Frequently asked questions
WHY ARE WE DOING A STAFF SURVEY?
Our staff are our most valuable asset. If we are to meet our ambitious Manchester 2020 goals, we need to ensure that the people who work here feel encouraged, valued and motivated. The main way we can measure whether this is the case, is by asking you for your feedback about your experience of working here.
We will do this through the Staff Survey 2015. The results will show the University’s Senior Leadership Team and your local leaders how you feel about working here, what you enjoy and which areas need some improvement.
HOW WILL YOU MEASURE THE LEVEL OF STAFF SATISFACTION?
There are specific questions in the survey expressly designed for this purpose. The survey questions are broadly the same as those which appeared in the Staff Survey 2013 so that any emerging trends can be identified.
WHO WILL BE RUNNING THE STAFF SURVEY?
The survey will be managed by the Staff Survey Steering Group which is being led by Professor Martin Humphries, Vice-President and Dean for the Faculty of Life Sciences. A range of staff from across the University are represented on the group. An external company, Capita, has been appointed to administer the survey on our behalf. Capita Surveys and Research is a company partner of the Market Research Society and follows its Code of Conduct. It is also registered under the Data Protection Act and accredited for its data security
WHY ARE WE USING AN EXTERNAL COMPANY TO ADMINISTER THE SURVEY?
We want you to give us honest and open answers to the questions we’re asking. We’ve decided to use an external company to administer the survey because this means that no-one from the University will be able to see who has completed the survey, or the answers they have given.
Some staff have been concerned in the past that they could be identified by the answers they give – which leads to them either not completing the survey, or modifying the answers they give. By using an external company you can be absolutely sure that your answers will be totally anonymous and treated in confidence.
WHICH GROUPS OF STAFF ARE BEING SURVEYED?
Around 10,200 members of staff are being asked to complete the survey. These are both full-time and part-time staff who make up the majority of our workforce. Staff that joined the University on, or after, 1 January 2015 are not included in the Staff Survey2015.
ARE THE QUESTIONS THE SAME AS THOSE IN THE 2013 STAFF SURVEY?
Broadly speaking yes they are, so that any emerging trends can be identified. Also, because Capita include a range of questions across all of the staff surveys they carry out with other higher education institutions this means that we can benchmark our performance against similar universities.
A small number of questions have been worded slightly differently to make them easier to understand following on from feedback from the 2013 survey. We’ve also included some explanations of definitions to help you make an informed decision about the answers you give to some questions.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON LONG-TERM SICKNESS, CAREER BREAKS, AND SABBATICALS ETC? DO THEY STILL NEED TO COMPLETE A SURVEY?
Yes, if they fall into the categories outlined in the above question. They will be sent a hard copy in the post which they can return to Capita directly. Local managers will identify to whom this applies and should contact staffsurvey@manchester.ac.uk to request that a paper copy be issued.
WILL THE SURVEY BE TESTED BEFORE IT BEGINS?
The Staff Survey Steering Group will carry out testing of the survey with Capita before it opens on 9 March. Feedback from this testing will be used to inform final development stages of the survey questionnaire.
WILL SENIOR MANAGERS GET TO SEE THE QUESTIONNAIRE BEFORE RELEASE? IF SO, IS THIS JUST COURTESY OR WILL THERE BE A CHANCE TO FEEDBACK?
No, a representative group of staff are working with Capita to design the survey on behalf of the University.
WHAT EMAIL ADDRESS AND SUBJECT LINE WILL THE EMAIL FROM CAPITA SHOW SO THAT I CAN LOOK OUT FOR IT?
The email will come from staffsurveys@capitasurveys.co.uk and the subject line will read University of Manchester Staff Survey 2015
Keep an eye on your email inbox for the email on 9 March. If you don’t receive an email, the first thing to do is check your spam and junk folders to see if it has landed in them. If you still cannot find the email, contact Capita on FREEPHONE 0800 587 3115.
HOW DO I FILL IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE?
On 9 March when the survey starts, you’ll receive an email from Capita which will give you a web link to the Staff Survey. Just click on this link and it will take you to the questionnaire which you can fill in online and submit back to Capita once complete.
I HAVE MORE THAN ONE ROLE AT THE UNIVERSITY; CAN I COMPLETE MORE THAN ONE SURVEY?
