Below you'll find additional information regarding the upcoming staff survey.
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General Questions
Why is Stanford conducting a staff survey? Why should I participate?
The 2015 Staff Survey is important to understanding how you view key issues about your job and Stanford as a place to work. We encourage you to participate because it gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion and provide input about your employment experience. Your feedback also helps to identify the most important areas to focus our improvement efforts and key strengths that we need to sustain and build upon.
When was the last staff survey conducted and what were the results?
The most recent broad scale staff survey was conducted in late 2010 and again in early 2011, when 12 schools/business units participated and the aggregate data was reported to Stanford leaders. As a result, several institutional initiatives and actions were taken, including the launch of the Manager Academy program and the introduction of a new Performance Management process.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the survey?
For questions regarding the 2015 Staff Survey, please email the project team at staffsurvey2015@stanford.edu.
I just changed jobs and transferred departments. Which department should I consider when taking the survey, my former or new department?
Great question! Considering that you just started your new position in a new department, you should take the survey with your former department in mind.
I didn't receive a survey invitation in my inbox on October 12. How can I get the survey invitation sent to me?
If you are an active benefits-eligible staff member (exempt, non-exempt, bargaining unit, non-academic, coaches, academic librarians and academic research staff), you would have received an email invitation from StanfordStaffSurvey@cebglobal.com. If you are using Office 365 for mail, please check your Spam or “Clutter” folder as it may have been re-routed.
Does the survey application time out if I’m inactive for a period of time?
Yes, if you are inactive in the survey for 30 minutes or more, you will time out from the survey application. If you time out from the survey, your responses will be saved and you may continue taking the survey where you last left off. You’ll need to log into the survey using your unique survey access code to continue taking the survey where you left off.
Timing & Eligibility Questions
When is the staff survey?
The university-wide staff survey will be conducted Monday, Oct. 12 through Friday, Oct. 30, 2015.
Who will receive an invitation to participate in the survey?
All active staff who were hired as of September 1, 2015. Staff being invited include exempt, non-exempt, bargaining unit, non-academic, coaches, academic-librarians and academic-researchers.
Why are faculty not participating in the survey?
Faculty are typically surveyed separately and have ongoing opportunities to share their experiences with their leaders, so the focus for this year's survey is on staff.
How long will it take to complete the survey?
The survey includes 51 rated questions and one open-ended question, and we estimate it will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
What is the maximum amount of time I have to complete the survey?
Once you have started the survey you will have unlimited time to complete it. However, if you are inactive in the survey for 30 minutes or more, you will time out from the survey application. If you time out from the survey, your responses will be saved up to the point where you timed out. You can log in again at any time with your pin, and continue where you left off.
Accessibility Questions
Can the online survey be accessed from remote locations?
Yes, the survey can be accessed via an Internet site (open to all eligible Stanford staff) from their PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone within or outside the Stanford computer network. You only need Internet access and the URL (site link) and pin provided to you by email to enter the survey.
I don't have access to a computer. How will I complete the survey?
Staff with a Stanford email address will be sent an email invitation from StanfordStaffSurvey@cebglobal.com. The email will include a secure link from CEB, our survey partner, to complete the survey. You can use any type of mobile device to respond, as the survey is mobile aware.
Some staff groups will be offered the opportunity to complete a paper survey. If you do not use a computer in your work, your school/business unit Human Resources representative will notify you about how you will be supplied with a paper survey so you can participate.
What 'From' email address will the survey invitation be sent from?
Staff being invited to participate will receive the survey email invitation on Monday, October 12, from StanfordStaffSurvey@cebglobal.com. The email invitation will include a secure link to access the survey and a pin, which must be entered to take the survey.
Is the staff survey voluntary?
Absolutely—and we hope you'll take this opportunity to tell us about your experience working for Stanford.
Confidentiality Questions
Are my survey answers really confidential?
Yes, this survey is confidential. To ensure confidentiality, we partnered with a company called CEB to administer the survey on behalf of Stanford. They were chosen because they are a global provider of employee surveys with extensive experience in delivering them to large companies. They were also chosen because they view confidentiality as critical to the survey process, just as we do.
Confidentiality means none of the answers you provide in the survey can be directly connected to you, which means you can answer questions openly and honestly. Guaranteeing confidentiality is one important way we can encourage everyone to take part.
There are several ways we guarantee confidentiality. Most crucially, you are never asked for your name when completing the survey. We only request some brief demographic information which will help us to analyze the results of the survey in greater depth.
All of the results are reported to leaders in a summarized form, never on an individual basis. Reports are only generated if five or more people from a business unit, job role or demographic group respond. Software used to generate summary reports guarantees this rule is followed. If there are fewer than five respondents in your business unit or group, your responses will contribute to the university's overall results and may be aggregated with those from other groups. Aggregate groups will not be reported unless there are at least five respondents.
Why are you asking demographic questions?
Demographic information is used to prepare summary reports of large groups of people. The demographic information allows our outside survey partner, CEB, to produce summary reports that compare the responses of different groups.
Survey Results & Reporting Questions
Who will receive a report/access to the survey results?
Each school or unit will determine how results will be distributed. Regardless, no numerical results will be distributed to a leader or manager who has fewer than five employees respond to the survey. Comments will be available only when there are at least 20 employees who have responded in a similar manner.
Will I receive an update on the survey results?
Yes, results will be shared with leaders in December 2015. In winter quarter 2016, an overview of the results will be shared more widely with all employees in the Stanford Report and the Cardinal at Work Insider.If you are not provided with an overview of the survey results for your school or business unit by spring quarter 2016, ask your supervisor or contact your Human Resources representative.
Survey Design Questions
How were survey questions selected?
The survey steering committee worked with CEB to create a survey that is highly relevant to Stanford. The survey framework was based on employee engagement and organizational priorities that are key to our success.
What type of questions will I be asked?
The goal of the survey is to measure staff engagement so we will ask a range of questions on topics such as alignment, teamwork, recognition and inclusion. You will be asked to select a response for each question which best represents your opinion. Remember that there are no right and wrong answers, just your opinions.
Should I respond to a survey item even if I don't know enough information about the topic?
No. You should skip survey items if you don’t have enough information to answer them or do not want to answer them. Do not use the middle response point to indicate that you don’t feel you can provide an informed response.
What if I have a problem understanding the question?
If a question is worded in such a way that you do not understand it, or if you don't feel comfortable answering it, you may skip the question. However, we encourage you to answer as many questions as possible so that your voice is heard.
How will I know if my response was successfully submitted?
After submitting the survey, you will see a screen confirming that your survey has been successfully submitted.
