What Are Other Institutions Doing on the HR Front?
December 3, 2013
By: John Gaal
Inside Higher Ed recently released its 2013 Survey of College & University Human Resources Officers, conducted on its behalf by Gallup. If you have not already reviewed a copy, you can download a copy here. The survey covers a wide range of HR subjects, from adjunct compensation and benefits, to retirement issues, to discrimination, and many topics in between. Among the more interesting survey findings from HR professionals at the 399 responding institutions (206 of which were public, 171 were private and 7 were for-profit):- 62% were moderately concerned or very concerned about faculty members working past traditional retirement age and 53% were moderately concerned or very concerned that their institutions lacked sufficient retirement incentives for faculty, even though (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree) 63% responded with a score of 3 or higher that their institution offered sufficient phased retirement options for faculty.
- With respect to adjunct faculty, 80% responded with a score of 3 or higher that their institutions fairly compensated their adjunct faculty, while 67% responded with a score of 3 or higher that their institutions provided an “appropriate” benefits package for adjunct faculty (although only 24% indicated that they actually provided health insurance for adjunct faculty). Seventy-five percent responded with a score of 3 or above that their institutions provided appropriate job security and due process protections for adjunct faculty. Interestingly, 48% of the respondents indicated that their institutions were placing or enforcing limits on adjunct faculty hours in order to avoid having to meet the requirements for employer-provided health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
- With respect to benefits generally available on their campuses, 53% of respondents indicated that telecommuting was permitted, 78% indicated that “family-friendly” work policies were in place; 81% had wellness programs (but only 30% provided financial rewards/benefits for healthy employees); and 77% provide financial support for children of employees to pursue post secondary education. However, the responses indicated that HR professionals thought their institutions could do more: 76% of respondents thought there SHOULD be telecommuting permitted, 94% thought there SHOULD be family friendly policies, 98% thought there SHOULD be wellness programs in place, 82% thought there SHOULD be financial rewards/benefits for healthy employees, and 88% thought there SHOULD be financial support for employees’ children for post secondary programs.
- 50% of respondents indicated that they were paying “more attention” to long term employees with declining job performance.
- 62% indicated that they were paying “more attention” to implementing performance evaluation measures.
- Only 40% indicated that they were paying “more attention” to addressing ADA and similar mandates regarding disabilities.
- 88% of respondents indicated that their institutions had a nondiscrimination policy regarding sexual orientation and 74% had a nondiscrimination policy regarding gender identity.
- Finally, 61% of the respondents responded with a score of 3 or higher that HR is blamed for unpopular changes or reductions in employee benefits and services.
