Survey Results
UMKC’s Assessment of Workplace Climate survey provided crucial insights into faculty and staff experiences and highlighted both strengths and areas that need improvement within the university’s climate.
2024 Survey Results Report (SSO)Summary
Comfort and Belonging
Most respondents reported feeling comfortable with the overall climate at UMKC and within their departments and classrooms. There were disparities in several groups though, particularly within additional respondents of color, respondents with multiple disabilities, faculty respondents with other academic titles and those with more years of service at the university. Respondents reported feeling a mixed sense of belonging at the university; those with weaker connections included staff and faculty with multiple disabilities, faculty respondents with a single disability and Volker Campus faculty.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Areas of strength and reported job satisfaction included empowerment, job support, work-life balance and collaborative work environment. Respondents highlighted concerns about increased workload without compensation, performance evaluation processes and lack of career progression. Frustrations were expressed regarding recent changes to the PTO system and inadequate compensation. Many of these same concerns were cited when respondents said they had seriously considered leaving the university.
Exclusionary and Welcoming Conduct
The incidence of exclusionary conduct has decreased since the last survey, but it still occurs to a sizeable number of respondents. Certain groups reported experiencing this conduct more than others, including ranked faculty tenure-track, Volker Campus faculty, faculty who have been employed at UMKC 11-15 years, faculty and staff respondents with multiple disabilities, Health Sciences Campus staff and staff respondents of color. Conversely, many respondents reported experiencing welcoming conduct, where they felt valued and included by their colleagues and supervisors.
Key takeaways underscore both the strengths and challenges within UMKC’s workplace climate. The disparities in experiences among different demographic groups show critical areas for improvement. Addressing these challenges, particularly those related to retention and providing a welcoming environment for all, will be crucial to fulfill our mission as a university.
