Through your comments on the three ANR@Work surveys, at the 2023 Statewide Conference, in our Town Halls, in the development of our Strategic Plan, in outreach sessions and other engagements, you shared your ideas, needs and experiences about working at UC ANR. Your feedback was and continues to be informative and powerful. It fuels our commitment to better UC ANR's work environment while we grow, adapt and deepen our impact on California's challenges and opportunities.
On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the fourth ANR@Work survey will be emailed to you. Please, take the time to respond to its questions. As the summary below shows, your voice is valued and critical to the ongoing success of our mission.
What follows is a snapshot, with links if you wish to learn more, of what has been done since the pandemic in three core internal areas: employee and organizational wellness, learning and development, and staffing and retention strategies.
Employee and Organizational Wellness
Employee comments emphasized the need for more knowledge about navigating within the UC ANR community. An urgency to address diversity and equity in the organization's programs and environment was also clear.
o Our first Director of Workplace Inclusion and Belonging was hired. Elizabeth Moon is responsible for developing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and programs for our community.
o An agreement with the UC Davis Ombuds Serviceswas established to strengthen employee resources for conflict management and problem solving.
o A partnership with the UC Davis Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Programwas established to ensure objectivity.
o Delayed by pandemic restrictions, the first ANR Statewide Conference in five years was held with over 800 attendees, the highest attendance ever.
o Two new employee resource groups (ERGs) were established. The Latinx & Friends Affinity Group, UC ANR Black and Allied Employees, People of Color ERG, and the LGBTQ+ ERG all foster communication, support and opportunities for employees with shared interests or affiliations. Contact Bethanie Brown if you are interested in starting a new ERG.
o The UC ANR Staff Assembly, of which all staff employees are members, strengthened its education and wellness reimbursements, established an Employee Experience and Engagement Challenge, and expanded its communications through a new e-newsletter, The Current.
o To enhance customer service, all administrative service units took part in related trainings, surveyed customers to learn their needs, and are now creating action plans in response.
Learning and Development
UC ANR is a complex organization, and employees expressed the need to better understand it from the get-go. More seasoned employees look for professional development opportunities to improve specific skills and shape themselves for career advancement.
o We continue to invest in learning and development, which increased 35% in FY22-23 and will double in FY23-24. Additional trainings and professional development presentations were archived to serve as a resource available at any time.
o For new employees, more regular administrative and programmatic orientations were established, supported by less formal monthly virtual informational meetings and a New ANR Employee Guide.
o A nine-month mentorship program was established to enable staff mentees to better understand UC ANR, establish contacts and design their career paths, and for academic mentees to help with program planning, research collaboration, outreach and the merit and promotion process.
o Daniel Obrist was hired as academic vice provost of academic personnel and development to oversee the recruitment, development, mentoring and evaluation of UC ANR academics.
o As part of all UC ANR operations, less-formal opportunities are available to employees, such as serving on committees, employee groups and recruitment panels, and, in coordination with their supervisor, evaluating and improving current responsibilities.
Staff Planning and Retention
Salary competitiveness and equity continues to be very high priority for employees. The constriction and post-pandemic workforce instability impacted the staffing of units across the organization.
o Successful recruitment for vacant staff and academic positions increased 25% over last fiscal year, although much work remains to fill vacancies.
o A centrally funded process for recruitment advertising was created to accelerate recruitments.
o Internal promotions of current employees increased 20% over last year, and reclassifications of current employees were up 35% over last year.
o To recruit and retain quality employees in areas where current pay levels are below competitive levels and to provide a more transparent pay philosophy, a multi-year equity program was implemented for non-represented employees. An academic equity adjustment program is currently under review.
o All non-represented staff and academics received a general pay increase.
o All UC ANR collective bargaining agreements for represented staff are in place, with covered employees receiving guaranteed pay increases for the duration of their agreement.
o Guidance for managing visas and work eligibility of international employees was created.
o Several statewide programs and administrative units have undergone an organizational review and developed customized staffing plans, including career-ladder opportunities for current employees.
o UC ANR increased funding for the annual Staff Appreciation and Recognition awards.
Bethanie Brown
Interim Executive Director of Human Resources
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
We Heard You
Your opinion matters! UC ANR employees are central to the success of our organization and mission and we strive to provide opportunities to gather your feedback. We are planning to launch the 2022 ANR@Work Survey in April. Your participation is highly encouraged.
The 2020 and 2021 ANR@Work Surveys generated division wide feedback that helped facilitate positive change in multiple key areas for improvement.
We reached out to employees in a variety of ways, such as the UC ANR Town Halls, Staff and Academic Assembly sessions, and discussions with VP Council. Those discussions yielded additional opportunities to take action for improvement.
We all have the right to work in an environment that promotes fairness, trust, respect, and physical and emotional safety and security.
With your feedback we were able to accomplish noteworthy and impactful changes to enhance our work experience at ANR. See a list of changes made as a result of your feedback at https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucanredu_anratwork/files/365632.pdf.
Let's keep the momentum going!
Remember, your anonymous survey responses will contribute to efforts to create the best possible work environment for all of us. You will receive information about the 2022 survey soon.
