How are you doing?
The questionnaire We’d like to check in with you from time to time in these extraordinary corona circumstances. We work primarily from home, teach and meet online:. what does this mean for you? How is your physical and mental health? Is VU Amsterdam providing enough support? These and other questions are part of the Corona monitor, a short questionnaire to ask how you are doing. Besides well being and health, we also focus on work load and communication.
Questionnaire
The questionnaire has been developed in collaboration with IVA, the research support office that also conducts our Employee Survey every three years. As with the Employee Survey, all responses to the Coronavirus Monitor will remain anonymous, meaning they cannot be traced back to individual employees. During the period of the survey, you can contact IVA Onderwijs via contact@iva-onderwijs.nl with any questions you may have. You can also contact the HR advisor of your faculty or department.
Corona Monitor April 2021
In April 2021, 51% of the VU-employees participated in the Corona Monitor. In the third monitor, we focused on the experiences of one year (mostly) from home. How are you doing, are you satisfied with your home office and what is your work load? Read more:
• Fact sheets
• report
• Reaction of the Executive Board
Corona Monitor, October 2020
In the fall of 2020, we invited employees to fill in the second Corona Monitor. 55% of VU employees completed the questionnaire. In this second monitor, we focused on factors that impact work load, the added value of working on campus, remote supervision and sport & culture. Read more:
• Fact sheets
• report
• Reaction of the Executive Bord
Corona Monitor, June 2020
The response rate for the first Corona Monitor in June 2020 was high: no less than 57% of VU employees completed the questionnaire. In this monitor, the focus was on working from home: what support do you need and do you want to work from home after the corona crisis? Read more:
• Fact sheets
• report
• Reaction of the Executive Bord
Here are a few examples of recent initiatives based on the results of the Corona Monitor:
• Many employees indicated that they wish to continue working from home for part of the time after the pandemic has subsided. We are now preparing a vision for hybrid working (working from home combined with working on campus), that will help us evolve into a future-proof university where we can combine the advantages of remote working with traditional on-campus activities.
• De Griffioen offered free Body and Mind workshops after the second Corona Monitor. The workshops were fully booked within a short time and a new series will follow soon.
• Many employees indicated that their workstations at home leave something to be desired. We now have policies for computers, office chairs for home use, desks and workspace lighting.
• A discussion guide has been developed for managers to help them speak effectively with their employees about well-being, work-related pressure, their workstation at home and other topics.
• A buddy system was devised for new international employees to help them get oriented and up-and-running more smoothly.
• We are working on more support for supervisors, for example guidelines for questions to gain more insight in the wellbeing of employees, workshops for remote supervision and peer consultation. For more information about and registration for peer consultation we refer you to the Learning Management System (LMS).
• Communication will be intensified after lower scores for communication in the October version of the monitor.
Many teams have come up with great ideas for staying in touch while working remotely, such as a virtual morning stand-up meeting or an online coffee break. A Stay Connected theme week was organized from 16 to 20 November with tips for improving the remote working experience and recommendations for ways to keep the lines of communication with colleagues open.