MPI Luxembourg Working Environment Survey 2019 Summary and Results 01 July 2019, Staff Delegation of MPI Luxembourg for Procedural Law 1 Summary The Staff Delegation would like to thank you all once again for the strong participation in the Working Environment Survey 2019. As previously stated, we received completed responses by 69% of those invited (full-time, part?time and student employees, excluding members of the Management Board), which we consider to be rather representative of the Institute?s staff. We would also like to reiterate that throughout this process we maintained the highest level of confidentiality to protect staff members? anonymity. Not only was the survey organized without the possibility of distinguishing between departments or between researchers and administrative staff, but individual responses can never be associated to any individual?s identity. In section 2, you will find the full results submitted by participants, organized by question and with summaries of the various sections. Please always keep in mind that the percentage listed should be read as a percentage of those who participated and not as a percentage of the whole Institute. 1.1 Key Findings Furthermore, as representatives of the staff, the Staff Delegation would like to present our key findings below, which is an assessment of both the statistical results and the written comments submitted during the survey. In order to protect individual staff members, the latter will remain unpublished. 1. It is quite evident that employees are happy with social benefits, such as vacation time and working time flexibility. 2. In addition, material resources provided by the Institute to perform work, and the resources and staff helpfulness of the library are highly acknowledged. 3. The most reported thing liked by staff members was the broad appreciation of their fellow colleagues. Employees are very content with the international, friendly, diverse, competent, skilled, and helpful makeup of the Institute?s personnel. 4. Discrimination and sexual harassment are not general problems reported by staff. However, personal reports of harassment and mobbing are highly significant at 23%?this is well above the national average of 12-18%1 and the average of the Max Planck Society of 10-17%. Even more so, 37% of MPI Luxembourg employees reported witnessing instances of harassment/mobbing. Harassment and mobbing also has a reported negative impact on the working environment. The staff also has the feeling that there is a lack of adequate procedures and mechanisms to protect staff from mobbing or harassment. 5. The staff report that internal communication, in particular between management and staff, is strongly unsatisfactory in general. 1 Quality of work index, Chambre des salari?s Luxembourg (CSL), 20 June 2019, page 3, (FR, DE) 2 Work Culture and Work Atmosphere at the Max Planck Society, Abridged report, 21 June 2019, page 17, 1/24 6. Employees also report being strongly dissatisfied with management practices. Decision making processes and areas of responsibilities are perceived as unclear and subject to arbitrary changes. 7. Lastly, staff observe clearly implementable solutions and expect changes to be made to make the Institute more environmentally friendly. 1.2 Suggestions Based on the key findings laid out above and the full results of the survey, the Staff Delegation finds that while there are many positive dimensions of the functioning of the Institute there are a number of very concerning issues with regards to its working environment. We expect that all of these must be addressed by management in a forthright, timely, and effective way. In what follows, the Staff Delegation presents recommendations put forward to the management for immediate first step solutions to solve some of the most pressing concerns. 1. The high reported rates of harassment/mobbing must be taken with the utmost seriousness. They should be treated as a major health issue for which external help is necessary to properly address. Therefore, we recommend that management, possibly in collaboration with the Staff Delegation, contact the Multisectorial Occupational Health Service (Service de Sant? au Travail Multisectoriel, STM). This subdivision of the Luxembourg Ministry of Health provides guidance and assistance to employers, including on issues related to work climate and health (see p. 23 of the following report: It has successfully helped other research institutions in Luxembourg to tackle similar problems in the past. Management should also invite specialists and consultants to speak at the Institute to raise awareness on these topics. 2. Management should work closely with the new head of administration to establish new and more effective means of internal communication. Staff members who are personally impacted by decisions taken by management should be well informed about the effects of these decisions on them and about the reasoning guiding such decisions. 3. There should be a rapid initiation of procedures to properly identify each staff member's areas of responsibility, performance expectations, and tasks. Once defined, these should be respected, and changes should only be implemented upon agreement of the staff member. Management should work closely with the new head of administration to also establish better middle-level management and effectively delegate responsibilities. 4. The staff feel that the environmental impact of the Institute can be improved by immediately discontinuing the supply of plastic cups and supplying/promoting the use of separated recycling bins throughout the building. Beyond these steps, management should work with the new head of administration and the Staff Delegation to identify further ways to reduce the ecological footprint of the Institute. The Staff Delegation aims to work as much as possible through mechanisms available to us to continue promoting the aspects of the working environment that are seen as beneficial to staff members and to recommend and actively foster ways to improve the areas that are in need of reform. As the representatives of the staff, we would like to restate that we are always grateful to hear your ideas and feedback and remain available to answer any questions you may have. 2/24 2 Results Duration: 29 May 2019 to 17 June 2019 Invitees: 87 Participants: 60 Participation rate: 68,97% 2.1 Communication Questions related to the internal and external communication within the institute, with your colleagues/peers, collaborators, with other departments/units/teams, your superiors, your subordinates, or others. 