UK named ‘Great College to Work For’ for 6th consecutive year
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 11, 2023) — The University of Kentucky remains on the list of great colleges to work for, according to a survey conducted by ModernThink.
This is the sixth consecutive year — and seventh time overall — UK has received the honor.
Beginning today, UK faculty and staff have an additional opportunity to share their thoughts on UK as a workplace through the UK@Work employee engagement survey.
Employees can pick up a free tumbler (while the supply of 1,000 lasts) to celebrate this year’s recognition on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the following locations and times:
- Gatton College of Business and Economics upper plaza, 7:30-9 a.m.
- The 90 patio, 7:30-9 a.m.
- Gatton Student Center, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
In case of inclement weather, distribution will move inside Gatton College of Business and Economics and The 90.
Now in its 16th year, the "Great Colleges to Work For" program recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies. This year, 194 institutions across the country took part in the survey. Of those, 72 were named a Great College to Work For.
“Participation in the Great Colleges program alone demonstrates a commitment from colleges to opening a dialogue with their faculty and staff,” said Karen Kukulka, chief operating officer at ModernThink. “Pair that commitment with recognition in a key area of engagement, and you’ve got a group of institutions who are putting the best practices of employee engagement to work — they are walking the talk.”
UK was recognized for excellence in five categories this year, up from three in 2022:
- Compensation & Benefits
- Faculty & Staff Well-being
- Shared Governance
- Faculty Experience
- Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.
“This recognition is so special because it is based on what our faculty and staff have to say about UK as a workplace,” said Melissa Frederick, vice president and chief human resources officer. “I hope our employees will take the additional opportunity beginning today to continue to share their opinions with us.”
The UK@Work employee engagement survey is available to all campus faculty and staff with a full-time equivalency (FTE) of at least 0.5 who were hired on or before Aug. 8. Employees will receive an email with a unique link to take the survey, which runs through Sept. 22.
UK HealthCare conducts a separate employee survey each spring.
Employees who complete the survey will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a random prize, including airline tickets (up to a $1,000 value), UK football and basketball tickets, a MacBook Air, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro, Nintendo switch, and more. Plus, any survey group with 100% participation will be provided a team meal of choice from a UK-approved restaurant or caterer.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.