Bethanie Brown
Interim Executive Director, Human Resources
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The results of the 2021 ANR@Work Survey are in and we're seeing more satisfaction in our work environment, reported Tina Jordan, academic human resources manager. At the Oct. 21 ANR town hall, Jordan presented the following highlights from the survey, which was conducted March 16 – April 9, 2021.
Scores for 2020 strengths increased in 2021:
- I feel valued by my department
- All people are welcomed
- My department supports work-life balance
- My department practices principles of community
- I have the opportunity to participate in making decisions that affect my work
2021 strengths:
- UC ANR promotes a work environment where all people are welcomed
- My department supports work-life balance
- UC ANR promotes employee wellness
- I understand how I contribute to the University's mission
- Staff members value my contributions
The 2020 primary areas of opportunity remain the top five for 2021:
- I feel valued as a member of the UC ANR Community
- I feel I have a voice to provide my ideas and suggestions on how to improve UC ANR
- Senior leaders have adequately communicated long-range goals and strategic direction
- There are sufficient opportunities for contact with senior leadership
- I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement
UC ANR employees offered ideas for improvement. To better foster a sense of belonging and feeling valued among employees and volunteers, they suggested focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); improving hiring and onboarding processes; improving communication and relationships; increasing opportunities for promotion; prioritizing employee and volunteer recognition; making pay more equitable; and facilitating opportunities for employees to get to know one another.
Angela Song, UC San Diego senior director of organizational assessment and strategy, who assisted UC ANR with summarizing the results, lauded ANR's increases in scores across several dimensions and divisions. Song pointed to improved satisfaction in eight categories: senior leaders communicate goals, have a voice, ethical conduct, participate in decisions, promotes employee wellness, feel valued, satisfied with diversity programs and committed to diversity. The only statistically significant decrease was in responses related to total compensation.
What is UC ANR doing with the 2021 survey results?
To use the survey results to further improve our work environment, Human Resources has shared the unit level summary reports with directors to discuss with employees in their units. HR is also working with Staff Assembly Council to cross reference ANR@Work Survey results with those of the systemwide survey conducted by the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA). Conversations addressing these subjects between leadership and the ANR community will continue through town halls and other Zoom sessions. The DEI Advisory Council is analyzing the survey results by employee demographic categories. The Strategic Planning Committee will continue to align survey results with UC ANR's organizational goals.
The survey was sent to 980 academics, staff and county-paid employees and 560 (57%) completed the survey (as compared to 708 respondents in 2020 for a 73% response rate).
For details about the survey and the results, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Diversity/ANR@Work_Survey_741/2021_ANR@Work_Survey.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The ANR@Work Survey – which will be open through April 9 – gives all academics and staff an opportunity to provide feedback about their experience working at UC ANR.
The UC ANR community is founded on principles strengthened by common goals, shared interests, camaraderie and a passion for improving the quality of life in all communities. We all have the right to work in an environment that promotes fairness, trust, respect, and physical and emotional safety and security. Your anonymous survey responses will contribute to our efforts to create the best possible work environment for all of us.
On March 16, each academic and staff member should have received an email from Glenda Humiston <satsurvey@ucanr.edu> containing a unique link to the survey. The emailed invitation is the only way to access the survey and cannot be replaced.
To thank you for your time and to encourage participation, everyone who completes the survey will have the option to participate in a drawing for a $75 gift card. We will award 40 gift cards through random drawings during the survey period.
The survey is being administered again by UC San Diego; they have been administering a similar survey for more than 20 years on their campus. Results from the 2020 ANR@Work Survey established a baseline for us to measure progress and opportunities for improvement. Examples of activities that were involved by 2020 survey results include increased leadership participation in monthly town hall meetings and more opportunities for ANR employees to provide input into the ANR Strategic Plan.
You can find 2020 results at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Diversity/ANR@Work_Survey_741.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact Human Resources at satsurvey@ucanr.edu.
Today the ANR@Work Survey will land in your email inbox, if it hasn't already, with the subject line “ANR@Work Survey - INVITATION - DO NOT DELETE.” The ANR@Work Survey will be open March 16 through April 9. It is an opportunity for all academics and staff to provide feedback about their experience working at UC ANR.
On March 16, each academic and staff member will receive an email from “Glenda Humiston <satsurvey@ucanr.edu>” containing a unique link to the survey. Please do not delete the emailed invitation, as it will be the only way to access the survey and cannot be replaced.
The UC ANR community is founded on principles strengthened by common goals, shared interests, camaraderie and a passion for improving the quality of life in all communities. We all have the right to work in an environment that promotes fairness, trust, respect, and physical and emotional safety and security. Your anonymous survey responses will contribute to our efforts to create the best possible work environment for all of us.
To thank you for your time and to encourage participation, everyone who completes the survey will have the option to participate in a drawing for a $75 gift card. We will award 40 gift cards through random drawings during the survey period.
The survey is being administered by UC San Diego; they have been administering a similar survey for more than 20 years on their campus.
You can find information about the 2020 survey results at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Diversity/ANR@Work_Survey_741/.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact us at satsurvey@ucanr.edu.
Bethanie Brown
Human Resources Interim Executive Director