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Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil, wrote to all staff on Monday 18 November. Read the full message below:

Dear Colleagues,  

Hearing the views of colleagues across the University through our staff survey is vital in understanding how everyone is experiencing working at Sussex. The results enable us to identify what is going well – and hence what should be preserved and protected – and where things are not so good and need to be improved. 

By sharing your views in the staff survey you have given us important feedback on how we are progressing as an organisation that is committed to improving the staff experience, as we build a university for the future. Your responses will provide baseline measures for the Sussex 2035 strategy, which has a commitment to human flourishing at its heart, and which will seek to make Sussex an employer of choice.

The results from this year’s survey show a higher staff engagement score overall, with very positive responses with regard to relationships with colleagues, and improved scores around line management, ‘my role’, flexible working, and dignity and respect. It is particularly clear from your comments that we have a kind, welcoming and supportive staff community that is passionate about Sussex.

But it is also important that the University Executive Team (UET) and I recognise where the responses are much less positive. We note, in particular, that there are more negative responses about health and wellbeing support, and less belief that action will be taken in response to this survey than was the case in October 2022 (the previous survey). In addition to our ongoing work looking at how we can better support colleagues, I will be working with leaders across the University to agree actions in response to concerns expressed in the survey.

People Insight, our external survey partner, has shared the survey results with the University Leadership Forum, and local results have been provided to each of the Faculties, Schools and Divisions for discussion within teams. Reports on the full survey results for the University, and for Faculties, Schools and Divisions, will be shared on the staff survey webpages in December. In the meantime, here are some key results.

Higher response rate

In the latest staff survey, 49% of staff (2,044 colleagues) shared their views. The response rate was higher than for any of the recent staff surveys in 2021-2022, with the completion rate rising to 61% for those with a working pattern equivalent to at least two days a week. I am pleased that the percentage of colleagues sharing their views has increased, as this gives us stronger insights into the experience of working at Sussex. 

Key results

I am encouraged to see positive improvements in a number of areas, including our overall staff engagement score (comprising responses to questions about feeling pride in working at Sussex, wanting to stay for the next two years, and caring about the future of the University) which is 76%, an improvement of 13 percentage points compared to October 2022. There were also significant improvements in responses relating to line management (+17 points) and how staff view their role and their contribution to the success of the University (+12 points).  

Staff also gave very positive feedback about relationships with colleagues, which was the highest scoring response, with 92% saying they strongly agree or agree that they have good relationships with their colleagues, and 91% saying that they strongly agree or agree that they care about the future of the University. In addition, 89% of colleagues who responded believe their School or Division enables flexible and remote working where appropriate.

Looking at responses to questions on equality, diversity and inclusion, in comparison to our April 2022 pulse survey when the same questions were last asked, a higher number of respondents said they feel like they belong at the University (+4 points), are treated with dignity and respect (+5 points), can be themselves at work (+16 points) and that senior leaders provide an environment for free expression of ideas and opinions (+18 points). We did, however, see a slight decrease in those who thought the University demonstrates its commitment to equality of opportunity for all employees (-2 points). 

Further work is needed in some areas to ensure Sussex provides a supportive and inclusive workplace. You highlighted support for wellbeing, as well as access to learning and development, as key areas of concern, and although there was a more positive response regarding the leadership provided by UET compared to the last survey (+11 points), there remains much room for improvement here, as only 36% strongly agreed or agreed that UET provides effective leadership, and only 43% that UET provides a clear vision of the overall direction of the University.

The lowest scoring question was about belief that action will be taken as a result of survey feedback – only 35% strongly agreed or agreed that it would be. In order to strengthen confidence in this area, UET and the senior leaders in Faculties, Schools, and Divisions will be working together to address the challenges that you have highlighted through your survey responses. In particular, we will be drilling down into the data to understand the differences between areas of the University and how different groups of staff have responded.

Next steps 

Detailed results will be shared in your local areas shortly and survey action planning for area-specific and University-wide issues will begin in spring 2025. Updates on progress will be shared on the Staff Hub and there will be a number of additional ways for you to have your say between surveys. More information about this will be available soon.  

Thank you for helping to make Sussex a better place to work by sharing your views in this survey.  

With my best wishes, 

Professor Sasha Roseneil 
Vice-Chancellor 

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