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Definitions and Calculations

Below are some definitions of survey terminology and explanation of how scores are calculated. 

Survey Score Calculations:

The survey is broken into several scoring units.

Item Score - the average response for a survey item; the average ranges from a score of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).

Construct Score - the average of the Item Scores that belong to the Construct. Each construct consists of several related items. The average item score is multiplied by 100 to get the construct score. Scores of 400 or higher indicate areas of substantial strength. Scores above 300 suggest that employees perceive the issue more positively than negatively, while scores below 300 are viewed more negatively by employees. Scores below 200 should be a significant source of concern for the organization and should receive immediate attention.

Dimension Score - the average of the Construct Scores that belong to the Dimension. Each Dimension consists of several related constructs. 

Synthesis Score - the overall score based on the average of all items that belong to constructs. Not every item belongs to a construct, such as items 66-75 which determine the satisfaction with different benefits. Also, items belonging to more than one construct are only counted once. The average item score is multiplied by 100 to get the synthesis score.

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Dimension Descriptions:

Dim# Name Description
1 Work Group This dimension relates to employees' activities within their immediate work vicinity.  They include factors that concern how employees interact with peers, supervisors and all of the persons involved in day-to-day work activity.  
2 Accommodations This dimension looks at the physical work setting and the factors associated with compensation, work technology and tools.  It is the "total benefit package" provided to employees by the organization.
3 Organizational Features This dimension addresses the organization's interface with external influences.  It is an internal evaluation of the organization's ability to assess changes in the environment and make needed adjustments.  
4 Information This dimension refers to how consistent and structured communication flow is within the organization and to outside groups.  It examines the degree to which communication is directed towards work concerns.  
5 Personal This dimension reports on how much internalization of stress is occurring and the extent to which debilitating social and psychological conditions appear to be developing at the level of the individual employee. 

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Construct Descriptions

Cons# Name Description
1 Supervisor Effectiveness Supervisor Effectiveness provides insight into the nature of supervisory relationships in the organization, including the quality of communication, leadership, and fairness that employees perceive exist between supervisors and themselves.
2 Fairness Fairness measures the extent to which employees believe that equal and fair opportunity exists for all members of the organization.
3 Team Effectiveness Team Effectiveness captures employees' perceptions of the effectiveness of their work group and the extent to which the organizational environment supports appropriate teamwork among employees.
4 Diversity Diversity addresses the extent to which employees feel that individual differences, including ethnicity, age and lifestyle, may result in alienation and/or missed opportunities for learning or advancement.
5 Fair Pay Fair Pay is an evaluation from the viewpoint of employees of the competitiveness of the total compensation package.  It addresses how well the package "holds up" when employees compare it to similar jobs in their own communities.
6 Physical Environment Adequacy of Physical Environment captures employees' perceptions of the work setting and the degree to which employees believe that a safe and pleasant working environment exists.
7 Benefits Benefits provides an indication of the role that the employment benefit package plays in attracting and retaining employees.
8 Employment Development Employment Development captures perceptions of the priority given to the career and personal development of employees by the organization.
9 Change Oriented Change Oriented secures employees' perceptions of the organization's capability and readiness to change based on new information and ideas.
10 Goal Oriented Goal Oriented addresses the organization's ability to include all its members in focusing resources towards goal accomplishment.
11 Holographic Holographic refers to the degree to which all actions of the organization "hang together" and are understood by all.  It concerns employees' perceptions of the consistency of decision-making and activity within the organization.
12 Strategic Strategic orientation secures employees' thinking about how the organization responds to external influence, including those which play a role in defining the mission, services and products provided by the organization. 
13 Quality Quality focuses upon the degree to which quality principles, such as customer service and continuous improvement, are a part of the organizational culture.
14 Internal Internal Communication captures the nature of communication exchanges within the organization.  It addresses the extent to which employees view information exchanges as open and productive.
15 Availability Availability of Information provides insight into whether employees know where to get needed information and whether they have the ability to access it in a timely manner.
16 External External Communication looks at how information flows in and out of the organization.  It focuses upon the ability of the organization to synthesize and apply external information to work performed by the organization.
17 Job Satisfaction Job Satisfaction addresses employees' satisfaction with their overall work situation.  Weighed heavily in this construct are issues concerning employees' evaluation of the availability of time and resources needed to perform jobs effectively.
18 Time and Stress Time and Stress Management looks how realistic job demands are given time and resource constraints, and also captures employees' feelings about their ability to balance home and work demands (note: The higher the score the lower the level of stress).
19 Burnout Burnout is a feeling of extreme mental exhaustion that can negatively impact employees' physical health and job performance, leading to lost resources and opportunities in the organization (note: The higher the score the lower the level of burnout).
20 Empowerment Empowerment measures the degree to which employees feel that they have some control over their jobs and the outcome of their efforts.