No. If you have more than one role, please select your main role and complete the survey with that role in mind.
I’VE NOT GOT PC ACCESS AT WORK –WHAT DO I DO?
Staff that don’t have email at work have been identified. They will be given a paper copy of the questionnaire by their line managers. If you are a manager and have staff who you know don’t use a PC at work, contact staffsurvey@manchester.ac.uk with details of the member/s of staff who you feel need a paper copy.
WHAT IF I NEED HELP COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE?
There is a Capita Surveys and Research FREEPHONE helpline staff can call – the number is 0800 587 3115. If you would like to complete the survey over the telephone instead of filling in the questionnaire online or on paper, you can call this number and a trained researcher will go through the questionnaire with you and submit your answers on your behalf.
MANY OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY SEEM TO BE POSITIVELY WORDED; DOES THIS MAKE THE OUTCOME BIASED?
The questionnaire has been carefully designed to reduce biases. A positively worded question is not necessarily a biased question, and we made sure we also included a number of negatively worded questions in the survey. There is an ‘open comment’ section towards the end of the survey to allow for more feedback if the structured questions did not cover the particular issue you wanted to raise.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE?
It should not take you more than 15 minutes.
HOW LONG HAVE I GOT TO RESPOND TO THE SURVEY?
The survey goes live on Monday 9 March. It would be best for staff to respond as soon as possible, however the survey will be live until Monday 20 April.
IS THERE ANY ADVANTAGE TO ME COMPLETING THE SURVEY EARLY?
If you opt to be entered into the weekly prize draw to win an iPad, then yes, as your option will roll forward to be in the draw for each of the six weeks.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PAPER QUESTIONNAIRES AFTER THE SURVEY IS COMPLETED?
They are kept for three months by Capita for internal quality checking and auditing. They are then sent for confidential recycling. Reports will not allow individuals to be identified.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MY SURVEY AFTER I’VE SUBMITTED IT?
Once the data have been analysed and aggregated, Capita will provide reports of the results as requested by the Staff Survey Steering Group.
IF I LOSE MY PAPER SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE – CAN I GET ANOTHER ONE?
Yes. You may contact Capita on the FREEPHONE helpline 0800 587 3115, and Capita will send you one.
WHAT IS THE FREEPHONE HELPLINE NUMBER?
The Capita Surveys and Research freephone number is 0800 587 3115. The line is open between 9am and 5pm. All calls are in the strictest of confidence. No calls are recorded.
WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVEN’T RECEIVED A SURVEY EMAIL OR PAPER QUESTIONNAIRE?
Contact Capita on FREEPHONE 0800 587 3115.
WILL I RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL FROM CAPITA TO CONFIRM THAT I HAVE COMPLETED MY SURVEY?
No. Capita will not send you a separate email to confirm that you have completed the survey, but you will receive confirmation that your survey has been completed and submitted at the time you submit it.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FORGET TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY?
If you don’t complete your online survey, you will be sent regular reminders by Capita that it still needs to be completed. These reminders will end when you submit your completed questionnaire. The University is not provided with details of whether individual staff have completed their survey.
CAN I REALLY BE SURE THAT THEY CAN’T BE IDENTIFIED?
Yes. The survey is being conducted in accordance with the Data Protection Act and Market Research Society Code of Conduct, and it’s Capita’s duty to ensure that staff cannot be identified in any reports they produce.
WILL MY MANAGER BE ABLE TO TELL IF I’VE COMPLETED THE SURVEY OR NOT?
Leaders of each part of the University will be sent a report each week while the survey is live, telling them the percentage of their staff which have completed the survey. This is so that they have an idea of the proportion of staff taking part, as they have been set completion targets to meet. They won’t however be able to tell from this who has completed the survey.
WHEN WILL I GET TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY?
The University-wide results will be published on StaffNet in June 2015. Your senior manager will share your local results with you as appropriate around that time. In teams where there are small numbers of staff, the results will not be shared with local managers as this might compromise the confidentiality of those individuals who completed the survey.
HOW WILL THE SURVEY RESULTS BE USED?
