Elon University
PA-13: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

The university has conducted several survey assessments since 2019, including:
-Academic Council, the governing body of the university faculty, conducts periodic surveys of faculty feedback on specific topics. Recent areas of focus include faculty on the lecturer track and recently tenured faculty. The surveys reflect Council priorities and focus during a given year.
-Staff Council, which represents the interests of employees with a staff classification and administrators without faculty rank, conducts surveys on topics of interest to the council. The most recent survey was administered in Spring 2021 and solicited feedback about COVID-19 related concerns that were specific to staff.
-The Office of the President and Human Resources surveyed campus employees about their needs and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic - the Faculty & Staff Check-In Survey in October 2020. The purpose of the survey was to learn more about how the university could best support employees’ health, safety, and well-being as a valued member of the Elon community. The survey addressed topics, such as the need for additional support for employees with children, concerns about health and safety on campus, and solicited feedback and recommendations to help the campus and its employees successfully navigate the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
-The Division of Student Life conducts periodic assessments of staff on topics including satisfaction, sources of stress and soliciting specific suggestions for improvement.
-The Office of Human Resources provides an Exit Questionnaire to employees who are leaving the university.
-Various departments conduct surveys or ask for feedback to improve services, such as the Office of Leadership and Professional Development.
The Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey was scheduled for administration in Spring 2020 but was canceled due to the pandemic. This survey gathers faculty perspectives on institutional climate, sources of stress and satisfaction, student interaction and teaching methods. It is tentatively rescheduled for 2023.

Results of internally developed assessments and recommendations from the results are reviewed by the sponsoring group and shared with appropriate stakeholders. When appropriate, results and recommendations can be shared with Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, and/or Senior Staff (the President’s cabinet).
For example, for the Faculty & Staff Check-In Survey (October 2020), the compiled results were shared with vice presidents and deans. A presentation was also given to Staff Advisory Council and faculty at a faculty meeting. In response to the survey results, Elon implemented a
a monthly well-being newsletter that provided support and resources, increased wellness options through the faculty/staff clinic, launched a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to better support employees with resources right in the community, launched the YMCA young achievers academy to assist with virtual learning, provided the summer refresh and rejuvenate series focused on community with the following:
-Summer Flexible Scheduling
-Summer College Coffee
-Thursdays at 3 (afternoon concerts)
-Breakfast on Us
-Lifelines
-Mindfulness Lunchtime Series
-Summer Lunchtime Movies
Exit Questionnaire feedback is collected, analyzed and used in various ways to help improve employees’ experiences, including training needs and employee relations issues.