The results from the Great Place to Work (GPTW) survey of school employees taken last spring have been compiled–and one of the recommendations will be put into immediate practice by including a wide range of employees in discussing responses.

HSPH Dean Barry Bloom has formed a core team of senior staff to coordinate and disseminate the GPTW survey results this fall. The team is headed by Deans John Lichten and Paul Riccardi and includes representatives from Human Resources, Communications, and the Office for Academic Affairs. Within the next month, the team plans to expand and form a subcommittee to help coordinate community meetings to discuss the results and to formulate action plans.

Last March, HSPH employees, including faculty members, were given a survey to fill out from the Great Place to Work Institute, which helps produce "The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America," published in Fortune. The questionnaire was anonymous, asking about issues such as fairness and respect in the workplace. The HSPH survey effort was organized and coordinated through a planning and promotion team made up of union staff, non-union staff, and faculty members. Through their efforts and through interest from the HSPH community, more than 50 percent of all employees at the school participated in the survey. Several other Harvard graduate schools conducted their own GPTW surveys.

HSPH respondents cited several strengths of the school, which employees view as an intellectually stimulating environment where people come together to solve health problems of global importance. Most respondents perceive their workplace as progressive, fair, and hospitable, while seeing management as honest and ethical in business practices; employees said that they appreciate the perks they receive at the school, including flexible schedules, generous benefits programs, and opportunities to attend Harvard classes and lectures.

The Great Place to Work Institute offered several recommendations in areas where improvement is needed, including having administration communicate more actively with employees. Also revealed was a need for more opportunities for collaborative-based decision-making within the school.

HSPH deans will host for the first time a "State of the School" address on October 29 in the Kresge cafeteria. All HSPH members are encouraged to attend. An overview of the GPTW results will be one of many topics on the agenda for the address, which is intended to focus on recent accomplishments and on priorities, challenges, and special initiatives for the school in the current academic year.

In addition to the October community address, smaller HSPH community meetings are being scheduled for November and December, during which time survey findings will be discussed in more detail.

Representatives from the school’s administration, each department, deans, department chairs, other HSPH members, and a consultant from the Great Place to Work Institute will also meet as a group to review the survey’s results. The group will make recommendations for department representatives on the expanded survey subcommittee. An action plan is hoped to be in place before the end of the school year. For more information, contact Russ Irwin at rirwin@sphofs.harvard.edu.