In March 2022, University of Phoenix announced the outstanding results of its latest ethics survey, which collated consistently high ratings from staff who work in an array of roles. The comprehensive survey delved into respondents’ perceptions of leadership and colleague ethics, and the results revealed that the University excels well beyond the U.S. workplace benchmarks that the Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI) has reported. The ECI measures the ethical and cultural nature of working environments and takes employee perspectives into account while monitoring these workplaces.
The ECI has also published a Global Business Ethics Survey, which notes that the University’s survey responses reflect its impressive efforts into upholding a highly ethical environment. To put this into perspective, 96 percent of the University’s survey participants agreed that their manager sets a good example in terms of ethics and integrity, and 94 percent agreed that their colleagues set a good example under the same terms. Meanwhile, the Global Business Ethics Survey Reports’ benchmark scores for equivalent statements are 76 percent (2019) and 64 percent (2021) respectively.
It’s no surprise that the average staff tenure at University of Phoenix is as long as 11 years. The latest survey demonstrates that employees are upholding the University’s Core Values and are therefore enjoying an ethical working environment.
Survey Methodology
Evidence-based practice in the human resources space has found that ethics survey results do not change as quickly as employee engagement results. As such, University of Phoenix hosts its ethics survey every two years and measures employee engagement at least once a year. The University Ethics, Compliance, and Data Privacy (ECDP) department conducted the latest ethics survey between October 20, 2021 and November 3, 2021 and invited all 3,034 members of staff to take part. 1,651 employees (54 percent of staff) completed the survey, marking a 5 percent rise in responses since the last survey, which took place in 2019.
Understanding Workplace Culture
Every two years, University of Phoenix analyzes the ethics survey results to understand its workplace culture, employee awareness and employee satisfaction surrounding ethics and compliance resources such as reporting methods. This way, the University can uncover opportunities for improvement and celebrate its successes. For example, to better understand its workplace culture, the University measures the overall awareness of its ethics and compliance programs and the value of its employee resources. The latest survey revealed that 99 percent of respondents knew where to find ethics and compliance resources, and 96 percent of respondents were satisfied with these resources.
The University also monitors the usage of its Ethics Helpline and anonymous report rates to understand its workplace culture. The Navex Global 2021 Risk & Compliance Incident Benchmark Report has found that the University’s anonymous reporting rate of 10 percent is markedly lower than the national benchmark of 58 percent, emphasizing employee trust in the University’s leadership team and their overall comfort in openly sharing concerns instead of reporting them anonymously.
Cheryl Naumann, the University’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer, concluded that the ethics survey scorecard highlighted the excellent work of both the leadership team and employees throughout the University, all of whom contribute to the University’s ethical culture and set an example for others. She explained that, as a result, staff feel empowered to “do the right thing, ask questions and report concerns without fear.”
Identifying New Opportunities
University of Phoenix also uses its ethics survey to seek opportunities for development in the ECDP department. The 2021 survey led the University to identify opportunities that will further employee training, streamline request processes, and improve access to information. The University will pursue these opportunities over the next year.
About University of Phoenix
Students from all over the world pursue higher education opportunities at University of Phoenix, which offers a vast selection of programs to help individuals of all ages and backgrounds embark on exciting, invigorating careers in a fast-evolving world. With flexible schedules, interactive learning, and support from dedicated staff, students can develop the knowledge and skills they need to pursue their educational goals but also balance family commitments. University of Phoenix offers college courses, certificates, and professional development courses including over 100 online programs that align with more than 300 careers. Its courses are available online so students can take these from anywhere in the world. Some of the areas of study include business, technology, nursing and healthcare. Prospective students can use the University’s Program Finder to explore courses and their related career options.
On top of this, the University’s Career Services for Life® commitment to active students and graduates provides key resources that help individuals stay at the forefront of competitive workforces. The service also includes career advice, education and networking opportunities, and resume and interview support. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.
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