Human Resources
Survey Results
In March 2012 we invited employees to participate in the university-wide People First Survey to collect information that would help improve the work experience of faculty and staff. We’re excited to announce that we’ve received the results from Ipsos Reid, the company that administered the survey, and we are now able to share those results with employees.
Read the memo from Julia Hanigsberg, Vice President, Administration and Finance, and Larissa Allen, Assistant Vice President, Human Resources.
Executive Summary
We achieved a very encouraging participation rate for a first survey of this kind, with 50% of staff and faculty taking the time to provide us with input. In terms of engagement, the survey results are very positive. For an overview of the results, see this summary PDF.
Detailed Results
Employees can access detailed results for each question by logging in below. If you expereince technical difficulties logging in please contact HR Client Services at (416) 979-5075 or hr@ryerson.ca.
Communications and Resources
Employee Group-Specific Survey Results Now Available
People First Survey Next Steps
Release of the People First Survey Results
Survey Tips for Managers & Leaders
Letter from Julia Hanigsberg and Larissa Allen
Letter from President Sheldon Levy
People First Survey Outstanding Participation
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the People First Survey?
- Why conduct a survey of Ryerson faculty and staff?
- Is this survey voluntary? What are the benefits of completing a survey?
- Who is administering the survey?
- Who will see my responses?
- Who developed the survey?
- How were the survey questions chosen?
- Who is being invited to complete the survey?
- Have my union leaders been consulted?
- Will this survey affect my collective agreement?
- Is the online survey accessible?
- English is not my first language. Will the survey be translated?
- How long will it take to complete the survey?
- How long will the survey run?
- When will the results be released?
- How will the results be released?
- What will be done with the results of the survey?
- Where will I get a survey?
- What if I don't have a computer at work or privacy to complete the survey?
- I didn't receive my invitation to complete the survey. What should I do?
- My colleague didn't get an invitation. Should I give them mine?
- What if I have a problem filling out the survey?
- When am I supposed to complete the survey? Will I get time at work to complete it?
- I am completing the online survey. Do I have to complete the survey all at one time?
- Where can I get more information about the survey?
What is the People First Survey?
The People First Survey is the first University-wide survey of employee engagement. The survey includes a number of questions that are designed to give a big picture view of staff and faculty personal experiences of working at the University. The survey is part of the Vice President, Finance and Administration People First Agenda.
Why conduct a survey of Ryerson faculty and staff?
The feedback we receive will be extremely valuable in telling us how well the University is doing as an employer, what we are doing right and should continue to do, and where improvement is needed. The University wide results will be shared with all faculty and staff. In addition, in response to this feedback, the University is committed to developing plans and taking action to address identified issues.
Is this survey voluntary? What are the benefits of completing a survey?
Yes. You can decline to answer any or all of the questions. However, your participation is vital for us to get a complete picture of what it is like to work at Ryerson. By completing your survey, you will contribute to enhancing the work experience at Ryerson so we can attract and retain top quality faculty and staff to achieve University goals.
Who is administering the survey?
Ipsos Reid, a leading Canadian market research firm, will administer the survey. Ipsos Reid has extensive experience in designing and conducting employee surveys in both the public and private sectors. Recently, they conducted surveys at the University of Toronto (2010) and the University of British Columbia (2011).
Who will see my responses?
To ensure privacy and confidentiality, the University and Ipsos Reid have taken a number of measures:
No one at Ryerson will have access to individual survey responses. No individual information will be reported to Ryerson by Ipsos.
The survey is anonymous. You will NOT be asked for personal identifiers in the survey such as your name, birth date, or employee number.
Ipsos will only report to Ryerson the combined results of groups of 10 or more employees, so no information will be provided to the University where identification of individuals could occur.
For the open text questions where you are asked to write a response, Ipsos Reid will code the answers and report combined results of groups of 10 or more. The text itself will not be provided to the University.
The survey and our confidentiality measures have received approval from the Ryerson Research Ethics Board.
