Enhancing Campus Culture: A Commitment to Engagement, Well-Being, and Belonging 

In 2023, Georgia Tech conducted an Institute-wide culture survey among faculty and staff to gather insights about whether and how Tech’s culture had changed during the past year. Rewards and recognition, psychological safety and well-being, and operational practices and policies emerged as areas for improvement. Over the past year, partners across campus have actively engaged in initiatives to enhance these areas.   

Rewards and Recognition 

Last year, Human Resources revamped the way employees’ career milestones are recognized. Now, all full-time, benefits-eligible receive one- and five-year recognition, as well as recognition at five-year intervals after their first five years of service. Meanwhile, milestone honorees with 10 or more years of service will receive a unique login code every five years for a gift selection portal that will ship the gift of their choice to their home.  

Human Resources is also updating the categorization of jobs to enable smoother career navigation. Over the next year, the Institute’s five existing job categories will expand to 12 distinct job families. The goal is to provide staff with a well-defined path to career growth based on necessary qualifications and the complexity of work. 

Psychological Safety Strategy  

A team from across campus developed and began implementing a strategy to equip staff and faculty with the skills to foster a psychologically safe environment. The team has offered workshops, improved resource access, and fostered a shared language around psychological safety, with positive staff feedback highlighting its success. An introductory course will launch early this year as part of the Leading @ Tech program.  

Leader 360 Feedback for Executive and Senior Leaders  

In the spring, executive and senior leaders participated in a Leader 360-degree feedback process to enhance their development. This process, based on the Leader Competency Model aligned with Georgia Tech values, helps leaders understand their strengths and areas for growth. The initiative underscored Tech’s commitment to leading by example and fostering a culture of belonging. Feedback from the program has been used to improve leadership skills and prepare leaders to develop and participate in future initiatives.   

Gallup Survey Results and Strategy  

In October, Georgia Tech participated in the Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey, with a 47% response rate among faculty and staff. The following post-survey activities and next steps will take place beginning this month.