Employee Engagement Survey Leads to Development of Action Plans

In early 2024, UCalgary faculty and staff had the opportunity to share their level of commitment and satisfaction on various themes through the employee engagement survey. Last summer, UCalgary released a What We Heard Report detailing the overall institutional survey results, along with specific findings for each faculty and unit, which were shared with the respective groups.

“The feedback received has been invaluable in helping understand what’s working well and where we need to improve, said President Ed McCauley. "It is helping guide the direction of our university, and we are committed to turning these insights into action."

The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) thoroughly reviewed the survey results and identified key areas for growth across UCalgary. Innovation and Student Focus were chosen as priority themes, as they had room for improvement across the organization.

Innovation in the workspace means promoting a culture where employees feel encouraged to ask questions, challenge existing processes, and explore new ideas without fear. The goal is to foster a positive work environment in which learning from both successes and setbacks leads to meaningful improvements. 

Student Focus is seen as a shared responsibility across all roles. By actively listening to and acting on student feedback, UCalgary aims to make continuous improvements to enhance the overall student experience. As outlined in Ahead of Tomorrow, UCalgary’s goal is to become the top university for student engagement—and achieving this starts with a collective commitment across campus.

“We now have a foundation at the conceptual level, and the next step is to dive deeper into the details of how we can implement these initiatives", said McCauley. “In the coming months, we will share more information on the proposed action plans and how they will be implemented.”

Faculties and units are also encouraged to develop their own action plans tailored to their unique needs based on their survey results. This allows for a balanced approach; one that acknowledges the diversity of faculties and units, while ensuring UCalgary moves forward together.

To measure progress, UCalgary will conduct regular pulse surveys and full engagement surveys in the coming years, ensuring that the university continues to move forward based on faculty and staff input.

"We are excited about the future and the steps we’re taking together to make UCalgary an even better place to work and learn," said McCauley.