2023 Staff Experience Survey

The Staff experience survey is a key source of information to understand what the department does well, to gauge progress and regress over the years to then assess whether the priorities set out within the Strategic Plan are aiming to make the right changes, and to plan next steps to address issues identified. The department recorded a 50% response rate in this year’s survey comprising 136 respondents in total. Overall, the Mathematical institute engagement score was 79% which indicates that broadly, staff are relatively happy within the department except for concerns around Pay & benefits, Career development and Workload.

While the department recorded notable positive outcomes in some areas and low satisfaction rates in others, there are key issues highlighted in the 2023 survey responses across all staff groups which are being addressed by various existing departmental projects and initiatives to improve outcomes.

Survey results

Relationship : 81% of staff satisfied with the relationships within the department.

Communication: 75% of staff feel communication within the department is open and effective

Leadership: 79% of staff are happy with the leaderships commitment to promoting an inclusive culture and respecting individual differences.

Bullying and Harassment: 86% of staff believe the department demonstrates a zero-tolerance for bullying and harassments and almost all staff say they are aware the policies and procedure that exist within the University to protect them.

Career development: There is a 62% satisfaction among staff with regards to the availability of career development opportunities within the department

Decision-making: 53% are satisfied with the decision-making process within the department

Wellbeing & Workload: 58% of staff express their satisfaction with their workload. There are general concerns around workload volume and working excessive hours which is affecting work-life balance.

Pay and Benefits: 37% satisfaction with pay and benefits. There is a general dissatisfaction with pay and benefits among all staff groups

Departmental projects and initiatives: 

1. The forthcoming departmental teaching stint review to help address workload concerns within the department.

2. Launch of Career Development Discussions for faculty, and a review of CDR for ECRs and PDR for PSS is planned, to refine the processes and make best use of the SharePoint workflow to ease any administrative burden.

3. The Vice-Chancellor has commissioned an independent review of the University’s pay and conditions for all staff (https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/pay-and-conditions-report).

4. A refresh of the induction process is ongoing, for example to digitise induction materials, to enhance the provision for faculty, and to provide a ‘buddy’ for ECRs from day one.

5.Termly lunches with Research Group Heads have been set up to explore questions of leadership, departmental culture, support for staff career development, etc.

6.Support for managers and PIs (for example day to day management / HR processes and policy, running a successful research group, student supervision).

7.A more consistent mentoring approach for all staff groups.

8.To empower ECR Committee and further develop ECR engagement with Fridays@4 as well as the Research Concordat and the Researcher Hub / MPLS training team.

9. Improved handling of informal and formal bullying and harassment complaints and alignment with the anticipated roll out of a University-wide ‘report and support’ system.

Read full report here: