5 Reasons to Administer the Refreshed College Employee Satisfaction Survey (CESS)

The expectations of higher education faculty and staff have changed. Understanding the experiences, opinions, and satisfactions of your faculty and staff is invaluable to creating a healthy culture and work environment. But it’s not just about fostering a positive atmosphere—it’s also critical for retaining your employees, improving the student experience, and reducing the risk of lost institutional knowledge.

To help institutions better understand and support their faculty and staff, RNL is excited to introduce the refreshed College Employee Satisfaction Survey (CESS), designed with enhanced features to delve deeper into employee engagement and satisfaction at colleges and universities. Here are five reasons your institution should consider administering the updated CESS in 2024-2025.

1. Gain a comprehensive view of your employee experience

The updated CESS measures key aspects of faculty and staff morale, including workplace recommendations, overall job satisfaction, and retention rates. With this data, you’ll have a clear picture of your university’s workplace culture, helping you make meaningful improvements driven by faculty and staff input.

2. Identify what matters most to your team

The refreshed CESS explores key aspects of the employee experience including internal communication, prioritization of institutional goals, work-life balance, and satisfaction with compensation. Your employees also highlight institutional strengths and opportunities for improvement, giving you direct feedback on what they value most.

3. Benefit from detailed, actionable reports

With your participation in the CESS, you’ll receive comprehensive reports, including faculty and staff segment analyses, the raw survey data, and the RNL CESS Benchmark National Norms report.* This information empowers you to take targeted action to boost employee morale.

4. Support accreditation and strategic planning

Survey results from the CESS can be a powerful asset in accreditation and strategic planning processes. Demonstrating a commitment to understanding the employee experience helps to demonstrate compliance with key standards and conveys that your institution is proactive about maintaining a thriving educational environment.

5. Take advantage of special pricing and longitudinal analysis

To celebrate the launch of the refreshed survey, RNL is offering a 25% discount on standard administration fees for surveys conducted in 2025. Moreover, institutions engaging in the CESS more than once within a five-year span will receive a complimentary longitudinal comparison report. This report is invaluable for tracking changes and trends over time, providing a deeper understanding of the long-term impact of implemented policies and changes.

The refreshed College Employee Satisfaction Survey from RNL is more than just a survey; it’s a comprehensive tool that empowers higher education institutions to thrive by fostering a healthy campus culture and satisfying work environment. By participating in the CESS, your institution can gain critical insights, enhance strategic planning, and ultimately, elevate the overall campus culture.

To learn more or to schedule your institution’s participation, please visit our dedicated College Employee Satisfaction Survey webpage.

*Benchmark reports will be sent to participating institutions once seven institutions of their type like 4-year publics, 2-year publics, or 4-year private conduct the 2024 CESS.