Dear all,

As you probably know the result of the psychological workplace assessment (WPA) 2012 was posted today.

The report, which we in the coming months will elaborate on is quite comprehensive. At first, we all need time to get into the details of the report and compare the results with those of the 2009 WPA, where possible.

The Department has already established a contact group that will coordinate the follow-up work and prepare action plans. An advisory group has been established at Health, consisting of department heads and employee representatives who will ensure the coming follow-up work of the results. As previously announced, the biomedical contact group consists of Birgitte Lüttge, Ole Sonne, Anne Marie Bundgaard, Annette Kudahl Jensen, Ole Sand, Steen Vang Pedersen and myself as chairman of the group. The working groups will be acting as coordinators of the coming work, since it is a joint project to ensure as good a psychological working environment as possible at the Department.

A Department meeting is scheduled for Friday next week (1 March 2013) at 08:30. I will discuss parts of the results, and the employees will be given the opportunity of presenting their views on the future work.  A meeting of the biomedical Cooperation Committee is planned for next Monday, where the results will also be discussed.

I won’t go into the details of the results at this time, except to say that the report shows areas, also at our Department, where an effort must be made. Especially in relation to stress, and more particular the attitude of the VIPs as to the future outlook will be in focus. We will have to discuss whether for example the increased competition for external research funding has a negative impact on the psychological working environment of the employees of the non-permanent staff. Although the level is below AU average the assessment also shows that we have colleagues at the Department who are exposed to bullying. We take this very seriously and consider bullying as being non-acceptable. The report also shows that many employees were affected by the restructuring processes with the administrative changes and new IT systems leading to more unwanted tasks.

The general picture of the report shows that our staff makes a huge work effort and is generally very satisfied with the work.

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to thank you for returning the questionnaire. In the future we will do our outmost to use the material as a good starting point to improve our working environment.

Bests,

Thomas

Translation/zgn