2.1.1 [01] Communication between departments is open 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% - - Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 5.00% 6.67% 21.67% 40.00% 26.67% 0.00% 2.1.2 feel comfortable using the existing communication channels between management and staff 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 8.33% 21.67% 13.33% 25.00% 31.67% 0.00% 3/24 2.1.3 I receive transparent explanation about decisions that impact my working life 50.00% 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% Strongly Tend to Hard to Tend to Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 1.67% 13.33% 10.00% 30.00% 43.33% 1.67% 2.1.4 I am properly informed about changes made to policies and regulations on documents in the shared folders, the Standard Operations Procedures, Business Expenses Regulation (including travel) or Rules on Working Time 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I I 0.00% Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 10.00% 30.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 0.00% 2.1.5 Relevant policies and regulations are identifiable and easy to access 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% I Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 11.67% 23.33% 15.00% 30.00% 15.00% 5.00% 4/24 2.1.6 I am satisfied with the external communications of the Institute 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I I 0.00% Strongly Tend to Hardto Tend to Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I [06] 8.33% 26.67% 18.33% 21.67% 18.33% 6.67% 2.1.7 Comments/Suggestions In total, 15 participants provided comments regarding communication. 5/24 2.2 Management Practices and Organizational Structure Questions related to the management practices currently applied, and the organizational structure of the institute. 2.2.1 Management actively consults and involves the staff concerned before major decisions are made 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% I 0.00% Stro?ngly Te?to Hard to Tend to Strongly Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 1.67% 3.33% 11.67% 31.67% 50.00% 1.67% 2.2.2 Management provides individual staff members timely and constructive feedback about their work 50.00% 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% I 5.00% I 0.00% I - Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 6.67% 15.00% 8.33% 21.67% 45.00% 3.33% 2.2.3 Management provides opportunities to improve and advance 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% - Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 8.33% 15.00% 18.33% 20.00% 33.33% 5.00% 6/24 2.2.4 [(111] The institute provides a sufficient management structure, specifically in terms of supervising, that provides support in a meaningful way 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% Str-ongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 3.33% 16.67% 13.33% 21.67% 40.00% 5.00% 2.2.5 [(112] Under the current management structure, I know whom to contact to get a decision in an efficient manner 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 8.33% 21.67% 13.33% 35.00% 20.00% 1.67% 2.2.6 [(113] Management effectively delegates where necessary 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I 0.00% - Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 3.33% 11.67% 21.67% 18.33% 35.00% 10.00% 7/24 2.2.7 Management encourages input from the staff members about improvements 50.00% 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% I 5.00% 0.00% I Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 6.67% 15.00% 16.67% 16.67% 43.33% 1.67% 2.2.8 Improvements suggested by the staff members are usually implemented 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% - Strongly Ten'dto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 1.67% 6.67% 30.00% 21.67% 26.67% 13.33% 2.2.9 Staff members are encouraged to take initiative and make decisions on their own 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% Str-ongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly Nlo Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer I 3.33% 13.33% 13.33% 26.67% 33.33% 10.00% 8/24 2.2.10 [(117] The Management and/or Human Resources adequately provide information to staff about independent external resources to resolve disputes in case of a conflict 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% I I 0.00% Strongly Tendto Hardto Tendto Strongly No Agree Agree Decide Disagree Disagree answer 0.00% 10.00% 21.67% 25.00% 33.33% 10.00% 2.2.11 [(118] Comments/Suggestions In total, 11 participants provided comments regarding management practices and organizational structure. 9/24 2.3 Mobbing, Harassment, Discrimination Questions related to any form of mobbing, harassment, or discriminations, subjected to any member of the institute, or person present at the institute. The Government of Luxembourg defines harassment or mobbing as follows: harassment, also known as mobbing, is characterised by any behaviour that, due to its repetitious and systematic nature, is aimed at, or has the effect of, undermining personal dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. In other words, these are repeated behaviours which may be displayed equally by line managers and work colleagues, which detract considerably from working relationships by damaging the mental health of the victim. harassment should not, however, be confused with simple situations of stress or relationship difficulties at work. In order to be termed harassment, the harasser's behaviour must be beyond the scope of normal working relations. Thus, a simple circumstance of the demands and vicissitudes of company life which may, or wrongly, have been taken to heart by the salaried worker, does not necessarily constitute harassment. For further information, see The following agencies provide information, consultation and assistance regarding harassment or mobbing: 0 Association luxembourgeoise contre le harc?lement moral et le stress au travail (Mobbing) Asbl 0 Le Service de Sant? au Travail Multisectoriel (STM) demande-du-salarie) 2.3.1 Have you been subject to 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% I 0.00% Yes? :certain No No ansgr 23.33% 13.33% 63.33% 0.00% Sexually 0.00% 3.33% 95.00% 1.67% Physically 1.67% 0.00% 96.67% 1.67% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% I 000% Yes Uncertain No No answer I 23.33% 13.33% 63.33% 0.00% 10/24 100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Yes Uncertain No No answer Sexually 0.00% 3.33% 95.00% 1.67% 100.00% 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Yes Uncertain No No answer Physically 1.67% 0.00% 96.67% 1.67% 11/24 2.3.2 [(120] Have you been discriminated against based on 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% 0.00% I.- Yes Uncertain No No answer I Gender 1.67% 3.33% 88.33% 6.67% Race/Ethnicity/Sl