Cornell University
PA-13: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

Cornell continuously employs unit or campus–wide surveys to drive improvements to the campus climate to foster a productive work environment for faculty, students and staff, including mature workers. Cornell administers a satisfaction survey for all faculty on a 5 year cycle - the most recent of which was administered in fall, 2016. The university conducted a survey for all staff in the fall of 2016. Additionally, in February, 2020, all employees received a Belonging at Cornell survey which measured a climate of Inclusion and overall satisfaction. The student PULSE survey is conducted on a bi-annual basis, with the last conducted in the spring, 2019. A new employee acclimation survey was started in FY16 which was designed to measure new hire engagement and experiences.

In addition to these organization-wide measures, many other measures of satisfaction are in place on an on-going basis. For example, the university exit survey measures reasons why people leave Cornell, a new hire survey measures acclimation to Cornell after 90 days, which includes satisfaction metrics. The university now conducts an exit survey of retirees to assess their experience and in 2019, the university administered its first Retiree Engagement Survey. Some units have undertaken extensive surveys of their workforce in collaboration with HR Analytics to understand issues related to the 7-dimensions of wellbeing, belonging, and experience. Many units on campus also conduct regular "pulse" surveys of their staff, faculty and students on a regular basis. Finally, Cornell administered a "Working During COVID" survey to staff in July, 2020.

The results of all surveys are shared with senior leadership and action-oriented plans are developed. For example, in the 2016 staff survey employee recognition was identified as an area of opportunity. Subsequently, Cornell launched a recognition platform, which includes the ability to provide formal recognition, including points to purchase items. Past staff surveys have resulted in many new programs for example a streamlined approach to evaluating positions for potential reclassification, a new online career development tool to assist employees with understanding competencies for their next position as well as training and job skill development suggestions. As a result of feedback on the new hire acclimation survey, a Supervisor's Guide to Employee Acclimation and Retention was designed to enhance the new hire orientation process. Finally, with the new Belonging at Cornell survey administered in February 2020, a new interactive dashboard and tool kit was put in place to help colleges/units to better understand their results and provide concrete action steps for improvement. This new survey will be administered to all employees bi-annually.
https://diversity.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/Belonging%20At%20Cornell%20-%20Toolkit.pdf

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2020/08/belonging-cornell-survey-inform-diversity-action-plans