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Survey Hierarchy

Work Group
Supervisor Effectiveness
20:  We have an opportunity to participate in the goal setting process.
22:  We seem to be working toward the same goals.
24:  We are given the opportunity to do our best work.
33:  We are given accurate feedback about our performance.
38:  Supervisors know whether an individual's career goals are compatible with organizational goals.
47:  People who challenge the status quo are valued.
51:  Favoritism (special treatment) is not an issue in raises or promotions.
Fairness
7:  My performance is evaluated fairly.
8:  My supervisor is consistent when administering policies concerning employees.
23:  There is a basic trust among employees and supervisors.
34:  When possible, alternative work schedules (flex-time, compressed work weeks, job sharing, telecommuting) are offered to employees.
51:  Favoritism (special treatment) is not an issue in raises or promotions.
Team Effectiveness
19:  Work groups receive adequate feedback that helps improve their performance.
21:  Decision making and control are given to employees doing the actual work.
23:  There is a basic trust among employees and supervisors.
27:  We are efficient.
29:  There is a real feeling of teamwork.
48:  Work groups are actively involved in making work processes more effective.
Diversity
9:  Every employee is valued.
10:  We work to attract, develop, and retain people with diverse backgrounds.
18:  Work groups are trained to incorporate the opinions of each member.
49:  The people I work with treat each other with respect.
Accommodations
Fair Pay
60:  People are paid fairly for the work they do.
61:  Salaries are competitive with similar jobs in the community.
65:  My pay keeps pace with the cost of living.
Physical Environment
11:  We have adequate computer resources (hardware and software).
39:  We have sufficient procedures to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace.
40:  Our workplace is well maintained.
41:  Within my workplace, there is a feeling of community.
Benefits
62:  Benefits can be selected to meet individual needs.
63:  I understand my benefit plan.
64:  Benefits are comparable to those offered in other jobs.
Employment Development
18:  Work groups are trained to incorporate the opinions of each member.
35:  Training is made available to us for personal growth and development.
36:  Training is made available to us so that we can do our jobs better.
37:  We have access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops, and training.
38:  Supervisors know whether an individual's career goals are compatible with organizational goals.
Organizational Features
Change Oriented
15:  We integrate information and act intelligently upon that information.
20:  We have an opportunity to participate in the goal setting process.
46:  My ideas and opinions count at work.
56:  When possible, problems are solved before they become a crisis.
77:  An effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.
Goal Oriented
3:  Our goals are consistently met or exceeded.
15:  We integrate information and act intelligently upon that information.
20:  We have an opportunity to participate in the goal setting process.
27:  We are efficient.
Holographic
16:  The work atmosphere encourages open and honest communication.
21:  Decision making and control are given to employees doing the actual work.
25:  We feel a sense of pride when we tell people that we work for this organization.
30:  We feel our efforts count.
41:  Within my workplace, there is a feeling of community.
77:  An effort is made to get the opinions of people throughout the organization.
82:  We know how our work impacts others in the organization.
Strategic
1:  We are known for the quality of service we provide.
5:  We know who our customers (those we serve) are.
57:  We use feedback from those we serve to improve our performance.
78:  We work well with other organizations.
79:  We work well with our governing bodies (the legislature, the board, etc.).
80:  We work well with the public.
81:  We understand the state, local, national, and global issues that impact the organization.
84:  I have a good understanding of our mission, vision, and strategic plan.
85:  I believe we communicate our mission effectively to the public.
Quality
1:  We are known for the quality of service we provide.
2:  We are constantly improving our services.
4:  We produce high quality work that has a low rate of error.
5:  We know who our customers (those we serve) are.
6:  We develop services to match our customers' needs.
28:  Outstanding work is recognized.
32:  We have adequate resources to do our jobs.
Information
Internal
14:  The right information gets to the right people at the right time.
19:  Work groups receive adequate feedback that helps improve their performance.
76:  Information and knowledge are shared openly within this organization.
Availability
12:  Information systems are in place and accessible for me to get my job done.
14:  The right information gets to the right people at the right time.
17:  We feel the channels we must go through at work are reasonable.
81:  We understand the state, local, national, and global issues that impact the organization.
82:  We know how our work impacts others in the organization.
83:  Our web site is easy to use and contains helpful information.
External
13:  Information is shared as appropriate with other organizations.
16:  The work atmosphere encourages open and honest communication.
37:  We have access to information about job opportunities, conferences, workshops, and training.
50:  Information is shared as appropriate with the public.
80:  We work well with the public.
81:  We understand the state, local, national, and global issues that impact the organization.
85:  I believe we communicate our mission effectively to the public.
Personal
Job Satisfaction
24:  We are given the opportunity to do our best work.
32:  We have adequate resources to do our jobs.
42:  The environment supports a balance between work and personal life.
43:  The pace of the work in this organization enables me to do a good job.
Time and Stress
26:  The amount of work I am asked to do is reasonable.
32:  We have adequate resources to do our jobs.
42:  The environment supports a balance between work and personal life.
45:  We balance our focus on both long range and short-term goals.
Burnout
25:  We feel a sense of pride when we tell people that we work for this organization.
30:  We feel our efforts count.
31:  We are encouraged to learn from our mistakes.
44:  My job meets my expectations.
46:  My ideas and opinions count at work.
Empowerment
23:  There is a basic trust among employees and supervisors.
24:  We are given the opportunity to do our best work.
25:  We feel a sense of pride when we tell people that we work for this organization.
31:  We are encouraged to learn from our mistakes.
47:  People who challenge the status quo are valued.
82:  We know how our work impacts others in the organization.

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