Northern Arizona University
PA-10: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

NAU conducts anonymous surveys to measure employee satisfaction and engagement, including job satisfaction, learning and advancement opportunities, work culture and work/life balance using the following methods:

• Classified Staff Advisory Council conducts periodic (every 3-5 years), anonymous employee surveys, sending to all classified staff (approximately 1100). Data is summarized and reviewed by the advisory council and shared with Human Resources, President’s office and other key administrators. Human Resources utilizes the data from these surveys in their planning efforts. The survey was last conducted in 2013. Survey response rate was approximately 33%. Key contact for this survey can be found on the member list at: http://www4.nau.edu/csac/

• Service Professional Advisory Council conducts biennial anonymous employee surveys, sending to all service professionals (approximately 600). The data is summarized and reviewed by the advisory council and shared with Human Resources, and posted publicly on their website http://www.nau.edu/spac/ (see evidence in newsletters for 2010, 2008). The most recent survey conducted in 2010 focused on what the SPAC group could do to better support NAU service professionals in the way of professional development training, employee benefits and services that were top priorities, etc. Survey response rate was approximately 30%. The last survey is posted here: http://www4.nau.edu/spac/newsletter/feb2011/

• NAU faculty recently participated in an anonymous survey through a national study: the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE). COACHE was initiated by Provost Huenneke, to help NAU understand the working conditions at the University. This collaborative, involving universities across the country under the leadership of a team from Harvard, is a three-year project. As members of the collaborative, NAU faculty are asked to participate in a survey that focuses broadly on working conditions (e.g., satisfaction with things like research opportunities and the tenure process). The data collected through the survey is targeted to be actionable: we have a campus advisory team that will help us use the data to make concrete steps to enhance conditions for our faculty. In addition, COACHE will allow us to benefit from strategy sessions and networking with other universities dedicated to creating a great work environment. http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=coache&pageid=icb.page307142. The survey closed with a 63% total response rate.

See above