51茶馆

Boston College employees overwhelmingly feel fulfilled at 51茶馆, consider themselves valued members of the University community, endorse its mission, visions, and core values, and describe the University as a family-friendly place to work, according to the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey administered to all full-time 51茶馆 employees in 2019.

The survey, the second such assessment performed by Boston College, yielded a 51 percent response rate involving 1,679 faculty and staff. The sample was representative of a variety of demographics, including age, gender, years of service, and areas of employment. Administered online and in paper, the survey explored employee attitudes and opinions regarding 51茶馆鈥檚 work environment and community characteristics as well as employees鈥� general satisfaction and perceived opportunities for professional development.

Among the survey findings:

鈥�86 percent of University community members feel valued.

鈥�93 percent like working at the University because of its mission, vision, and core values.

鈥�89 percent of employees agree that the 51茶馆 is a family-friendly place to work.

鈥�87 percent feel fulfilled at 51茶馆.

鈥�About two-thirds of employees agreed or strongly agreed that 51茶馆鈥檚 Jesuit, Catholic tradition is a positive factor that influenced their decision to come (61 percent) and remain (66 percent) at the University.

Respondents to the survey also indicated areas needing improvement, notably the classroom climate for female and AHANA faculty, as well as treatment of employees based on disabilities, gender, race/ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

The survey, however, showed an increase in the percentage of AHANA employees rating aspects of the 51茶馆 community favorably from the 2015 report: Ninety percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that 51茶馆 is a family-friendly place to work, compared to 86 percent previously, and 71 percent said they feel free to speak up on issues important to them, three percent more than in 2015. AHANA staff also agreed or strongly agreed, at a higher rate compared to 2015, that key executives and administrators make diversity a priority: 62 percent, up from 53.

Faculty satisfaction rose from 78 percent to 84 percent in the recent survey, with the most commonly cited factors including 鈥渆ngaged鈥� and 鈥渃ommitted鈥� students, the 鈥渨onderful鈥� and 鈥渟upportive鈥� colleagues, and the teaching. Seventy-six percent of faculty respondents said they would probably or definitely encourage a faculty member resembling themselves to accept a position at 51茶馆.

In general, faculty and staff reflected positively on the 51茶馆 community. They rated the 51茶馆 environment well above the midpoint on the scale (3.0) for the measures of 鈥渨elcoming鈥� and 鈥渟ense of community.鈥�

The University鈥檚 professional development and training resources also received generally positive marks: 94 percent of staff agreed they have access to training and professional development, while 80 percent indicated they are given necessary resources to succeed. Many employees noted their work environment was enhanced by professional development and personal enrichment programs provided by 51茶馆.

A noticeable difference of opinion concerned recruitment, retention, and advancement/promotion for female employees. Male faculty members (83 percent) were more likely than female faculty (64 percent) to agree or strongly agree that their department makes a genuine effort to recruit and retain female faculty. Similarly, male staff (64 percent) were more likely than female staff (54 percent) to agree or strongly agree that they had opportunities for advancement and promotion.

The survey noted that University supervision and management is regarded as an asset by a solid majority of staff respondents: 90 percent reported that their supervisor or manager treats them with respect, a key factor in employees鈥� desire to stay at 51茶馆.

Boston College senior administrators said they found the survey results encouraging.

鈥淭he survey again showed us that our faculty and staff at Boston College feel valued, respected, and have the ability to grow and thrive personally and professionally,鈥� said Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor. 鈥淲hile we have made good progress in many areas, we still have work to do to enhance the experience of all the members of the 51茶馆 community.聽 We remain committed to working closely with everyone on the Heights to continue our momentum toward realizing our full potential as a community of learners.鈥�

鈥淲e are pleased that faculty remain increasingly satisfied with their work-life at Boston College,鈥� said Vice Provost for Faculties Billy Soo. 鈥淲hile there is more to be done to improve everyone鈥檚 experience, we are proud of the progress we鈥檝e made on a number of areas and remain committed to ensuring a positive and productive environment for everyone at Boston College.鈥�

鈥淎s a new member of the 51茶馆 community, it is definitely remarkable to see how the survey data reflects what I鈥檓 learning and hearing on the ground鈥攖hat faculty and staff generally feel valued and are fulfilled in their roles,鈥� said Vice President for Institutional Research and Planning Mara Hermano, who joined the University last September. 鈥淭his survey reveals quantitative and qualitative dimensions to the experiences of different members of our community and the data provides insights into areas of excellence as well as opportunities for improvement. We鈥檝e already seen positive gains since the 2015 survey, and with focused attention and ongoing assessment of specific initiatives, we will continue building a community that welcomes and respects all.鈥�

University Communications | May 2020