University of Tennessee at Knoxville
PA-12: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

Introduced in 2011, the Employee Engagement Survey is sent out every three years to help make the University a better place to work by sharing thoughts and suggestions. The survey is available to any person employed by the University of Tennessee and working 50% time or more, and is administered by a third-party vendor, ModernThink. Areas covered by the survey include: -Compensation, recognition and appreciation -Benefits & work/life balance -Professional development -Performance management -Diversity and inclusion -Job fit -Senior leadership -Connection of job to UT's mission -Resources and support -Collaboration -Shared Governance

Feedback is used in many ways, at both system and campus levels, to make UT an even better place to work. Examples of changes made from the 2011 survey at UT Knoxville include: -Created new supervisor training: Performance evaluation, conflict management, employee shared governance and effective recognition -Introduced two new annual employee appreciation events hosted by the chancellor: Spring Thank You Lunch and Fall Back-to-School Barbecue -Introduced new comprehensive benefits fair in September to provide employees an opportunity to learn more about upcoming benefit changes prior to annual enrollment -Introduced new quarterly luncheon program to give the chancellor an opportunity to welcome all new faculty and staff -Introduced new Open Office Hours program to provide faculty and staff the chance to discuss issues of interest and concern one-on-one with the chancellor After the most recent survey was completed in fall of 2014, ModernThink analyzed the data and grouped results into fifteen dimensions. The campus improved in all fifteen of the broad dimensions compared to the 2011 survey results. Among the largest improvements were those in response to statements about compensation, benefits, work/life balance, and supervisor competencies.