August 19, 2004

Introduction

In the fall 2004 all full-time Greenville College employees were asked to participate in the “Best Christian Places to Work” survey, sponsored by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI). We received a summary of responses to the survey in the late spring. In June, the President 's Council spent a half-day retreat at Durley Camp discussing the findings. This summary provides an overview of the key findings of the survey results.

According to their website (bcwinstitute.com), more than 20,000 people from about 200 organizations completed the 50-item survey this year. At GC, a large majority of those asked to complete it did so (144 people or 82% of full-time employees). This is an excellent response rate, and one that allows us to have accurate information about people's perceptions of GC as a workplace.

Based on our responses we were not named as one of the “50 Best Christian Workplaces.” The survey did name 16 colleges, universities, and seminaries as best places to work, six of which were comparable in size to GC (BCWI selected BCW schools in categories determined by number of employees). There are substantial differences in average ratings between “Best Christian Workplace” schools and GC. This says to us that our overall level of satisfaction is not where we would like it to be and certainly not at the ceiling of what is possible. However, our responses were very similar to institutions not selected as Best Christian Workplaces and were, by-and-large, positive.

The majority of employees agreed or strongly agreed with 44 of 50 positive descriptions of the workplace. On some items nearly all 144 employees agreed with the descriptions. As we might expect, views were not universally positive on all items or among all employees. In an effort to be transparent about our strengths and weaknesses, our muscles and our warts, so to speak, we have summarized salient findings. For those interested in more detail about the findings, the entire 170+ page report is available on reserve in the library.

Strengths

GC employees know what their jobs are, trust their colleagues to do their jobs well, and feel that they are part of an effective team. Nearly everyone (91% or the equivalent of 10 out of every 11 people) agreed or strongly agreed that they knew what was expected of them at work. Nearly as many (89%) agreed or strongly agreed that their co-workers are committed to doing quality work. The vast majority (85%) said that the people in their areas of responsibility work together as a team.

GC is a place where supervisors care about their employees. Nearly everyone (91%) agreed or strongly agreed that their supervisor cared for them as a person. New employees reported that their supervisor cared about them; all 20 employed at GC less than a year agreed with the statement. But new employee perceptions did not radically differ from even the most seasoned employee. Ninety-three percent of employees who have been at GC for 15 or more years agreed that their supervisors care.

Our mission and values are clear and help people understand the importance of their jobs. Seven out of every eight people (88%) agreed or strongly agreed that they had a clear understanding of GC's values. Nearly as many (82%) agreed/strongly agreed that “the mission and goals of the organization make me feel my job is important.”

People like the fringe benefits package that they receive. Eighty-five percent agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with their retirement plan. Eighty percent agreed/strongly agreed that they are satisfied with the amount of vacation or paid time off that they receive. Seventy-three percent said they were satisfied with the medical or health plan that is available.

People like working at GC. Eighty-three percent reported that they “have fun at work.” Again, this did not seem to differ by seniority. Eighty-five percent of those at GC less than a year agreed that they had fun; 85% of those here 15 years or more reported they had fun. The majority (56%) reported that they had a best friend at work.

Areas of Concern

Many employees feel uninvolved in the decision making process. Half did not agree with the statement “my organization acts on the suggestions of employees.” Forty-eight percent did not agree with the statement: “the organization involves employees in decisions that affect them.” Nearly half (47%) did not agree that managers or administrators explained the reasons behind major decisions. This strongly suggests that we need to reconsider the means by which decisions are made and communicated on campus.

The level of trust between employees and senior administrators is not as high as we would like. One of the most troubling findings of the survey was that 61% did not agree with the statement: “There is a high level of trust in my organization between senior management and employees.” This is a perception that is shared by employees at all levels except among senior administrators, where nearly all agreed that trust is at a high level. We need to more fully understand the factors that led to this reported lack of trust. For example, it is unclear whether employees feel distrusted by administrators or whether they believe that they cannot trust administrators. This is an area of concern that needs to be discussed and addressed.

Pay is perceived to be low. Only one-third (33%) of survey respondents agreed that, in comparison with people at other Christian institutions, they were paid fairly. This view was widely shared among employees, but reported most often among hourly employees and faculty.

Employee support and recognition is not perceived to be adequate. Only about one in four (27%) said they agreed that top performers were effectively rewarded at GC. Forty-four percent did not agree that they were satisfied with the recognition they received for doing a good job. Only about four in ten (41%) agreed that GC allowed the most qualified employees to be promoted. Relatively few (42%) agreed that poor performers were provided support to improve their performance. Together these findings suggest that we are not doing enough to support and affirm the most effective employees. Likewise, we are not adequately assisting those with the greatest struggles.

Conclusions

We can celebrate many of the findings from the BCW survey. Most people in most areas on campus feel good about most things. The most striking findings indicate that we are a place where we like our jobs, have fun and friends, know what we need to do to succeed, believe that our colleagues do good work, and we feel cared for. We are also an organization with a clear mission that is communicated effectively to people and helps us understand that our work is of eternally important value.

Though we can celebrate the many positive findings, we cannot minimize the concerns the survey has raised. Perhaps the most serious finding is that related to trust between employees and senior administrators. Trust between people at all levels of the organization is vital in making work comfortable and productive. We hope to explore causes and cures for the levels of distrust that exist. Of particular interest is whether some distrust exists because decision making is perceived to involve too little collaboration. We understand that the establishment of trust may take a long time. This concern is, nevertheless, an immediate priority.

Other areas of concern are not surprising. Pay has long been an issue on campus. We have made strides in the last few years and are committed to addressing this issue for employees at all levels. We have, for example, given substantial pay increases in the last two years, revisited the “leveling” approach to pay for administrative staff and staff by moving toward a market-based pay system. These are positive steps, and in some cases have put us ahead of our scheduled plans. However, we have by no means arrived at a satisfactory place. This is again an area that will take time to change, and one we are working on consistently.

An area where we can begin to make immediate positive changes is in recognizing the contributions that employees make to GC. We have among us those whose sacrifices would place them into the category of “sainthood” if the Free Methodist Church had such a thing! Recognition and rewards for these people who make extra efforts is important, as is support for those who struggle in their positions. A community celebrates and supports its members. We can and will do a better job in this area.

We intend to work together as a community to effect change based on the survey findings. The findings have already been passed on to the strategic planning committees ( New Millennium Commission) most closely assigned to the topic of campus environment. Many suggestions have already been incorporated into the new strategic plan available online, and will be reflected in our reaccreditation Self-Study (North Central/Higher Learning Commission) and in the annual working goals of senior administration.

We are a community founded on and committed to Jesus Christ. Though we have seen some of our muscles and warts through this survey, we know that our lives and our efforts are made complete only in Him. If it were not for our shared sense of mission and calling to work at a Christian college, we would not be here. May God grant us the ability to build on those strengths and address these concerns with grace and humility.

We welcome feedback about the survey and about any areas of strength or concern. Please respond by sending email to your supervisor or to the president. We are anticipating good dialog about these results.