This page gathers questions and answers concerning the University's employee satisfaction survey. The page is updated continuously. Do you have a question that is not covered on this page? Please contact the human resources strategists at the Human Resources Office.
Why should I complete the employee satisfaction survey?
The survey is the University's way of following up what impression staff have of their work situation. It is also a chance to share views anonymously and contribute to improving the work environment. The employee satisfaction survey is a part of what we usually call systematic work environment management and active measures, which is a legal requirement for all employers to prevent health problems, accidents and discrimination at work.
What will happen with the results of the employee satisfaction survey?
Your head of department or other manager has the formal responsibility to take the results forward at your department, office or equivalent, together with their employees. The HR support function and an equal opportunities representative is often available to support the manager. The work environment representative, who represents the staff, is usually also included in working with the results after the survey.
What period should I base my response on?
Respond according to how you currently experience your work situation. If any particular time period is intended, this will be specified in the question. For instance, "in the last twelve months".
I'm employed, why have I not received a link to the employee satisfaction survey?
The idea is that all employees and scholarship holders that have worked at Umeå University in the last three months should be able to participate in the survey. If you have been completely absent from work due to leave, parental leave or sick leave over the past year, you may not have an accurate impression of what the working conditions are like right now. If so, it is better if you take part in the next employee satisfaction survey. However, circumstances may vary, so please ask your head of department or other manager if you have any questions.
If you have not received an email with a link to the employee satisfaction survey, the email may be under "Other" in the inbox in Outlook.
I'm employed at one department, but conduct most of my work at another department. What workplace should I base my response on?
You should answer the survey based on your experiences of your work situation where you conduct the main bulk of your work, regardless of where your employment is placed. Talk to your head of department or other manager if you are uncertain.
I work part time at two organisational entities. How should I respond to the survey?
If you spend approximately the same amount of time working at two workplaces, you can respond to two surveys, one for each workplace. If so, you will receive two emails with one link each to the employee satisfaction survey. In each email, and in the surveys, you can see which line manager each survey concerns. You will also receive a separate email from the Human Resources Office with more information before the survey. Talk to your head of department or other manager if you are uncertain.
We have a new organisation with a new manager, what should I consider when completing the survey?
It can be problematic for a new organisation with a new manager. The previous organisation and manager is no longer relevant, and it can be difficult for members of staff to have formed a view of the new organisation and the new manager. Talk to your head of department or other manager if you are uncertain what approach to take when responding to the survey.
I have several managers, who should I have in mind when I complete the survey?
Your head of department or equivalent manager has specified who should be listed as your line manager. The name of your line manager will be specified in the email you receive with the link to the survey. The name of the line manager will also be specified in the survey itself in connection with questions about your line manager. Talk to your head of department or other manager if you have any questions.
I'm a scholarship holder, can I complete the survey?
From 2024, it is possible for scholarship holders to participate in the survey. Your head of department has decided whether their scholarship holders should be included in the survey. Talk to your head of department if you have any questions.
I'm a scholarship holder, what should I consider when completing the survey?
The questions are formulated based on an employee perspective, having an employment, work tasks and having a manager. You must instead consider your situation as a scholarship holder at the University, the tasks you have and your supervisor. Talk to your head of department if you have any questions. You will also receive a separate email from the Human Resources Office with more information before the survey.
Why do you include questions about foreign origin in the employee satisfaction survey?
At Umeå University, everyone has the right to work and study on equal terms regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender identity or expression according to the Swedish Discrimination Act. The survey is anonymous. (Read more about anonymity in other questions.) But to be able to follow up how staff experience their equal opportunities, we need to ask about foreign origin.
I've experienced bullying at my department, office or equivalent, can I report this through the survey?
There are questions in the survey regarding exposure to undesirable behaviour that you can answer, and it is important that your manager finds out. However, since the survey is anonymous, your response will not allow your manager or the University to investigate the event. To go forward, make a formal report by talking to your manager or report what has happened to the registry.
Learn more about reporting.
I'm sceptical about anonymity in this survey. Can my manager really not see my responses?
Quicksearch guarantees full anonymity. The survey will be sent out from Quicksearch and responses will be sent straight back to Quicksearch. Neither Umeå University nor your manager will at any point throughout this employee satisfaction survey be able to access individual responses.
When it comes to results broken down into categories such as gender, job roles or foreign origin five responses are required within the group/unit/department per background variable in order to see a result. However, for a result related to questions about perceived vulnerability, eight responses are needed instead.
Results of exposure to undesirable behaviour are only presented to the HR officer on faculty office/equivalent and university-wide level. The HR officer can inform managers of their group's results if general work environment measures need to be taken. Individual's answers can never be traced.
If the question about exposure to undesirable behaviour has been answered by fewer than eight respondents, the answers will be aggregated at the next (higher) level of the organisation. This means that each question requires at least eight responses within a group for the answers to be presented at that level.
For results of exposure to undesirable behaviour, only HR officers on faculty office/equivalent and university-wide level will have access to the results. The HR officer can inform managers of their group's results if general work environment measures need to be taken. This means that questions and answers about exposure to undesirable behaviour is not presented to managers in their reports. Please remember that an individual's answers can never be traced.
How can the survey be anonymous when it is sent via email?
The email addresses are entered in or imported into the Quicksearch software. All addresses receive an index number. These index numbers are used when the survey is sent out. This means that no one at Umeå University will be able to see the link between the index number and the email address, but it allows the database to check against the list if all surveys that have been sent out have been completed.