Frequently Asked Questions

Taking the survey

What if I don't have a computer at work?

You can complete this survey from home or on any computer, smart phone or tablet. Computers are available in on-campus computer labs, VanWylen Library or your local, district library.

What if a question is unrelated to me?

You have the option to skip any questions that are unrelated to you or you do not want to answer.

How do I answer the survey if I have a split appointment?

You will need to decide which division or department you would like to provide feedback on. You should only complete the survey once.

What department/division am I in?

If you do not see your specific office or department, select the division you are a part of. If you do not know your division, check the departments and divisions table or ask yourself “Who is the administrator that oversees my area?” and use the following as a guide:

Robert Anderson – Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement
Tom Bylsma – Business and Finance
Jason Cash – Public Affairs and Marketing
Dean of Chapel – Campus Ministries
Jennifer Fellinger – Strategic Initiatives
Gerald Griffin – Academics
Nathan Haveman – Admissions
Rebekah Starkenburg – Student Formation
Sonja Trent-Brown – Culture and Inclusive Excellence

If you are still unsure, contact Amber Tejeda-Nier.

Is there a space/character limit for the open-ended questions?

Should I identify specific individuals with whom I have a concern in the open-ended comments?

While you can write whatever you would like in the open-ended comment box, you are encouraged to use the appropriate college channels to share concerns/issues regarding another employee. With that said, if a particular issue or a situation with a particular person is identified through the survey, that information will be taken into consideration as we evaluate the results and develop plans to address areas of need. This instrument is not intended to be a performance evaluation tool, and it may actually erode trust in the process if it used or perceived in that way.

You may also use the open ended response section to recognize individuals, teams, or practices that have created high levels of trust. That will give us opportunity to celebrate individuals and learn from areas that are functioning well.

I don't have access to my partially completed survey after clicking the ‘Finish Later’ button. What do I do?

When you hit the ‘finish later’ button, you will be given a link different from the original survey link. You should save or bookmark that link as that is the only way to return to your unfinished survey. If you lose this link, unfortunately, you will have to take the survey over again. The survey data is not captured until you click ‘submit’ at the end of the survey.

Can I submit more than once?

Technically, yes, but it will affect the accuracy of the results and is highly discouraged. Because everyone is using the same URL to access the survey, Great Place to Work can’t know who has or has not completed the survey. Therefore, you could complete it multiple times. Using this single URL was necessary to ensure all employees are able to participate in the survey — including those who do not have a computer or Hope email address as part of their job.

After the survey

Will anyone be able to connect me to my responses?

No, unless you provide your name along with a comment in the open ended section. Great Place to Work receives all the responses; Hope College is not involved in data collection. Great Place to Work does not collect any identifiable information through the survey process and deletes all email addresses shortly after the survey closes to ensure that there is no connection between an individual and their responses.

Does anyone at Hope receive the open-ended questions?

The responses to the open ended questions are the only raw data sets that the college will receive. Great Place to Work will send the responses to Dr. Sonja Trent-Brown, vice president of culture and inclusive excellence. President Scogin and Donald Friesner, Frost Center director of institutional research, will also have access to the raw quantitative data. No committee will have access to this data.

The comments will be organized into thematic areas to supplement the report prepared by Great Place to Work. Comments may be shared to better understand the quantitative results from the survey. No comments associated with a specific individual will be shared with the campus. If issues arise from the open ended comments that need to be addressed, that will be done with only the appropriate individuals.

You cannot be connected with your open ended comments unless you provide your name.

How will the results be shared and used?

Following the 2015 and 2017 surveys, Sonja Trent-Brown and Mary Remenschneider shared the Trust Survey results in campus wide forums as well as departmental and team meetings. We will again host similar opportunities for you to learn about the results, and we will use the 2024 results to identify areas of need and improve them. The president, provost and vice presidents are also committed to evaluating the results with their teams and determining what the next steps are to address areas of concern and build on areas of strength.

The results of the survey will be used to inform plans to improve the campus culture for employees. This is a long term process - something that we will focus on for the next several years. Based on the survey results, we may identify issues that have short-term solutions. Others may take longer.

One reason we selected this survey and consulting company is that the data we receive will be actionable. We will work in consultation with Great Place to Work to review the results and prioritize what may need to be addressed. Great Place to Work also provides several resources for the organizations that participate in the survey, including access to best practices, leadership and management training, and ongoing assistance in program implementation and re-surveying.

How will responses be segmented by demographic categories?

Responses can be segmented based on the demographic categories we provided (department/division, gender, race, etc.). This will help us understand how different areas of the college and workforce experience trust differently and how these different areas compare to the college overall. However, Great Place to Work will not release data to us if a demographic group has less than five respondents in it. That means if we ask for a breakdown of responses by certain demographic characteristics and less than five people match those characteristics, Great Place to Work will not give share it in that way. Those responses will be included in the overall report. This is a safeguard to ensure that survey participants cannot be identified and connected to their responses.

Will the survey be given again?

Yes, the survey will be given again. The survey was first conducted in spring 2015, which provided a baseline of information that shaped our decisions and actions over the two years leading up to the 2017 survey. In 2019 and 2021, we conducted pulse surveys that informed our culture work. The 2024 survey will be the full Great Place to Work Trust Index Survey. The frequency of surveying will depend on the action plans developed after we receive the survey results. The survey informs several strategic plan key performance indicators, which measure our progress on related goals and objectives. We will need to continue surveying to update progress on Key Performance Indicators and on other areas of need identified in the surveys.

Will we know the number of participants?

Yes. This will be included in the report from Great Place to Work.

Will we be able to compare Hope's results to other higher education institutions?

GPTW does not have a comparison group specifically for higher education institutions. Although their work in this area continues to grow, there are not enough higher ed institutions that score at a level that would make them a benchmark institution. We will receive the 50 best companies benchmark data, and will be able to select two other benchmarking groups of organizations that are similar in size and nature.

Does this survey assess the Board of Trustees?

No, this tool is intended to assess college employees. Organizational leadership refers to the administrative and academic leaders of the college. You may include comments regarding the board in response to the open-ended questions.

Can I provide input on the survey itself?

Yes, you may. Send an email to Sonja Trent-Brown, vice president of culture and inclusive excellence.