Shaping IU Indianapolis Together: Key Takeaways from the Staff Survey

Staff and faculty engagement is key to the success of our work. Commitment to our mission and values and belief in our purpose are essential to fostering meaningful engagement. Are we enthusiastic about our work? Do we come to work knowing we are contributing to a mission that transforms lives? Do we reach out to colleagues when they need us—and even when they don’t, when they agree with us—and even when they don’t? Are we there for each other? Do we experience the Monday morning blues? As one wise person shared with me, culture is defined by how we feel on Sunday night.

Last week, I reviewed the results of staff engagement at IU Indianapolis using Gallup’s My Voice Survey, conducted in October 2024. Gallup defines the taxonomy of engagement, progressing from lower to higher levels, as follows:

1. Basic needs are met – From the employee’s perspective, this is described as the Focus Me goal.
2. Chance to contribute – From the employee’s perspective, this is the Know Me goal.
3. Sense of belonging – From the employee’s perspective, this is the Help Me See My Importance goal.
4. Opportunities to learn and grow – From the employee’s perspective, this is the Challenge Me goal.

With over 1,000 respondents and a 57% response rate, our overall engagement rose from 35% in 2022 to 40% in 2024. The highest positive scores were in areas where employees felt their supervisors “care about me as a person” and created “an environment that is trusting and open.” If you are a supervisor with direct reports, my applause and gratitude go to you—your work matters, and you are making a difference.

Areas for improvement include better communication and fostering a culture where everyone feels included. These will be my priorities in the coming year: ensuring more effective and honest communication and creating an environment where everyone knows they belong. Welcoming all points of view and treating everyone with respect will allow us to build on the strengths of each individual.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey—your voice matters now more than ever.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor