A Well-Being Department Accountability Scorecard Based on Faculty-Identified Factors to Drive Change

The Wellbeing Index, a validated tool reporting on burnout, meaning in work, and stress & work environment quality, is used to measure workplace wellbeing. However, specific factors within the categories that can drive score improvements are not identified. We created a wellbeing department accountability scorecard to measure performance on specific, faculty-identified workplace factors impacting wellbeing. By placing a greater focus on these factors with result reporting for accountability, we strive to improve overall wellbeing and engagement.

21 workforce factors impacting wellbeing, identified through a wellbeing committee discussion and subsequent faculty survey, were ranked in order of greatest impact by faculty. Measures of success were identified for the top ranked 5 factors. The measures were tracked with results reported on a quarterly basis. Once a factor consistently meets the target over 3 reporting cycles, a new measure will replace it, chosen through the same initial process of factor ranking. Faculty members’ feedback about the scorecard was assessed through a short survey approximately one year after implementation.

The 5 areas of focus and measures of success were: 1.) Opportunity for life career breaks (# on sabbatical), 2.) job satisfaction (chart completion time [target 1440 min]), 3.) adequate time for academic productivity (pre/post sabbatical deliverables), 4.) schedule timeliness (time of schedule release to beginning of month [target 60 days or >]), and 5.) proper use of PTO (actual time off)(average shift balance for the month [target 0]). At the time of this abstract, 2 factors have met their targets over 3 reporting cycles, and will therefore be replaced; however, they will continue to be tracked on a 6-month basis to assure consistency. On the feedback survey (48.6% response rate) 61.1% agreed/strongly agreed that the scorecard addresses workplace issues that impact overall wellbeing; 47% agreed/strongly agreed the scorecard was useful, 41% were neutral and 11.8% did not find it useful.

Measuring faculty-identified workplace factors impacting wellbeing on a departmental accountability scorecard directs efforts to meet desired targets with potential positive impact on faculty wellbeing and engagement. The next step will be to track impact on wellbeing index and engagement scores.