, and the majority of staff members are clear on what is expected of them. Regular conversations with supervisors are the most useful to staff in determining these expectations compared to other methods such as job descriptions or work plans, annual appraisals/performance reviews, or department meetings. Among the roughly sixty percent of SPA staff reporting that their position classification has changed from pay grade to career band, most report that the classification change has helped them to better understand the competencies required for the job "little" or "not at all".
While majorities report that they are satisfied with the amount of work expected and the time given for completing their tasks, almost half say that there is more work than they expected and that additional qualified people are needed in their unit to do the work. Additionally, over half of staff report experiencing at least some stress due to workload. "Workload," in fact, appears to cause more stress among staff than any other activity or concern asked about. Nevertheless, when asked to rate how well they are handling work-related demands on a scale of "1" indicating "managing fine" to "5" indicating "completely overwhelmed", only 5 percent report being "completely overwhelmed," compared to about one-third saying they are "managing fine."
Professional Support
According to staff, there is sufficient clerical and technical support to allow staff members to get their work done. The majority of staff also report having the essential materials and equipment needed to do their work and report high levels of satisfaction with the availability of basic supplies and up-to-date equipment. However, over a third report experiencing at least some stress over not having the tools/resources needed to do their job.
Staff say that departments are supportive of employees' efforts to find more efficient and effective ways to get things done. Department's get slightly lower ratings, however, on the extent to which they recognize/appreciate these types of efforts from employees.
Professional Development
Staff are generally satisfied with the availability of professional development and training opportunities and the time they are given to participate in them, but are slightly less satisfied with the financial support to do so. Of the various types of opportunities asked about, they are slightly less likely to be satisfied with leadership development opportunities and opportunities to improve their skills to increase their chances for a better job.
A small portion of staff members were assigned a mentor or buddy when they first began working at the University, but most believe that it would be helpful.
Work Relationships
Staff members report positive relationships with coworkers within their department. An overwhelming majority like the people with whom they work most closely and say they get along and enjoy working together. Further, staff evaluate their co-workers as knowledgeable and hardworking. They say they are treated by respect by other staff members, supervisors, administration, students, faculty, and clients.When asked to rate the quality of relationships between various members of the University community, staff are especially likely to report positive relationships between staff and immediate supervisors and between staff and their clients or customers. Lower ratings were given to the relationships between staff and upper administration in their department, their college or division, and the university. A similar pattern exists for responses to questions assessing communication between various members of the University community. Communication between co-workers and between the staff and their clients/customers is rated highly, while communication between department staff and upper administration in the college and University is rated less favorably.
The majority of staff report that other people (e.g., immediate supervisor, administration, students, faculty, clients/customers) have caused them little or no stress over the past couple of years. However, other staff in one's work unit are more likely than other individuals/groups to be a source of stress.
Work-Life Issues
More than 40 percent of staff report experiencing at least some stress due to the balance between work and personal life, making it the one of the top sources of stress for staff. However, most staff believe that they work in an environment that enables them to successfully negotiate the sometimes competing demands of work and home. Staff also report that the University provides programs that facilitate this balance.
Management/leadership
Staff members' evaluations of immediate supervisors are generally positive. According to survey results, staff give their immediate supervisors highest rating for being supportive, approachable, available, appreciative, and for being good advocates for their staff. Staff also report that supervisors listen to them and give straight answers to reasonable questions. Staff give positive ratings to the extent to which their supervisors encourage teamwork and provide opportunities for staff input concerning planning, decision making, and problem solving as it relates to work responsibilities. While a sizeable number of staff report they have at most a limited understanding of the way resources are allocated within their work unit, they generally believe that their supervisors do a good job providing and fairly distributing essential resources.
Although still rated positively by a majority of staff, supervisors get lower ratings for their conflict resolution skills, and for showing "favoritism" in their treatment of the different members of the work unit and in the way they distribute work assignments. Finally, supervisors get somewhat lower rating for their ability to set short and long term goals and objectives, and for setting attainable goals.
Staff were less likely to express an opinion on the leadership styles of upper administration in their department, and even less likely to do so for upper administration at the university. However, among those expressing an opinion, staff evaluate upper administration within departments and at the university noticeably lower than immediate supervisors on each of the items areas asked about. Department upper administration got highest ratings for serving as an advocate for the department, encouraging teamwork, and in being approachable when an immediate supervisor was not responsive to staff needs. They were given lowest ratings for resolving internal conflicts within the department quickly and effectively. Among those expressing an opinion, university upper administration got highest ratings for serving as an advocate for the university to external customers, and lowest ratings for distributing resources fairly and for listening to ideas from staff.
Performance evaluation
Immediate supervisors are the most valuable in helping staff determine how well they are performing their job. Staff members report that customers/clients and the staff they supervise are also important.
Most staff members understand the formal process used by the department to evaluate their performance, believe the process is fair and reasonable, and say they have at least some input in it. Staff members report that their performance reviews or Annual Appraisals are appropriately based on their job description, reflect the key responsibilities and competencies of banded employees, and help staff to identify what they are doing well and what they need to improve on. Performance reviews/annual appraisals, however, are generally seen as less useful in furthering staff members' career planning and development.
SPA staff report that talking with their supervisor about their Annual Appraisal is the most useful way for staff to understand how well they are doing their job, followed closely by the written comments on the Appraisal. The numeric ratings given on the Annual Appraisal are rated considerably less helpful.
Staff are split on satisfaction with incentives, recognition, and awards offered by their department for excellent job performance. Almost equal numbers indicated they are satisfied as those who are dissatisfied.
