The results of the workplace environment survey show a positive development since the 2022 survey. Motivation, safety, and collegial community are the areas where employees at NMH gave the highest scores.
The results of the workplace environment survey were presented in a digital meeting on Wednesday, 28 January.
Of the 297 people invited to participate, 193 responded, for a response rate of 65%, slightly higher than in 2022.
The leaders are responsible for the follow-up process within their section and unit. Each section will receive its own results to work with further. The overall report, which draws on data from across NMH, is just one part of the knowledge base.
Managers are responsible for the follow-up work in their own unit, but it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to a good working environment by participating in the process.
responsibility
Now, the most important work begins. Sections and units will start working on how to utilise the results. The follow-up within sections and units will take place in February/March.
It is important to explore challenges and opportunities before jumping to solutions.
the process
The survey is divided into eight main areas: Participation and information flow, Collaboration at work, Leadership within the unit, Conflicts and conflict management, Learning, development, and innovation, Collegial collaboration and community, Frameworks for work tasks and The impact of work on everyday life.
The key area Participation and Information Flow has shown a positive development since the previous survey, increasing from 3.6 to 3.9, with the top score being 5. This is reflected in the horizontal line at the top of the chart.
Employees at NMH are fairly satisfied with the information they receive about decisions (3.9) but even more satisfied with their own efforts to stay informed about decisions (4.4). The charts also show some variation in responses, which is important to address within the sections.
The average score for the key area Collaboration at Work has risen from 3.5 to 3.9 since the last survey. Generally, employees know where to go to get what they need to do their jobs.
While not many feel that language is a barrier, some do, as the responses vary considerably. The question with the highest standard deviation is whether remote working negatively affects the work environment, with a variation in responses of almost 2. This could spark discussions moving forward.
The key area, Leadership within the Unit, has consistently been rated highly, with scores in the 4 range across all three ARK surveys.
Recognition, respect, and fair treatment, psychological safety, acceptance, and appreciation received high scores of 4.3 and 4.2. – These are high scores compared to many other universities and colleges. Respect and safety are crucial in a knowledge organisation, where the work often involves trial and error, says Kirsti Godal Undebakke, head of the ARK Secretariat at NTNU and a researcher in workplace environments.
The question about support for getting work done also scored highly, but responses were more varied. Only 62% of respondents have had an appraisal meeting, but 83% of those who did found it valuable.
Respect and safety are crucial in a knowledge organisation, where the work often involves trial and error.
ARK Secretariat, NTNU
The key area, Conflict and Conflict Management, has remained steady across all three ARK surveys.
There is a high score for feeling safe to speak up, though responses vary here as well, with a standard deviation of 1. There is slightly more variation in how people perceive leadership’s prompt handling of conflicts.
The average score for the key area Learning, Development, and Innovation has steadily risen from 3.8 in 2018 to 4.1 this year.
Opportunities for professional development scored an average of 3.9 with a standard deviation of 1, while the opportunity to use one’s skills scored as high as 4.3, with less variation in responses, suggesting greater alignment. – High scores for using skills and fostering a climate for innovation, learning, and sharing are areas you should preserve and continue to develop, comments Undebakke.
The key area, Collegial Collaboration and Community, is where NMH scores the highest, with an average of 4.3 out of 5.
Many respondents say they receive support from colleagues (4.2), and even more say they provide support to colleagues (4.4). The survey results suggest that collegial community, psychological safety, appreciation, and a lack of role conflicts characterise NMH.
This is positive for NMH and values we must safeguard.
the presentation
The key areas of the Framework for Work Tasks focus on value conflicts, tasks outside one’s role, autonomy, role clarity, and workload. The average score here has seen the largest increase, rising from 3.6 in 2018 to 4.1 now.
Few respondents report experiencing value conflicts. While only a small number feel they perform tasks outside their role, responses show greater variation in this area. Regarding autonomy, influence, and initiative, the score is 4.4, with a standard deviation of only 0.5, indicating strong alignment. There are also high scores for clear expectations and role clarity.
Most employees at NMH find their work meaningful. The same applies to engagement and a sense of belonging at the workplace. Fewer than half report experiencing conflicts between work and personal life, but the variation in responses here is significant.
A minority feel they have insecure career prospects (score of 2.3) or job insecurity (score of 2.0). The high variation in responses to these questions is natural, as respondents have different job situations.
