Staff Advisory Committee

Background

The CANR Staff Advisory Committee (SAC) conducted an online survey in March 2024 to better understand the CANR staff experience related to engagement activities, use of vacation/educational assistance funds, sense of value, and job satisfaction. This survey was a follow up to previous surveys conducted in 2020 and 2022. 

Methodology

An anonymous survey was sent to all regular CANR staff members in March 2024. The survey included questions in varied formats including multiple choice, rank order, and open response. Open responses were read, evaluated, and then categorized into one or more themes to ensure anonymity. Three questions were duplicated from the 2020 and 2022 surveys offering opportunity for comparison. A total of 173 responses were received, representing a 24% response rate.  

Survey Results

College-Wide Educational Programming/Professional Activities

Q1 - In the past 12 months, I’ve participated in at least one college-wide presentation in-person. (For
example: job talks, townhalls, deans and directors' sessions)
Yes – 21%
No – 79%

Q2 - In the past 12 months, I’ve participated in at least one college-wide presentation virtually. (For
example: job talks, townhalls, deans and directors' sessions)
Yes – 67%
No – 33%

Q3 - How likely would you be to participate in the following college-wide educational programming? (Activities listed below in order of interest)
CANR Farm Tour; OneDrive; Teams; Dairy Store Tour; Qualtrics; Travel/Concur; Best practices of Zoom; Asset management; Carousel (digital signage platform); MSU shipping

College-Wide Social Programming/Activities

Q4 - In the past 12 months, I’ve participated in at least one college-wide social event in-person. (For
example: award reception, tailgate, mixer, sporting event)
Yes – 36%
No –64%

Q5 - How likely would you be to participate in the following college-wide social activities? (Activities listed in order of interest)
Meal; Sports event; Nature walks; Mixer/networking event; Virtual mixer

In Person vs. Virtual Events

Q6-10 - Users were surveyed for preferred day(s) of the week, time of day, and format (virtual vs. in-person) for events sponsored by CANR. These results are available in PDF format upon request. 

Staff Vacation Bank

Q11 - As of the last pay period, how full is your vacation bank?
0-25% – 5%
26-50% - 9%
51-75% - 15%
76-100% - 61%
Not Sure - 9%

Q12 - How supported do you feel by your supervisor to use the time in your vacation bank?
Very unsupported – 4%
Somewhat unsupported - 9%
Neutral/N/A - 8%
Somewhat supported - 22%
Very supported - 57%

Q13 - How supported do you feel by your colleagues to use the time in your vacation bank?
Very unsupported – 6%
Somewhat unsupported - 11%
Neutral/N/A - 21%
Somewhat supported - 19%
Very supported - 43%

Staff Educational Assistance Funds

Q14 - Were you aware that as an MSU employee you have access to Educational Assistance Funds?
Yes – 91%
No - 9%

Q15 - Do you feel supported to use available Educational Assistance Funds?
Very unsupported – 7%
Somewhat unsupported - 8%
Neutral/N/A - 26%
Somewhat supported - 24%
Very supported - 35%

Q16 - Do you feel supported to dedicate time in your workday to using your Educational Assistance Funds?
Very unsupported – 9%
Somewhat unsupported - 16%
Neutral/N/A - 27%
Somewhat supported - 19%
Very supported - 28%

Q17 - How valued do you feel by CANR Deans, Directors and Chairs?
Highly Valued – 11%
Valued – 29%
Somewhat Valued – 41%
Not Valued – 20%

Q18 - How valued do you feel by CANR faculty in your department/school/unit?
Highly Valued – 15%
Valued – 35%
Somewhat Valued – 41%
Not Valued – 8%

Q19 - How valued do you feel by your staff counterparts in your department/school/unit?
Highly Valued – 30%
Valued – 41%
Somewhat Valued – 22%
Not Valued – 8%

Job Satisfaction

Q20 - What are you most satisfied with in your job? 

6 key themes were reflected in the responses from CANR Staff:

• Supportive Colleagues and Supervisors: A recurring theme was the appreciation for
  supportive teams, direct supervisors, and leadership, emphasizing a positive work
  environment and collaboration (66 responses; theme reflected in 50% of open comments).
• Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: Staff mentioned flexibility in scheduling, remote or
  hybrid work options, and the ability to balance work and personal life as significant
  positives (45 responses; theme reflected in 34% of open comments).
• Meaningful Work: Responses highlighted job satisfaction derived from helping others,
  making a positive impact, and contributing to important work, particularly in research and
  education (40 responses; theme reflected in 30% of open comments).
• Job Variety and Intellectual Stimulation: Staff enjoy the diversity in their daily tasks and
  the intellectual challenges their roles present (22 responses; theme reflected in 17% of
  open comments).
• Benefits: Positive mentions of benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and
  other perks, contribute to satisfaction (13 responses; theme reflected in 10% of open
  comments).
• Autonomy and Independence: Staff appreciate having control over their schedules,
  decision-making autonomy, and working without micromanagement (11 responses; theme
  reflected in 8% of open comments).

Q21 - What are you least satisfied with in your job? 

6 key themes were reflected in the responses from CANR Staff:

• Workload and Staffing Issues: Staff are overwhelmed by excessive workloads,
  exacerbated by understaffing and the inability to take time off without falling behind (43
  responses; theme reflected in 35% of open comments).
• Workplace Culture and Inequity: Issues like faculty-staff dynamics, cliquey environments,
  and concerns about unfair preferences or lack of diversity and inclusion were mentioned by
  staff (39 responses; theme reflected in 32% of open comments).
• Lack of Leadership and Support: Staff expressed frustration with leadership, including a
  lack of vision, poor communication, and insufficient support from supervisors and
  departments (34 responses; theme reflected in 28% of open comments).
• Pay and Compensation: Staff mentioned dissatisfaction related to insufficient pay,
  perceived wage stagnation, and lack of performance-based raises (29 responses; theme
  reflected in 24% of open comments).
• Lack of Resources and Infrastructure: A theme of inadequate resources, outdated
  equipment, and subpar infrastructure, particularly in off-campus and research roles, is
  common (25 responses; theme reflected in 20% of open comments).
• Lack of Professional Development Opportunities: Some participants feel there are few
  opportunities for career advancement or professional growth (6 responses; theme reflected
  in 5% of open comments).

SAC Recommendations

Results of the 2024 staff survey were shared with the CANR Interim Dean in fall 2024 and presented to CANR Academic Unit Leaders in December 2024. Future action items will be developed by the SAC in collaboration with the Interim Dean during spring 2025, based on these three primary topics:

1. How can we better understand and effect change around the use of vacation time by staff?
2. How can we improve culture around faculty-staff dynamics and staff inclusion?
3. How can we address staff workload and staffing concerns? Are there opportunities for process improvement and shared resources/efficiencies across CANR?

Questions?

Please reach out to the SAC Chairperson with questions or request for additional information about the 2024 Staff Survey.