February 16, 2017

Dear Colleagues,

The University of Miami recently conducted the faculty and staff engagement survey, and today I am sharing highlights of the results with you.

The results show that we have a higher than average engagement level, which provides us with a strong foundation upon which to grow. Those surveyed reported having a sense of purpose, clarity around goals and expectations, and the essential tools to do our best work.

However, we continue to need to strengthen our interpersonal relationships and our sense of belonging, including building a stronger sense of trust and improving the way we recognize good work and develop faculty and staff. You can view a summary of the results here.

We are all so busy, and engagement is hard work and challenging for organizations. Although we are above the national average, we are not satisfied, and we must invest the time to do better.

It is up to us to take the next steps to build a stronger, more engaged work environment at the University.

In the coming weeks, we will host a series of webinars to help faculty and staff examine these results and discuss how to take action. Each of us will be asked to choose one action to take based on the survey results. I firmly believe that if we each make a proactive commitment to improve, the impact will reverberate throughout our organization.

I deeply believe that we must connect with one another toward a common purpose, and that we must work together with respect and appreciation.

The action I will take will be to host quarterly meetings with small groups representing a cross-section of employees to learn what we at the central administration are doing well and what we could do better. I will encourage my direct reports to host similar meetings within their units.

Let's look for ways to expand collaboration and learning, to welcome feedback, and to build connections. And when we make progress, let's take the time to recognize the steps each of us is taking and celebrate the values of this extraordinary community.