For more information, please see the Ipsos Reid privacy policy at www.ipsos-na.com/privacy.
Who developed the survey?
Survey questions were developed in consultation with Ipsos Reid and the Ryerson Employee Survey Advisory Committee, which consists of representatives from CUPE 233, CUPE 3904, OPSEU, RFA, MAC, and Senior Leaders, as well as representation from HR and from Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. A list of the committee members can be found at the end of this document.
How were the survey questions chosen?
Ryerson has chosen questions that will help us to improve the employee experience. Some questions were provided by Ipsos Reid or shared with us from other universities, which will allow us to compare the experience of our employees with other educational institutions in Canada, the U.S. and more broadly throughout the world, as well as other Canadian public sector institutions.
Who is being invited to complete the survey?
All faculty and staff at the University are invited to complete the survey, including Senior Administrators, Part Time and Sessional Instructors (CUPE 3904, Unit 1), Continuing Education Instructors (CUPE 3904, Unit 2), Teaching/Graduate Assistants (CUPE 3904 Unit 3), members of the Ryerson Faculty Association (RFA), Academic and Administrative Support staff (OPSEU), Maintenance and Trades employees (CUPE 233), and Management and Confidential (MAC) employees, including career employees and those who are on contracts of more than four months and who work more than 24 hours per week.
Have my union leaders been consulted?
Your union leaders support this initiative and agree that the feedback will be valuable in creating a better workplace at Ryerson.
Will this survey affect my collective agreement?
No. The survey in no way interferes with any existing collective agreements or the University's collective bargaining obligations. We recognize the unions as the sole and exclusive bargaining agents for their members and their right to bring forward proposals during collective bargaining concerning the terms and conditions of their members' employment, as well as their right to raise issues or file grievances on behalf of their members. The unions were provided written confirmation of our commitment not to use the results of the survey in future negotiations.
Is the online survey accessible?
There are two versions of the survey available. One is an accessible version that displays only one question at a time on the screen instead of multiple questions, primarily designed for individuals who use screen readers such as JAWS, MAC VoiceOver, Windows Eyes or ZoomText. However, anyone can use this version. If you are having any difficulty accessing the survey, please contact Tamar Myers at tsmyers@ryerson.ca or call (416) 979-5000 ext 7974.
English is not my first language. Will the survey be translated?
The survey itself will not be translated. Human Resources Management Consultants are meeting with Departments and Faculties to identify and address any unique needs. In addition, you may choose to fill in the survey at home with the assistance of a family member. For any further requests for assistance, please contact Tamar Myers at tsmyers@ryerson.ca or call 416-979-5000 ext 7974.
How long will it take to complete the survey?
It will take approximately 20 minutes to complete the survey, slightly longer if the accessible version is used.
How long will the survey run?
The survey began on March 13, 2012 and the deadline has been extended from April 3 to April 10, 2012, at 5 p.m.
When will the results be released?
We expect to release the University-wide results in Summer 2012.
How will the results be released?
The University intends to provide the results of the survey in as open and transparent a manner as possible. We will receive a report from Ipsos with a summary of the University-wide results and make it widely available across a variety of media. In addition, we may conduct presentations and/or town halls across campus.
What will be done with the results of the survey?
Ryerson's leaders are committed to responding to priority concerns raised in this survey. There will be discussion and consultation across the University or at the Faculty/Administrative Department level throughout 2012 to try to get a better understanding of issues raised and identify initiatives to address those issues. We expect to be able to start communicating about specific initiatives in early 2013.
Where will I get a survey?
On March 13, 2012, employees with an active Ryerson email address will receive an email invitation from Ipsos Reid to participate in the survey. The invitation will include a unique web link that you will use to access your survey. For those employees without an active Ryerson email address, a paper invitation will be sent prior to March 13, 2012 to your Ryerson office location. The paper invitation will provide you with a web address for the survey and instructions on how to log in.
