How is HR handling employee engagement in higher education?

We’re on a mission to improve levels of employee engagement in higher education. We know that this sector offers so much to its employees and can be hugely rewarding, providing a long and fulfilling career. However, no Higher Education Institution (HEI) is perfect, and it’s important to continually listen to your employees, to see how they’re feeling and coping, and to see how things can be improved. Here at People Insight, we help HEIs get to grips with levels of employee engagement, so employees can be given what they need to perform at their best.

As survey providers, we like to periodically take stock and check in with our clients and the wider sector to determine how HEIs are handling employee engagement and preparing for the future. This year, we joined the Universities Human Resources (UHR) conference and carried out a survey to do just that. These are our key findings from our HEI Big Questions survey, and what we’ve learned from them.

Related: New data reveals the top perks of working in higher education

1. Building a trusted partnership

Of the participants who have worked with us, 94% gave us a favourability rating for our collaboration. We were thrilled to get this response, as we understand the importance of building trust with our clients. Establishing this trust is not only about delivering a seamless service, but it’s also about fostering open communication, transparency and understanding the unique needs of each client.

When clients trust us, they are more inclined to fully engage with the survey process, allowing for honest feedback and deeper insights. When clients are confident in our approach and with our recommendations, they are more likely to involve the right stakeholders, follow through on action plans and use the insights to drive meaningful change in their organisations. Building trusting relationships with our clients has helped yield some great results. As an example, the relationship University of the Arts London and People Insight developed allowed for a remarkable 266% increase in participation rate in just three years, as well as a 71% employee engagement score.

Ultimately, trust is a two-way street: when we earn the confidence of our clients, it enables us to create more accurate surveys, deliver better insights and achieve stronger outcomes that benefit both the organisation and its employees.

2. Employee experience remains a top priority for HR within higher education

We asked our survey respondents about HR priorities for their HEI in the coming years. An incredible 100% said that employee experience was in their priority list, with 45% stating it is a high priority. This is a very promising statistic, as it shows the continued commitment within HE to establish an engaging, supportive, motivational work environment that inspires its employees. By putting your people, their wellbeing and their insights, at the top of your priority list, you ultimately reduce staff turnover, improve your reputation and inspire great performance.

3. The importance of onboarding: Setting the foundation

According to our Big Questions survey, 71% of survey respondents agreed that onboarding is the most important stage of the employee lifecycle to measure. This will come as no surprise if you have studied and explored the importance of onboarding to employee engagement.

Onboarding is where the employer-employee relationship begins. First impressions count, and the onboarding process is often the employee’s first glimpse of what it’s like to work at a university. A well-structured onboarding programme doesn’t just equip employees with the necessary tools and information but also embeds them into the institution’s culture. It’s a make-or-break moment for engagement.

Measuring engagement during onboarding allows HEIs to assess how effectively they integrate new hires. A poor onboarding experience can lead to early disengagement, seriously negatively impacting long-term retention, while a positive onboarding experience may ultimately result in happier employees and improved retention. By tracking metrics such as time to productivity, training completion rates, and employee feedback, institutions can pinpoint areas for improvement and create a smoother, more effective transition for new employees.

4. Employee surveys: A vital listening tool for HE

When it comes to gathering employee feedback, 82% of respondents identified HIgher Education staff surveys as their main, preferred channel for listening to staff.  64% of respondents also use Town Halls to engage employees directly, creating an open platform for communication.

Here at People Insight, we use our employee engagement model Pearl™ to ask questions that get to the heart of employee engagement. We ask questions relating to purpose, enablement, autonomy, reward and leadership, ultimately providing comprehensive insights about employee sentiment. Using an employee survey, you can discover your HEI’s unique engagement drivers and where you could focus efforts for improvement. Our Employee Experience Experts are then well-equipped to work with HEIs on action plans for meaningful change.

Related: How HEIs are creating a sense of purpose at work [infographic]

5. The role of senior leadership in driving engagement

A surprising 20% of universities reported that senior leaders are not actively involved in making decisions based on staff survey results. While this means that the majority are in fact taking part, this 20% is still an issue that should be addressed. 

Senior leadership involvement is so important for translating employee feedback into meaningful change. Without it, universities risk disengagement among their staff, leading to a loss of trust. Leadership buy-in ensures that employees feel heard and that actions will follow the feedback.

Watch a replay of our webinar on leadership in higher education

6. Internal communication: The key to successful surveys

For 67% of respondents, the most important factor in delivering an employee survey is effective internal communication and engagement advice. At People Insight, we’ve seen time and time again how important good communication is to the success of employee surveys, which is why we’re here to support this communication pre-survey, post-survey and everywhere in between.

Our team of Employee Experience Experts works closely with universities, offering guidance on crafting internal communication strategies and generating excitement around surveys. Our hands-on approach helps universities improve survey participation rate and maximise employee engagement in higher education. To illustrate how our approach makes a difference we can look to the following case studies:

• We’ve helped Univeristy of the Arts London improve their participation rate by 266%
• We’ve helped St Mary’s University boost their response rate by 130%
• We assisted King’s College London in establishing 180 action plans as a result of their employee survey, which is set to improve their already impressive 75% employee engagement score

7. Benchmarking and trends: Staying ahead of the curve

89% of respondents said that benchmarking and sector trends are key factors in choosing a survey provider. This data provides context, helping universities understand where they stand in the grand picture, when compared to other institutions.

With nearly 80 HEIs as clients, we offer unparalleled benchmark data, giving us unprecedented insight into what it’s like to work in HE. We know what drives engagement in the sector and how to address areas that need improvement. From employee retention to wellbeing, our insights give universities a clear picture of how they stack up, making it easier to focus on areas of growth.

8. The future of employee engagement in higher education

One of the most significant findings from the HEI Big Questions survey is that no university expressed full confidence in their leadership’s readiness for the future workplace in terms of data, analytics and insights. Getting prepared allows us to proactively address employee needs and workplace trends. It’s likely that the 2030 workplace will continue to centre and prioritise employee engagement, wellbeing and work-life balance, and data-driven insights allow companies to create a supportive, motivational workplace that keeps employees working and feeling at their best Data allows businesses to remain resilient in a really competitive environment, so you can never be too prepared when it comes to your employee listening strategy. 

Our survey findings show that while universities are making strides in employee engagement in higher education, challenges remain, particularly around leadership involvement and future-readiness. It’s clear that HEIs that prioritise feedback and thoroughly engage in listening programmes will be best positioned to improve employee engagement and navigate the demands of tomorrow’s workplace while retaining the best and brightest.

To see how we can help you carry out an employee engagement survey that will initiate real, meaningful change, get in touch with us today for a quick demo.