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Audiovisual Media: Town Hall Excerpt: Employee Survey
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The Ohio State University 2008 Culture Survey
Sponsored by the President’s Office
Click here to take the survey!
Frequently Asked Questions
This year, staff throughout the university will be invited to participate in The Ohio State University 2008 Culture Survey. The survey covers a number of topics including work satisfaction, engagement, and quality of work life.
- What is the purpose of this survey?
- Has OSU surveyed staff before?
- What is the format of the survey?
- Who will be surveyed?
- When will the survey be administered?
- How long is the survey?
- Why do I need to enter my Employee ID number to take the survey?
- Will the survey reporting be anonymous?
- Has the University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) been involved with the 2008 Culture Survey?
- Will USAC have access to the Culture Survey results and how will the information be used?
- How do I win a $50 gift card?
- Who is eligible to win a $50 gift card?
- Is the $50 Barnes and Noble gift card taxable?
- Why do I get “kicked out” of the survey when I hit “save”?
What is the purpose of this survey?
The purpose of the Culture Survey is to provide President Gee, Provost Alutto, college deans, the Office of Human Resources -- and really, the entire university community -- with information to help move Ohio State from excellence to eminence.
Survey responses will further our understanding of how we can best support you as critical members of the university community. We want to know what motivated you to come to Ohio State and what will keep you here. We will explore what we learn from the survey so that we can address the areas where we need to improve in the ways that are most useful to you.
We will work to enhance and expand practices that survey results show to be particularly helpful and effective.
And finally, we will repeat the survey periodically, to make sure that we are improving the lives of our staff.
Has OSU surveyed staff before?
Yes. In 2001, a university-wide work life survey was administered to staff. The results of that survey lead to the creation of the work life office, benefits such as paid parental leave and same-sex domestic partner benefits and programs such as celebrating National Work and Family month and increasing the number of lactation rooms across campus.
What is the format of the survey?
The staff survey will be administered online. Staff will receive an e-mail invitation to participate and will need their Ohio State employee I.D. number to access the survey. Those without access to a computer during the normal course of their day may use one of the computer labs on campus. The survey may also be accessed from any computer with Internet access, including home computers and computers at public libraries.
Who will be surveyed?
Staff (including exempt, non-exempt, classified civil service and bargaining unit employees) on main and regional campuses on regular appointments of 50% or higher. Since they recently participated in a climate survey, only a random sample of Medical Center staff will be asked to participate. Temporary staff, staff who are on term appointments, and returning retirees who are in retiree staff positions are not eligible to take the survey.
When will the survey be administered?
The survey will launch on May 29 and will run for approximately three weeks.
How long is the survey?
The survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
Why do I need to enter my Employee ID number to take the survey?
While the survey is being conducted, Employee IDs are used so that we can get an accurate count of information such as how many people from a unit have responded, how many of the respondents are men, etc. Getting this data based on Employee ID is faster, more convenient, and generally more accurate. Using staff IDs also ensures that employees only complete the survey once. While the data is being collected, all response data is confidential – this means that the data is protected and kept out of the hands of anyone who doesn’t need it.
Before the data has been processed and returned to the administration in the form of survey results, identifying information (including ID numbers) will be removed from the files containing response data. From that point forward, the data will be anonymous – this means there is no identifying information contained in the data.
Will the survey reporting be anonymous?
Yes, once the data collection has ended, the data file will be stripped of demographic identifiers. The data will be reported in the aggregate which means no one individual can be identified.
Has the University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) been involved with the 2008 Culture Survey?
Yes. USAC endorses the survey and has been an active participant from its inception. A member of USAC’s Staff Compensation and Benefits Subcommittee is a member of the President’s Culture Survey Committee and helped to develop the survey document.
Will USAC have access to the Culture Survey results and how will the information be used?
USAC’s Staff Compensation and Benefits Subcommittee is expected to have access to the Culture Survey results. The survey information will complement the efforts of the subcommittee and allow it to focus its efforts on other important staff matters relating to salary, benefits and work life issues.
How do I win a $50 gift card?
Staff who complete the survey will be entered into a lottery to win a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card. A total of 100 gift cards will be awarded. There will be three weekly drawings. If you complete the survey during the first week, your name will remain in the second and third week drawings - giving you a better chance to win.
The gift cards have no expiration date, do not decrease in value, carry no maintenance fees and can used to purchase anything on the store shelves or in one of their cafes. (Gift cards can not be used to purchase other gift cards or to purchase a Barnes and Noble membership card.) The cards can be redeemed online at http://www.barnesandnoble.com, or at any retail Barnes and Noble bookstore. Such as the two university bookstores located in the central classroom building and at South Campus Gateway. There are 10 Barnes and Noble bookstores within a 50 mile radius of the OSU main campus.
Who is eligible to win a $50 gift card?
Regular appointments with a FTE of 50% or greater who have submitted a completed survey will be eligible to win one gift card.
Is the $50 Barnes and Noble gift card taxable?
No. By itself, the $50 gift card is not taxable. Per calendar year, an employee can receive gift cards totaling less than $100 without a tax penalty. However, non-cash awards greater than $100 represent taxable income to the individual. The $100 limit for non-cash awards applies to the total value of all non-cash awards provided to an employee during a calendar year. Taxable awards must be reported to Human Resources for income reporting and withholding. Gift certificates are non-cash awards (non-taxable up to $100) if they cannot be converted into cash.
Why do I get “kicked out” of the survey when I hit “save”?
The “save” feature on each individual page should only be used if you need to exit the survey and re-enter at a later time. All of your answers will be saved and you will start the survey at the point you left it. There is no need to hit “save” if you intend to complete the entire survey at the same time.