What if I don't have a computer at work or privacy to complete the survey?
If you work in a high traffic area and would like a more private place to complete the survey, or you don't have access to a computer and alternate arrangements have not already been made by your manager, see the Drop-in Computer availability Schedule for dates and locations for drop-in sessions.
I didn't receive my invitation to complete the survey. What should I do?
If you have not received your email invitation by March 13, 2012, check your junk/spam folder. If it's not there, or you did not receive a paper invitation, please email Tamar Myers, Manager HR Planning, at tsmyers@ryerson.ca or call (416) 979-5000 ext 7974.
My colleague didn't get an invitation. Should I give them mine?
No. Each invitation contains a unique web link or user login information that links to your survey. Your colleague should contact Tamar Myers at tsmyers@ryerson.ca or call (416) 979-5000 ext 7974.
What if I have a problem filling out the survey?
For technical questions, please email Ipsos Reid at surveyhelp@ipsos-research.com or call them at (416) 572-4447 (please reference Ryerson Survey in the subject or when calling).
When am I supposed to complete the survey? Will I get time at work to complete it?
Managers and supervisors, including Deans, Chairs/Directors, Program Directors and supervising faculty have been asked to ensure employees have time to fill out their survey during work hours. You may also choose to complete the survey at home if you prefer.
I am completing the online survey. Do I have to complete the survey all at one time?
No. If you need to step away from the survey at any time, the responses you have entered will be saved when you close the window. You may return to finish your survey using the same link or login information you were provided in your invitation. Be sure to save your invitation as it contains the web link or information for you to re-access your survey at a later time.
Where can I get more information about the survey?
If you’d like to know more about the survey, you can:
Visit www.ryerson.ca/peoplefirstsurvey
Speak with your manager
Contact your union representative
Or contact one of the members of the Ryerson Employee Survey Advisory Committee:
- Tamar Myers - Human Resources Planning, tsmyers@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext 7974.
- Miriam Comerford - Human Resources Organizational & Employee Effectiveness, m2comerf@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext 2641
- Larissa Allen - AVP Human Resources, lallen@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext 6245.
- Alan Pendleton CUPE 233, cupe233@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext 7880
- James McKay OPSEU j6mckay@gwemail.ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 4111
- Don Elder CUPE 3904 delder@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 7547
- Jason Lisi RFA jlisi@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 6750
- Gabbie Galbraith MAC gabbie@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 6481
- Carey Barker MAC c22barke@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 2227
- Maurice Mazerolle Academic Administration mmazerol@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 6761
- Brian Lesser Administration & Finance Management Group blesser@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext. 6835
- Rona Abramovitch Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, rona@ryerson.ca or (416) 979-5000 ext 7001
Ryerson Employee Survey Committee
| Name | Representing | Email | Ext. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamar Myers | Human Resources Planning | tsmyers@ryerson.ca | 7974 |
| Miriam Comerford | Human Resources Organizational & Employee Effectiveness | m2comerf@ryerson.ca | 2641 |
| Avner Levin | Interim AVP Human Resources | avner.levin@ryerson.ca | 4612 |
| Alan Pendleton | CUPE 233 | cupe233@ryerson.ca | 7880 |
| James McKay | OPSEU | j6mckay@gwemail.ryerson.ca | 4111 |
| Don Elder | CUPE 3904 | delder@ryerson.ca | 7547 |
| Franklyn Prescod | RFA | fprescod@ryerson.ca | 7129 |
| Gabbie Galbraith | MAC | gabbie@ryerson.ca | 6481 |
| Carey Barker | MAC | c22barke@ryerson.ca | 2227 |
| Maurice Mazerolle | Academic Administration | mmazerol@ryerson.ca | 6761 |
| Brian Lesser | Administration & Finance Management Group | blesser@ryerson.ca | 6835 |
| Rona Abramovitch | Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | rona@ryerson.ca | 7001 |
Bookmark with:
