Using Campus Climate Data to Create Action Plans to Address Workplace Harassment and Incivility

Background and Purpose: Sexual harassment and workplace incivility within academic institutions are widespread issues that negatively impact the psychological, academic, and professional wellbeing among employees. This study describes the use of a collaboratively conducted campus climate survey to understand the experiences of sexual harassment and workplace incivility among employees across four campuses at one institution, as well as how the findings were used to create action plans for institutional change. This presentation shares not only the survey findings but also how the data were used for transformational change, in line with the conference’s “...focus on what changes may have resulted due to the research that was conducted.”

Methods: The validated campus climate survey (ARC3) was administered to over 5,000 employees across four campuses at a large, public Mid-Atlantic institution in 2022. The survey assessed experiences of workplace incivility and sexual harassment, reporting, and impact; bystander action; perceptions of the university leadership’s response to sexual harassment; and awareness of the university’s sexual harassment policy and resources. The survey was reviewed by campus partners through an iterative process. A census (the survey was sent to all eligible employees) was conducted and a base weight of one was assigned to each participant. The base weight was adjusted to reflect non-response. Results were analyzed and action planning committees were created to interpret the results and propose and implement recommendations for change.

Findings: The survey findings included that a total of 17.3% of faculty and staff experienced at least one workplace incivility behavior “often” or “very often” over the past 12 months; those more likely to have experienced workplace incivility included women with a documented disability, older women, and women with more years of employment. Just over 12% of faculty and staff experienced some form of sexual harassment over the past 12 months, with some groups reporting experiencing sexual harassment more than others, for example: those who identified as LGBQA+; transgender, genderqueer, and nonbinary faculty/staff; White women; and women with a reported disability. Most (80%) faculty and staff who experienced sexual harassment reported negative impacts on their work and well-being. Formal reporting was low and perceptions of the university’s response were less positive for those who had experienced harassment and had marginalized identities.

Implications and conclusions: A university-wide steering committee and four campus-level committees were convened to work with the research team to interpret the results and develop action plans. The research team, from the School of Social Work, developed an action planning toolkit based on best practices and designed a collaborative model to drive the process. Three main areas for change identified across the workgroups included improving the coordination and communication of resources, increasing trauma-informed resources for employees, and engaging in prevention work to build respectful workplaces. Specific recommendations were made within each of these areas and will be shared, with an emphasis on addressing the needs of marginalized employees.