In addition to the formal procedures in place to evaluate performance, about one-third of staff report that supervisors "frequently" publicly acknowledge and/or express appreciation for the work that they do. However, about 20 percent say their supervisors "seldom" or "never" do so. Staff are more likely to report that people other than their supervisor (e.g., customers, faculty) at least occasionally offer public acknowledgement or appreciation for the work they do.
Staff Senate and Grievance Procedures
Over half of staff members indicated that they did not have enough knowledge about the University's grievance procedure to express an opinion. Of those who did, most feel the procedures are a reasonable and effective way for complaints to be heard and seriously considered. A large majority believe a mediation program is a useful way to informally work out problems/complaints.
While a large portion of staff indicated that they do not have much knowledge of the Staff Senate, about two-thirds of those who gave an opinion rated the Senate's efforts at providing effective means of communication between staff and administration and in advocating for staff as "excellent" or "good."
Pay and Compensation
A slight majority of staff members indicate that they are satisfied with the total compensation package (salary + benefits) they receive at NC State University. However, when asked to evaluate the competitiveness of their salary compared to employees doing the same or similar work, staff report some of the lowest ratings of the survey. Comparisons to other workers within the department and college or division are slightly more favorable than comparisons to workers at other universities and in the private sector (EPA) or other Raleigh-area employers (SPA).
Staff members' evaluations of benefits are considerably more favorable. A large portion of staff members rate voluntary benefits, retirement contributions, and healthcare benefits as reasonably competitive compared to other employers for whom they could work.
Staff identify flexible working hours and tuition waiver or benefit for dependents as the most important benefits that should be provided to employees. Employee assistance programs (e.g., for personal issues like coping with family, financial, or substance abuse problems), proactive wellness programs (such as weight loss, health lifestyle education, and smoking cessation), telecommuting options, and access to a close-by quality childcare facility are also rated as "very important" by about half the staff.
A little over half of staff report that a childcare benefit would be relevant to their own family situation within the next five years. Of the staff to which it does apply, about half indicated that it was at least somewhat likely that they would use a campus childcare facility at a cost comparable to what they could find in their community. Staff are even more likely to report that a tuition waiver or benefit would be relevant to their family situation within the next five year, and among this group, even more likely to say their would use it. Over one-half of staff in this situation reported that they would be "very likely" use such a benefit.
Vision and Direction
Staff are far more likely to believe that their department, their college/division, and the university are "heading in the right direction" than to say things have "gotten off on the wrong track." In addition, the majority of staff think each of these units will be better five years from now than they are today.
Most staff believe that their department has a vision for the future, and that the vision fits with that of the University. Staff are also generally optimistic about the progress their department is making towards meeting its vision. They are more likely to say their department is actively working toward meeting its vision for the future than to say that progress seems slow. In addition, the vast majority believes that their department is successful in meeting its goals. Staff members agree that their department is doing a good job of recruiting the best staff to accomplish these goals of the department, but are in less agreement about efforts to retain effective and productive staff.
Diversity/Multiculturalism
The most consistently high ratings in the survey are in the context of diversity and multiculturalism. Department, college and university administration are all given top ratings for their efforts to promote diversity. Although a sizable number say they don't know enough to have an opinion, among those that do the majority of staff believe that their department administration actively works to recruit, retain and support staff members from historically underrepresented groups and that their work environment is accepting and respectful of differences.
Most staff also believe that it is important for the University to have an institutional emphasis on diversity. A slight majority of staff report attending diversity or multicultural events, programs, workshops, or training activities on campus at least a few times since their employment began. The most common reasons cited for attending such events "rarely" or "never" are that the activities are not convenient and not being aware of such activities.
Campus Infrastructure
Overall, staff members respond positively to survey questions related to the physical environment within which they work. According to survey results, staff members report high levels of satisfaction with their immediate physical workspace, including their office, lab or general work area; as well as the maintenance and condition of the infrastructure in the building(s) where they typically work. The upkeep of campus grounds are also given high ratings by staff, as is the general attractiveness of the campus and the amount of "green" space. Majorities of staff give high ratings to safety, but are more satisfied with the safety of their own immediate work environment and campus safety overall.
Relative to other areas asked about, staff are less satisfied with the availability of informal places to relax on campus, dining options on campus, and parking. Over half of staff responded unfavorably to the availability and cost of parking -- with over one third of staff indicating that they were "very dissatisfied" with the cost of parking.
Among those expressing an opinion, the University's efforts at environmental responsibility such as energy conservation, water conservation, and especially, recycling are all given high ratings.
Campus involvement Overall, staff members are satisfied with the availability of recreational and cultural activities on campus. The level of satisfaction with various specific recreational/cultural activities is fairly consistent, although among those expressing an opinion most positive responses are given to the facilities at Carmichael Gymnasium.
About half the staff report that they attend a Wolfpack athletic event at least once a year, and about one-third say that they attend an ARTS NC State program at least once per year. Similarly, about one-third say they use the facilities at Carmichael Gymnasium, with about 10 percent saying they do so once a week or more. Very few staff have ever participated in organized campus recreations activities such as club sports, fitness/wellness programs, etc. About half of the staff reported that where they work on campus interferes with their desire to participate in campus activities to at least "some" degree.
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Associate Director for Survey Research
Office of Institutional Planning and Research
Box 7002
NCSU
Phone: (919) 515-4184
Email: ncsu_surveys@ncsu.edu
Posted: August, 2008
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