There have been significant changes to work since March and UT staff have been asked to work completely from home for an extended period. To understand how staff have experienced this change in terms of their work, well-being, safety and satisfaction, UT conducted a well-being survey over the summer. Despite this difficult period caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, UT staff have generally been able to cope well. General satisfaction is rated a 7.6 (out of 10).
A total of 3,821 employees and PhD candidates received a digital questionnaire. In it, they were asked questions about the themes of experience of work, health and well-being, the near future and general satisfaction. UT is pleased with the response rate of 54%.
“In addition to a good response, the results also represent a good balance of gender, age, support staff and academic staff. Because of this, it is possible to say that the results are representative of UT staff as a whole.”
Jan de Leede, assistant professor in the HRM department, Faculty of BMS.
Results on experience of work
Overall, UT staff say that things have gone well, and health has remained unchanged. However, there are some areas of concern. Some 55% of respondents state that the quantity of work has increased and slightly less than 50% say that the content of the work has changed.
The survey asked about the effects of working online on how people experience the quality of the work delivered. A large part of the respondents says that they experienced little or no effect on the quality they themselves deliver. Positive effects of online working mentioned include flexibility and efficiency. However, the survey also reveals the downside of online working. A notable percentage of the respondents did experience a drop in quality in the work they delivered: output 27%, research 20% and education/teaching 19%.
The survey also makes it clear that slightly less than half of the colleagues are working overtime to be able to meet expectations.
Result on health and well-being
More than 60% of respondents stated that their health had remained the same. One quarter feels that their health has declined. Isolation, tiredness, lack of structure and distraction by housemates are cited as the top four reasons.
Half of all respondents rate the workload experienced as heavy, especially those who also need to care for children or combine other activities with their work.
Less than a quarter of respondents, particularly academic staff at the start of their career, say they are uncertain about keeping their jobs and are concerned about this.
Results on the near future
We can also see the advantages of working from home. Over 65% of respondents stated that they would like to continue working at home more even after Covid-19. They are eager to combine working on campus and at home. The majority of respondents suggest two days each week for this.
To be able to work safely on campus, respondents place particular value on clear route-marking and information in the buildings, a safe and clean workplace and well-informed managers who can answer their questions.
Results on satisfaction and measures taken
Two-thirds of respondents feel that UT is dealing well with the crisis. Communication and information are satisfactory, and UT is demonstrating that it puts the health of its staff first.
The well-being survey was deliberately conducted during the summer to gauge the effects of working at home from the start of the intelligent lockdown in March 2020 to the end of the academic year 2019/2020. Various measures were taken both in this period and in the summer to facilitate UT staff working online and at home. During the same period, UT itself was also preparing for the new academic year and the measures required to make it possible to work both on-campus and online.
The full effects of these measures are not yet reflected in this well-being survey. At the start of the new academic year, UT applied the principle of on campus where possible and online working because it is possible. After the summer, UT staff were again given the opportunity to work on campus, on the condition that buildings have a maximum of 40% occupancy. Clear walking routes were marked and additional hygiene measures taken everywhere. The UT buildings were tested for ventilation and additional measures taken where necessary. The mandatory wearing of face masks in campus buildings was also recently introduced. In the meantime, service departments and faculties have been working hard to prepare measures aimed at supporting location-independent (remote) working and studying in a way that is effective and future-proof.
“The survey gives us an understanding of staff well-being and identifies where there is potential for improvement. We value and respect all UT staff who have proved capable in these circumstances of switching from working on campus to online and have shown themselves to be hugely committed, flexible and professional. In consultation with managers, the Executive Board hopes to find effective solutions to reduce the workload and increase people’s enjoyment of their work.”
Mirjam Bult, Vice-President of the Executive Board
Similarities with European study
The results about well-being among UT staff are not very different from those revealed in a recent survey within Europe. During the coronavirus period, the Danish University DTU conducted a survey among European knowledge workers about their experiences of working from home. The advantages and disadvantages identified are largely reflected in the results from UT. The top three advantages are: reduced travelling time to work, taking breaks when convenient and the ability to concentrate at home. On the downside, the top three negative impacts of working from home are: not seeing colleagues as often as one would wish, feeling more tied to the computer and exercising less than when working on campus (see: Van Veldhoven & Van Gelder, ‘De voor- en nadelen van verplicht thuiswerken tijdens de lockdown’, 2020).
The full research report ‘Working at home alone? A well-being study among UT employees under COVID-19’ is available to read here.
