MyGlasgow News

The 2014 Staff Survey will be launched towards the end of this month and for the first time will be run by an independent research company, Capita Research and Surveys. Supported by the University’s trades unions, the detailed questionnaire will seek to gather the views of ALL staff and will guarantee respondents’ total anonymity.

Staff will receive an email with details of the poll on Monday 24 March. You’ll have the option of completing the survey electronically and online...or by a hard-copy paper version. In both cases, the survey will be conducted under the terms of the Data Protection Act and in line with the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct.

The survey is detailed and with options to make comments. It is likely to take about 15 minutes to complete.  Staff will be free to do this in work time. No one in the University will be allowed access to the raw data or to any of the completed questionnaires.  The survey will run for five weeks, closing on Friday 25 April.

It is planned to run another question-and-answer Campus Conversation staff event in June.  Part of that ninety minute session will be devoted to announcing the early results from the survey. 

The survey will cover a wide range of topics linked to working life at the University of Glasgow. They include:

• work/life balance
• job satisfaction
• performance and development review (P&DR)
• pay and conditions
• communications

Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Anton Muscatelli, said: “I urge all members of staff to take this opportunity to have your say by completing this year’s Staff Survey. No matter what your role is with the University, you are key to our success.  When the results are in, we will share them with you in full and then we will agree an action plan to make improvements and to address the issues that you have raised.

“We are committed to nurturing and developing the people who work for the University and maximising the opportunity for everyone to contribute to attaining our shared aspirations. We want the University to be a place where people feel encouraged, valued and motivated. “

Iain Banks, the President of the University’s UCU Branch said:  “The trades unions have been fully involved in the formulation of the questions in the Staff Survey 2014. We are satisfied the survey process will ensure anonymity for participants and we would strongly encourage all staff to participate so they can make their feelings known.”

‌In another change to the way the University staff survey is being conducted this year, for every survey completed the University will be making a £1 donation to one of three charities.  The total donations, dependent on the eventual response rate, will be announced after the survey closes on 25 April.

The staff surveys conducted by the University in 2012 and 2009 both got a 33% response rate. It is hoped there will be a much better return this year. In 2012, overall staff satisfaction had dropped from 81% to 79%.  There was a dip in workplace enjoyment but a big improvement in team communications.

Since the last survey in 2012, the University’s policy on Management of Stress in the Workplace has been reviewed, revised and published, with new guidance on local risk assessments for stress.

The Employee Assistance Programme, through which staff can access a variety of counselling services, is also regularly reviewed, and consideration is currently being given to alternative mechanisms for supporting staff experiencing difficult situations.

The University has taken steps to have a number of staff within the Staff Development, HR and Health, Safety & Wellbeing services trained to deliver a variety of courses designed to raise awareness of workplace stress, help those with staff manage stress appropriately and develop happier, more resilient employees. Stress Management is now an integral part of First Line Management training and induction for managers that are new to the organisation.

Where concern was expressed over the survey results relating to manager and peer support, a number of workshops and away days were facilitated by members of the Staff Development and HS&W Services, with input from independent consultants. This work is still ongoing in some areas and will continue as required.

You can find out more about the 2014 Staff Survey here:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/staff/2014staffsurvey/

And you can send questions or comments to: communications@glasgow.ac.uk

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First published: 28 February 2014