To support WVU’s planning efforts for how we may operate in a post-COVID-19 world, the Division of Talent and Culture and the Office of the Provost recently conducted a Remote Work Pulse Survey.
The survey was designed to gather feedback from faculty and staff on their experiences while working remotely and help WVU understand expectations among employees for potential remote work options beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey was open to all benefits-eligible faculty and staff employed by the University (including those located at the WVU Keyser and WVU Beckley campuses), WVU Research Corporation and WVU Innovation Corporation.
More than 1,900 employees across all campuses responded to the survey. Highlights from the results include:
94% of respondents said they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them when working remotely (e.g., working hours, availability, productivity, etc.).
90% of respondents indicated they have access to the resources they need (e.g., broadband internet, computer, monitor, VPN access, etc.) to work efficiently and effectively as a remote worker.
90% of respondents felt they are well-trained on how to use work management platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom video conferencing, Microsoft Outlook/Office 365, etc.) to effectively create, manage and execute their job duties when working remotely.
90% of respondents are hopeful options for remote work and flexible work arrangements continue in some capacity at the University beyond the pandemic. In fact, once COVID-19 is no longer a concern:
15% of respondents said they would prefer to work entirely on campus.
80% of respondents indicated they would prefer to work remotely for some of the workweek.
40% of respondents said they would prefer to work exclusively remotely.
The results also suggest opportunities for improvement may exist in certain areas, including employee engagement among remote workers and supervisor coaching/feedback. Further, 71% of respondents indicated there was no significant difference in their workload while working remotely.
There also were several insights gathered through the survey’s open-ended question, which received 1,935 responses and 14,902 total votes among employees.
Key themes in responses centered around increased convenience and flexibility while working remotely as well as time and cost savings (e.g., gas and parking fees) due to the lack of a daily commute. Many respondents also shared they felt more productive while working remotely.
The University is using the survey feedback to help design potential longer-term remote work plans that support WVU’s culture and promote employee engagement. Exploring remote work options and similar opportunities is consistent with our efforts to promote work-life balance among employees and position the University as an employer of choice.
One of the first steps in this process involves determining those employees who are interested in continuing to work remotely and those positions that may be eligible for a longer-term remote work arrangement.
Supervisors and employees should be prepared to discuss potential future remote work options as part of WVU’s annual performance review process. The Employee Relations team will share additional details — including guidelines for supervisors to facilitate these discussions — in the near future.
In the meantime, visit the Talent and Culture website for more information and to view the completeWVU Remote Work Pulse Survey results summary.
Contact the Leadership and Organization Development team at LOD@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-7217 with any questions. You also may contact your HR Partner.