The Work Environment Survey is one of the tools you have at your disposal to develop a positive working environment. As a manager, you are responsible for conducting the survey at the unit you lead. The survey is conducted every two years, with subsequent development of measures, implementation and follow-up of the action plan.

The reports from the Work Environment Survey 2021 are now available to all leaders in ePhorte. The deadline for conducting the follow-up meeting and the development of an action plan was 8 April 2022. Now it's time to implement the measures and evaluate.

Norwegian version: Arbeidsmiljøundersøkelse – for ledere

Work Environment Survey – for employees | HSE topics page | Psychosocial work environment

Why is NTNU conducting a work environment survey?

• A sound, well-functioning work environment is essential to achieving NTNU's goals.
• To learn more about how staff perceive their working conditions.
• To provide a basis for strategic work environment initiatives and organizational development measures.
• To help ensure that all NTNU staff have a safe work environment.

As a manager you are expected to:

• Set goals for the work environment work at your unit.
• Encourage all employees at your unit to respond to the survey and participate in the follow-up work.
• Conduct a follow-up meeting at your unit before Easter.
• Develop an action plan with goals and measures.
• Implement, evaluate and adjust measures.
• Involve safety representatives and LOSAM throughout the process.
• Dialogue in your leader group to coordinate the follow-up process in 2022, evaluate and adjust measures.

The work environment survey takes the temperature of the work climate in the unit and at NTNU as a whole. It gives staff an opportunity to voice how they feel at work. This feedback supports you, as a leader, in promoting a positive work climate in agreement with NTNUs values - creative, critical, constructive and respectful, with the aim to achieving NTNUs goals.

See the schedule of work for leaders pertaining to the work environment survey 2021 (powerpoint in Norwegian).

The main survey themes are:

• The individual and work
• Interaction between managers and staff
• Communication and participation
• Collaboration and community
• Handling of unfortunate/unwanted events
• Support, interaction and culture

More about the ARK work environment and work climate survey

Work Environment Efforts 2021-2022

Phase 1 – Motivate and prepare

Phase 1: Motivate and prepare – August-October 2021:

1. Include the Work Environment Survey on the agenda at a management meeting (level 2) with the Local Coordinators for the Work Environment Survey. Deadline: September 2021.

2. Fill out the form ‘Preparation for the Work Environment Survey’ in collaboration with the safety representative. The completed form should be archived in ePhorte in the unit dossier by 29 October 2021. NB! A dossier will be created for each unit for easy access to the survey results: ‘Work Environment Survey 2021 UNIT ABBREVIATION’. This link provides a list of the unit abbreviations being used in the 2021-survey.

3. Decide at which organizational level you wish to organize the survey and follow-up process (such as subject group or department level). Submit the updated list of survey units to the local coordinator at your Faculty. Mark which reports you need in English. (If you choose to organize the survey at group level, the coordinator will contact you for assitance to assign employees to the right group). Deadline: 17. September 2021.

• NTNU recommends a minimum of at least 8 employees at each response unit. At least 5 employees must respond in order to print a result report.
• Large departments/administrative divisions may select subject groups/sections as response units. At department level, you will also receive reports sorted by occupational category (scientific, tech-/adm, PhD candidates) if the number of respondents are sufficient. You will automatically receice the PhD report in English.

4. Inform all staff at your unit of the upcoming work environment process (for example at a general meeting). Deadline: October 2021 (presentation is coming)

Phase 2 - Survey

Phase 2: Survey – November 2021 - April 2022

1. The survey will be distributed by e-mail to all employees on 8 November with response deadline 28 November 2021.

2. A qualitative continuation of the survey will take place in the Phase 3 at the follow-up meeting.

Follow this link for more detailed information about the survey and the result reports, including:

• Who is participating
• Distribution
• Anonymity and use of the results
• Reports from the survey

Reports for each individual response unit will be made available to managers in January and should be shared with unit staff at the follow-up meeting. The reports will have the same format as the NTNU-level report (available in January 2022). The results of the response unit will provide comparison with the results of the superior organizational level and with topics covered in the 2019-survey of the response unit.

Phase 3 – Develop Measures

Phase 3: Develop measures – March - April 2022

1) Hold planning meeting with safety representative. See planning meeting template (Norwegian).

