Senior leaders at Metropolitan State University of Denver say they’re committed to addressing workplace concerns that faculty and staff members raised in the University’s most recent employee-engagement survey.
Results from September’s Top Workplaces Energage Survey show overall workplace satisfaction is at 59%, down 4 percentage points from the same survey conducted in January 2022.
There were several bright spots in the results: More than 80% of respondents said their job is meaningful and that their manager cares about their concerns. Employees also indicated they appreciate flexibility that provides work-life balance and the University’s strong values, which make them feel they are part of something meaningful.
However, employees were particularly concerned about compensation, inefficient processes and a disconnect with senior managers. Employees rated 23 statements about their experience at MSU Denver, indicating the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with each. Scores for most of the statements declined over the past year and were below benchmarks for other institutions aspiring to be top workplaces.
More than half of all MSU Denver employees responded to this year’s survey, an increase over last year’s 46% response rate.
The survey is an important tool in helping MSU Denver leaders understand what motivates employees and where the University is falling short in supporting them, said President Janine Davidson, Ph.D.
“We take these results very seriously, and addressing them is a top priority for me and the University’s senior leaders,” she said. “As the survey indicates, our employees care deeply about this University and its mission, and we remain committed to becoming Colorado’s most desired place to work by 2030. We’ll do what it takes to achieve that Strategic Plan goal.”
Taking action
The University has already begun addressing many areas that employees are concerned about, including compensation. Employees received an across-the-board pay raise this year, along with a one-time stipend last month. Davidson said “investing in people” is once again the top budget priority for the next fiscal year, and Human Resources has launched a Compensation Equity Study to help determine how MSU Denver’s compensation levels compare internally and with those at other institutions of higher learning.
The University is also addressing concerns around faculty workload and the implementation of Workday.
MSU Denver hired the consulting firm Continuum to review the Workday transition and implementation. The firm’s findings will be presented in an action-and-accountability plan that will be used to improve processes.
Meanwhile, based on the work of the University’s Cross-Functional Task Force on Faculty Workload, deans are developing three-year proposals for differentiated faculty workloads that may also include budgetary implications. If approved, they anticipate implementing the first phase of those plans as early as next fall.
Next steps
“Human Resources will be sharing college-, school- and branch-specific survey results with deans and vice presidents this month and will ask those leaders to meet with their teams to gain deeper insight so they can develop action plans that address employee concerns specific to their areas,” said Stacy Dvergsdal, associate vice president of Human Resources.
“Each vice president and dean will post their action plans to SharePoint by the end of January, with updates posted throughout the spring semester,” she said.
The Early Bird will report on key areas of progress throughout the coming year.
“Each of us has a responsibility for our culture and work experience,” Dvergsdal said. “It’s important that we model our CADRE values and work together to build a stronger and healthier workplace where all of our community members feel valued and that they belong.
“We look forward to working with University branches and leadership on their action plans. MSU Denver’s culture and mission are truly unique, and we could not fulfill our mission without our talented employees, who are committed to improving the lives of the students and communities we serve every day.”
Points of pride
- Employees feel their job makes them feel they are part of something meaningful and that MSU Denver operates on strong values.
- Employees feel they have the flexibility to balance their work and personal lives.
- Employees feel that their manager cares about their concerns and helps them learn and grow.
Areas of opportunity
- Employees don’t think the University operates efficiently.
- Employees would like to see improved interdepartmental cooperation within MSU Denver.
- Employees would like the University to continue to review compensation practices and benchmarks to ensure that their pay is fair for the work they do.