The results will be used to update the existing University-wide and local action plans which were put together following the first Staff Survey back in 2013. These action plans use the results to address issues and concerns raised. They will also be used to benchmark against other higher education institutions.
Because the 2015 survey questions are broadly the same at the 2013 survey questions, it should be possible to begin to see if any trends are emerging.
WHY DO WE WANT TO BENCHMARK AGAINST OTHER UNIVERSITIES?
Benchmarking enables us to see how we are performing in terms of staff satisfaction in relation to other higher education institutions. This will help us to gauge our performance. Because Capita have carried out similar surveys with other higher education organisations, we will be able to benchmark against these.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE RESULTS?
The University-wide results will be sent to the Senior Leadership Team for review in May 2015. The data will be cascaded within Faculties and the PSS, Library and Cultural Institutions. Six action plans will be produced as a result (one for each Faculty, one for the PSS including the Library and Cultural Institutions and a University-wide action plan) which will build upon the plans produced in 2013. All plans will be published by mid-September and it is our intention that actions identified from the 2015 survey will commence from September 2015.
WHO SHOULD I SPEAK TO IF I DON’T GET TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THE STAFF SURVEY FOR THE PART OF THE UNIVERSITY THAT I WORK IN?
Staff Survey results reports are provided to the leaders of each part of the University including Deans, Heads of Schools and Institutes, PSS Directors and leaders in the Library and Cultural Institutions. They will receive these results in June 2015. The expectation is that they share these results openly with all members of staff for whom they are responsible. If you don’t see your results by the end of June then you should raise this with your line manager.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MORE PSS STAFF THAN ACADEMIC/RESEARCH STAFF COMPLETE THE SURVEY? HOW WILL THE RESULTS BE REPRESENTATIVE?
Results can be examined within different occupational groups, so if there are themes that apply to PSS staff, or academic/research staff, then actions can be identified for those individual groups. Initiatives which benefit staff across the board should not be affected by whether there are more respondents from one group or another.
WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING TOGETHER LOCAL ACTION PLANS?
These will be co-ordinated by the Deans and the Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer. They will identify Staff Survey Action Plan leads in each part of the University to ensure that action plans are updated and implemented.
HOW CAN WE CHECK THE DELIVERY OF PROGRESS ON THE ACTION PLANS?
The Senior Leadership Team is committed to keeping you informed about the University-wide action plan and its progress and will monitor the progress on actions through their formal structures. You will be updated regularly via StaffNet News, eUpdate, Staff Update and other local communications channels about University-level action plans and the implementation of them. The Staff Survey Steering Group will continue to meet to ensure that progress on the planned actions is monitored.
HOW WILL THE PROGRESS OF THE LOCAL ACTION PLANS BE COMMUNICATED?
The Staff Survey Steering Group will continue to monitor the progress of the action plans on an ongoing basis. This group will also plan ongoing communications to keep staff informed of progress.
I DON’T BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING HAS HAPPENED IN MY AREA AS A RESULT OF THE 2013 SURVEY SO WHY SHOULD I COMPLETE THIS ONE?
Each part of the University has a Staff Survey Action Plan and people assigned to lead and implement these. You can find out who your action plan lead is at www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/staff-survey/action-plan/
You should also have received an enewsletter during February which included an update on progress against Staff Survey Action Plans at a University and local level, including a message from your Head of School/Director or similar outlining actions which have taken place at a local level. If you have not received such an enewsletter, please contact your line manager.
WHO WILL CHECK THE LOCAL ACTION PLANS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ISSUES RAISED IN THE SURVEY HAVE BEEN RESOLVED?
The University Senior Leadership Team will sign off local action plans in the first instance, and then the Steering Group will continue to meet to monitor progress against plan. Part of this exercise will be to review whether all issues have been covered appropriately.
WHO WILL ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT LOCAL ACTIONS?
Staff Survey Action Plan Leads will be identified in all parts of the University and it will be their responsibility to implement actions plans at a local level.
HOW WILL LOCAL ACTIONS BE MEASURED?
Local actions will be determined to respond to feedback provided in the Staff Survey. Each planned action should show what success looks like in response to the issue identified – consequently, periodic monitoring and review of actions will enable measurement of progress. Progress on local actions identified from the 2013 Staff Survey will be measured by feedback provided in the 2015 Survey.