More than 4,000 UI faculty and staff shared their thoughts in last fall's Working at Iowa survey. The results show that more than 94% of respondents understand their work expectations, are treated with respect by their supervisor, and know how their role contributes to the university's mission.

The 2024 Working at Iowa survey was administered Oct. 16–31, 2024, to 6,609 regular faculty and staff (excluding UI Health Care). The survey had a 63% response rate.

This campus engagement survey has been conducted every other year since 2006. Working at Iowa gives employees an opportunity to confidentially share their opinions, and the results provide the university with data it can use to enact meaningful changes, improve employee recruitment and retention, and track progress on its strategic initiatives.

Compared to 2022, this year's Working at Iowa results show improvement in 14 out of 19 questions. High levels of agreement include:

• I know what's expected of me in my work (96% agreement).
• I understand how my job fits into the overall mission of the university (94% agreement).
• My supervisor treats me with respect (94% agreement).

The most recent survey also included five new questions, covering key themes previously addressed in the annual Campus Climate Survey, and providing a holistic view of the employee experience. This integrated approach allows employees to share feedback through one survey and gives the institution a comprehensive way to measure engagement. It also streamlines survey administration and data analysis, making it easier to create action plans that address areas of improvement.

The top responses to new questions were:

• I can be my authentic self at work (88% agreement).
• I feel valued as a member of my team (85% agreement).
• The UI has a strong commitment to fostering a welcoming and respectful environment (86% agreement).

While there are still areas for improvement, most of the lowest levels of agreement either stayed the same or improved compared to 2022 overall results. Those included:

• The UI does a good job of recognizing accomplishments of faculty and staff (72% agreement).
• Workloads are distributed fairly in my unit (75% agreement).
• I feel valued as an individual at the UI (77%, new question).
• There are opportunities for me to pursue my career goals at the UI (78% agreement).

"We're proud of this year's Working at Iowa results. The notable increases show progress in multiple areas of our strategic plan," says Cheryl Reardon, chief human resources officer and associate vice president. "The results confirm that we have a highly engaged, goal-oriented workforce that feels welcome on campus and takes ownership of our mission. We will continue to work toward making Iowa a top destination for faculty and staff."

Each college and administrative unit will receive their results in the coming weeks. These results serve as a starting point for action planning on opportunities for improvement.

UI Health Care conducts its own employee engagement survey with Press Ganey, which includes health care-specific questions and benchmarking. Results were announced to health care faculty and staff early in 2025. 

More information about the 2024 Working at Iowa survey, including action planning resources and a snapshot of this year's results, are on the Working at Iowa homepage.