Employees study shows WSU has improved

Faculty and staff at Washington State University in 2001 and 2003 participated in two related internal communication studies. These studies, conducted through the Organizational Communication program at the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, included written surveys as well as focus group discussions with hundreds of employees universitywide. These surveys are part of an ongoing effort to develop and maintain effective internal communication processes. The following is a summary of the results obtained.

The 2001 study featured a broad-spectrum, multifaceted survey, which revealed a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Results in hand, the administration worked over the following two years to address the weaknesses.

A second assessment was conducted this year to determine the current status of internal communication processes and to evaluate the efficacy of changes to the system enacted since 2001. It also assessed employee understanding of, and commitment to, the goals of the WSU strategic plan and WSU identity.

Results of this universitywide survey, and a series of focus groups held with faculty, classified and A/P staff, revealed significant improvements with respect to both internal communication and employee attitudes.

Improvements
Among the improvements noted in the current assessment were faculty-administrator relations. Specifically, faculty reported:

• significantly higher levels of trust in mid- and senior-level administrators since the 2001 audit.
• significant improvements in the amount and quality of information they receive from administrators, particularly senior administrators.
• significant improvement in the quality of their relationships with their immediate supervisors.

Employees indicated they felt strongly that WSU is a high-quality academic institution. They also said they are committed strongly to the goals of the university’s strategic plan and believe those goals are attainable.

Finally, employees reported high levels of satisfaction with their specific tasks and, in contrast to the 2001 assessment, employees reported high levels of commitment and attachment to the university.

Concerns
The assessment also revealed some areas of concern. In particular, while the attitudes and information experiences of all employees improved since 2001, most of the improvements were reported by faculty and A/P staff.

In contrast, while the experiences of classified employees improved since 2001, they did report significantly less trust and respect for and from immediate supervisors, mid-level and senior administrators than did other employees. Classified employees also reported lower quality relationships with their immediate supervisors than did other employees.

Finally, the university’s decision-making processes appear to be a source of uncertainty for employees, including faculty, classified and A/P staff, who reported they do not receive enough information regarding major administrative decisions and regarding how decisions are made.

Strategies for improvement
Overall, the survey results underscore the effectiveness of WSU’s efforts to improve internal communication over the past two years, including periodic status reports by mid- and upper-level administrators, regular “dialogues” with President V. Lane Rawlins and Provost Robert Bates, and a faculty/staff dedicated website.

The results also suggest areas that need improvement, particularly with respect to communication regarding classified staff issues.

Several strategies for addressing these concerns are under way:

• Expanding efforts by administrators to be inclusive in talking about and recognizing faculty and staff achievements and issues, where possible. This will be visible during an Honors and Recognition Banquet on March 26, when major faculty and staff awards will be presented, in lieu of the previous approach with separate ceremonies for faculty and staff awards.
• Adding more profiles of WSU staff to the faculty and staff website.
• Increasing the coverage of staff issues and profiles in WSU Today and Pullman Community Update.
• Developing a new video featuring President Rawlins welcoming new staff and faculty, discussing the strategic plan and addressing how all WSU employees contribute to that plan. This video is shown at all new employee orientations.
In sum, the 2003 assessment revealed significant improvements overall in WSU internal communication during the past two years. Continued attention to the problem areas identified should result in a more effective university system. In addition, survey results have been provided to strategic plan implementation teams for consideration in addressing issues including trust, respect and quality.

More detailed results of these studies are available from Patricia Sias, 335-8857.

Patricia Sias, a WSU faculty member since 1992, is an associate professor in the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication. She teaches and conducts research in the area of organizational communication. Her research centers on workplace relationships and information processes.

Sias and her students conducted both the first and second internal communication surveys at Washington State University.

Staff members in University Relations are responsible for management of the internal communications program.

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