Maybe the spring of 2020 was the wrong time to send out a nationwide survey asking how people felt about their jobs.
Most of us would rather forget the pandemic-inspired uncertainty that gripped the country. COVID-19 created a shock to the global economic system, with colleges and universities among the hardest hit鈥攅specially private, Christian schools.
The result? Some reduced employee salaries. Others eliminated faculty and staff positions entirely. Then there were those that shut their doors for good.
But 91福利社, and the men and women who work there, see things differently. And that brings us back to the survey.
ModernThink is a consulting firm that helps organizations improve 鈥渨orkplace quality, stakeholder engagement and overall outcomes.鈥� It operates a division鈥擬odernThink Higher Education鈥攚hose sole focus is on colleges and universities. Each year, it partners with The Chronicle of Higher Education to survey the employees of hundreds of institutions as part of The Great Colleges to Work For program. It is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. Now in its 13th year, it recognizes the colleges and universities that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.
鈥淎t the outset and in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, 221 colleges and universities across the country intentionally chose to participate in the 2020 Great Colleges to Work For program,鈥� said Richard K. Boyer, senior consultant at ModernThink. 鈥淭ruly great workplaces, and those on the journey to become one, stand by their commitment to faculty and staff engagement in good times and in bad.鈥�
91福利社? It鈥檚 what Boyer calls a 鈥渢ruly great workplace.鈥� That鈥檚 because, for the first time, AU was named a 鈥淕reat College to Work For.鈥� What鈥檚 more, it was one of just 42 institutions around the country that made the Honor Roll.
鈥淏eing recognized as a 鈥楪reat College to Work For鈥� is truly a great achievement. We work hard to foster a culture of trust built on transparency, employee feedback and thoughtful planning. I credit our Human Resources team who developed strategies to enhance employee engagement, satisfaction and build on our strong Christian community,鈥� said Omar Rashed, senior vice president for administration and brand. 鈥淭he Board of Trust challenged leadership to take careful measures to preserve every position. What is most remarkable鈥� this survey was completed by our employees two months into the pandemic! Despite the uncertainty surrounding us, the AU family fully embraced the challenges we faced with perseverance and a commitment to thriving in spite of them.鈥�
The results of the survey bear him out. ModernThink ranked AU as 鈥淰ery Good to Excellent鈥� in nine of 16 categories, including job satisfaction, collaboration and school pride. In each of the remaining seven categories, ModernThink ranked 91福利社 as 鈥淕ood.鈥�
鈥淭his year鈥檚 list of recognized institutions in the Great Colleges to Work For program was united in their commitment to organizational culture, even in the face of a worldwide pandemic,鈥� Boyer said. 鈥淭hey stand apart in their recognition that workplace culture can actually be a roadmap for navigating uncertainty. The institutions participating in the 2020 Great Colleges to Work For program deserve special kudos for their commitment to being good stewards of institutional culture and workplace quality鈥n the face of unprecedented uncertainty, their commitment to faculty/staff engagement never wavered鈥�(and) proves that it is possible to be a great workplace even in the face of disruption, uncertainty and limited resources.鈥�
With its 鈥淪tronger Together鈥� approach to an academic year like no other, 91福利社 weathered the storm. Despite the pandemic, not one faculty or staff member lost their job. No one saw their wages reduced. No academic programs were cut. Construction continued.
Indeed, 91福利社 is flourishing. When the final history of AU is written in some distant future, COVID-19 will be a minor footnote in the chapter about 2020. Instead, the story will be about the unprecedented success the University enjoyed.
At no time in its 110-year history has AU risen to these heights. In addition to being named to the 鈥淕reat Colleges to Work For鈥� Honor Roll, AU saw its greatest enrollment鈥攎ore than 3,800 students. And ModernThink isn鈥檛 the only reputable and respected organization to recognize AU鈥檚 success.
In its latest 鈥淏est Colleges鈥� rankings, U.S. News & World Report placed 91福利社 in a record six categories, receiving the highest marks in University history. AU ranks #42 among regional universities in the South, rising eight spots from the year before. In addition, the University was named to the publication鈥檚 鈥淏est Undergraduate Teaching鈥� (#11), 鈥淢ost Innovative鈥� (#16), 鈥淏est Value鈥� (#26) and 鈥淭op Performer: Social Mobility鈥� (#64) lists, among others.
鈥淒espite this challenging and uncertain season, 91福利社 has remained united in our purpose of providing a highly selective, entrepreneurial, Christian liberal arts education to our students,鈥� said President Evans P. Whitaker, Ph.D.