• Develop a timetable for the follow-up meeting. See template for a standard follow-up meeting (Norwegian)
• For larger groups, the world café method is suitable. See description of a follow-up meeting using the world café method (Norwegian)
• Tools for preperation: How to read the report from the ARK-survey , Themes and questions - ARK questionnaire (The questions in Norwegian)

2) Hold follow-up meeting with all employees at your unit before Easter. Key unit personnel may assist in planning the meeting. In the meeting you will:

• Inform staff of the process to use if they experience or have experienced unacceptable conduct, and direct them to the web page: Unacceptable behaviour – harassment and conflict
• Review and discuss the unit's results from the survey questionnaire.
• Identify the areas of strength and those needing improvement. (template for individual reflection)
• Develop an action plan with goals and measures. PPT template for the action plan (Norwegian and English)

3) The action plan will be discussed at the faculty/administrative division level. Consider whether any shared assistance or measures are needed for further action plan follow-up.

Phase 4 – Implement and evaluate

Phase 4: Implement and Evaluate – May 2022 - May 2023

As a unit leader, you are responsible for following up on the action plan in collaboration with safety representatives and staff. Evaluate the effectiveness of the measures and adjust them as necessary. Evaluation and learning for further work environment tasks are important. Work Environment Survey follow-up will also be on the agenda at dialogue meetings and in HSE annual reports.

Hold summary meeting with safety delegate (November 2022).

• The summary and evaluation form should be completed and submitted to ARK. A link to the form will be e-mailed to you from ark-kontakt@ntnu.no 7 November. The form serves as documentation of the completed process and the units should archive the form for later reference.
• Deadline for submission: 27 November.

Results from previous surveys

• NTNU results 2021 (PDF) (in Norwegian only)
• NTNU results 2019 (PDF) (in Norwegian only)
• NTNU results 2017 (PDF) (in Norwegian only)
• NTNU results 2014 (PDF) (in Norwegian only)
• NTNU results 2012 (PDF) (in Norwegian only)

Role of Safety Representatives

As a leader, you must involve the safety representative in all phases of the work environment improvement. The minimum meeting points are:

1. Preparation of the Work Environment Survey 2019 (September 2021)
2. Planning the follow-up meeting (January 2022)
3. Summary of needs and measures (after the follow-up meeting)
4. Evaluation of measures and process (October 2022)

At units with multiple safety representatives, the safety representatives themselves should decide who will represent them. Where several units share one safety representative, the safety representative and the deputy safety representative should divide the units between them.

The safety representative’s tasks | Contact your safety representative

Available help

• Occupational Health Services – offering independent assistance to management and employees.
• HR and HSE section – cultivating organizational and psychosocial work environment.
• Whistleblowing: Guidelines for reporting problematic conditions at NTNU
• Guidebook: The ARK-survey - health promotion in academic institutions

Contacts

Management:

• HR and HSE Director Arne Kr. Hestnes
• HSE Section Head Hilde Apneseth

Coordination:

• Kristin Lysklett, HSE section (organization and communication)
• Kristin Wergeland Brekke, HR NTNU section (organization)

Resource people

Local Coordinators for the Work Environment Survey:

• AD: Erik Lunde
• HF: Karin Margrethe Hansen
• IE: Oddrun Husby | Cathrine Haugan Grønvik
• IV: Roar Eriksen
• MH: Hanne Mattson
• NV: Oddny Sagmo
• SU: Tone Lyder Montero | Kirsten Sjolte
• EAC: Svein Olav Antonsen
• University Museum: Christen Torvik | Håvar Meyer Bratt
• FADM – Director of Organization's divisions: Janne Beate Gjengaar | Nathalie Gaulin Brovold
• FADM – Financial Director's divisions: Cecilie Holen | Marianne Schjølberg
• FADM - Pro-Rector for Education's divisions: Janne Beate Gjengaar | Nathalie Gaulin Brovold
• Gjøvik: Lise Konow Linnerud (Building Management)
• Ålesund: Harald Jan Skarstein (Building Management)

External support via NTNU framework agreements for management and organizational development:

• Mobilize (Contact person for the Work Environment Survey: Vibeke C. Hammer)
• Deloitte
• AFF
• Østlyng & Bjerke (Contact person for the Work Environment Survey: Terje Østlyng)