2023 Faculty and Staff Experience Survey

The Western 2023 Faculty and Staff Experience Survey provides an opportunity to express your views about your day-to-day work experience. Whether you’re a faculty or staff member we want your Western experience to be great – enabling you to do the important work of research, teaching, or providing exceptional services to students and colleagues.

As we move forward with our new strategic plan, and Faculties and Divisions advance their ambitious plans, Western’s success will come through your success. This survey provides a great opportunity to take stock of where we are at today, to ready us for the future. 

A Western Survey - Local Results  

While this is a survey for Western faculty and staff, importantly, each Faculty and Division and larger departments will receive a unique report of what the work experience is like in their own area. Deans, Vice Provosts, and AVPs will be sharing the results in the spring and summer with their faculty and staff for dialogue and discussion about what is going well and where there are opportunities to improve. 

What is engagement? 

Engagement is a key measure in this survey. Think about times when you have been really “into your work” and time passed by quickly or you felt a strong sense of accomplishment - that gives you a sense of what it means to be engaged. Engagement is more than job satisfaction. It is often defined as: “A positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigour, dedication, and absorption.” (Source: Wilmar Schaufeli, Utrecht University) 

Why does your engagement matter? 

If Western is to be among the world’s best Universities we need a workplace where faculty and staff are engaged, finding their careers fulfilling, and feeling pride in their work.

Research shows engagement is a win-win: “Employees who are engaged in their work and committed to their organization are more likely to stay, are absent less frequently, and perform more effectively than those who are not… Importantly, engagement also relates positively to employees’ own physical and psychological well-being.” (Source: Professor John Meyer, Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Western University)

Quick Facts

  • Metrics@Work of St.Catherines, Ontario is Western’s survey provider (selected through an RFP)
  • Faculty and staff will receive an email from Metrics@Work with a unique survey link
  • You can complete the survey on your phone, laptop, etc. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes.
  • Questions are about your work experience on topics such as communication, collaboration, interest in your work, feeling safe at work, inclusion, professional growth and learning. There are two open response questions to write further comments.
  • Faculty members have additional questions related to such topics as support for research, student supervision, career support & advancement.
  • More than 50% of the questions are new since the last survey in early 2020. The survey is action-oriented and aligned with current research on employee engagement.
  • Results are expected in late spring 2023. Western will only receive anonymous, aggregated group data from Metrics@Work – not individual responses.
  • The survey is open to full-time and part-time faculty and staff. It does not include student staff roles, Graduate Teaching Assistants, or Post-Doctoral Fellows.

Your Chance to Win a Prize!Great Hall treat box, hospitality gift card, merchandise from The Book Store and giftcards.

After completing the survey, you will have the option to enter a prize draw:  
Complete the survey by March 23, you can enter to win one of four, “Early Bird” Prize Packages - consisting of a Great Hall "Treat Box for Four" and a $50 Western Hospitality Card. 
Complete the survey by March 31, you can enter to win one of ten $50 The Bookstore at Western Gift Cards.

Please note that entering the prize draw is completely voluntary. The survey is anonymous and the responses submitted are separate from the draw. 

Putting Your Feedback Into Action

Western has a 20-year history and commitment to measure and continuously improve the experience of its employees. Many faculties and divisions have embraced the survey process and have acted to improve engagement based on their unique needs.

Survey results have informed the development of several Western-wide strategies to support faculty and staff in the areas of employee wellness, communication, professional and career development. Examples include:

Resources

Questions?

Take a moment to review our Questions and Answers about the survey. If you have further questions, please use ASK HR to contact Human Resources.

If you require HR forms, documents or other information in an alternative format, please use ASK HR to contact Human Resources.

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