Results and Statistics on Questionnaire for Foreign Staff Members

Human Resources ServicesSantiago Osorio Alzate

September - 2012

Duration of employment with the University of Oulu (so far)

40% Doctoral Students 30% Post Doc 6% M.Sc. Students 24 % Others

Basic Information

More than 2 years: 59%

Less than 1 year: 21%

1 – 2 years: 21%

More than 2 years: 59%

Less than 1 year: 21%

1 – 2 years: 21%

More than 2 years: 59%

Less than 1 year: 21%

1 – 2 years: 21%

Humanities

Educa

tion

Science

Medicine

Busines

s Scho

ol

TechnologyOthe

r0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Faculties

EU coun

try

Other E

urope

an

coun

try

Non-E

urope

an

coun

try

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

Nationalities

Basic Information

Recruitment Process

58%

42%Not informed / Slighty informedInformed

1. Before (or at the very beginning) you started to work at the University of Oulu, were you informed about issues related to your job? (e.g. contract of employment, policies and rules, dress code,

etc.)

Recruitment Process

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

University Salary System information

Finnish Language Course

How to manage your Residence Permit and/or extensions information

University working times schedules information

What to expect from Finnish culture information

2. Information staff wants to receive more in order to facilitate adaptation to new work environment.

Top 5:

- Leisure time activities information/ What to do in Oulu- How to find proper accommodation information- Bank services information- Guided tour through University

+ Transportation information+ Job training / more job training+ Map of the city+ Information of other foreigners in Finland+ Other

31% - 35%

20% - 30%

3. How did you find the information given to you before you started your job at the University of Oulu?

34%

66%

Useless / Slightly usefulUseful

Recruitment Process

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Information how to get a Kela Card

Information how to get a Tax Card

Information on Finnish Language Courses

Information on how to find a job for my spouse

Application for Residence Permit

Information on accommodation

Information on how to settle down with my family

Local Register Office/ Police (EU citizens)

Opening a bank account

Other

4. In your opinion what would you consider you would have needed assistance/ more assistance with?

Recruitment Process

Recruitment Process

13%

87%

Unsatisfying / Slightly satisfy-ingSatisfying

5. How did you find the recruitment process at the University of Oulu in general? (e.g. interview, assistance, etc.)

Beginning of the Job

36%

64%

Unsatisfying / Slightly satisfy-ingSatisfying

6. How do you measure the support that the University of Oulu at large provides for foreign staff members?

Beginning of the Job

7. What type of difficulties did you encounter when getting started with your work at the University of Oulu?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Language barriers

None

Big cultural differences

Issues/misunderstandings with co-worker(s)

Issues/misunderstandings with direct superior(s)

Lack of or poor training

Other

Working time schedules

Transportation to your work place

- Not enough guidance on work practicalities e.g. all the systems, how to do reservations, etc.

Beginning of the Job

8. Did you receive training and preparation for the position you were about to fulfill at the University of Oulu?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

YES

NO

My position did not need training

Excellent: 8%

Very good: 25%

Very bad: 8%

Mediocre: 25%

Good: 33%

Excellent: 8%

Very good: 25%

Very bad: 8%

Mediocre: 25%

Good: 33%

Excellent: 8%

Very good: 25%

Very bad: 8%

Mediocre: 25%

Good: 33%

Excellent: 8%

Very good: 25%

Very bad: 8%

Mediocre: 25%

Good: 33%

Excellent: 8%

Very good: 25%

Very bad: 8%

Mediocre: 25%

Good: 33%

If your previous answer was YES, do you think

the training and preparation was:

At work

9. Do you know where to look or who to contact in case you have doubts, concerns or problems related to your job? (e.g. working hours, sick leaves, salary, vacations, legal issues, among others)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

YES

NO

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Not adjusted at all

Slightly adjusted

Adjusted

Very adjusted

Perfectly adjusted

10. How have you succeeded in adjusting to the work community in general?

11. From the following list of services offered/ sponsored by the University of Oulu to its employees, please mark the appropriate boxes for each of them.

At work

I know the service I use the serviceI want more information how to benefit from it Total

Health care (Terveystalo) 59 % 59 % 36% (48) 135Sport Pass 31 % 30 % 35% (47) 135Gym 32 % 26 % 36% (49) 135Staff Bulletin 29 % 19 % 42% (57) 135Hermes digital newspaper 24 % 16 % 44% (60) 135Sports events 24 % 6 % 55% (74) 135Accident insurance (work related) 20 % 10 % 67% (91) 135Culture day/ Outdoor trip 19 % 8 % 61% (82) 135Concert/theatre tickets 18 % 4 % 68% (92) 135Electronic magazines 14 % 12 % 56% (76) 135Discounts (i.e. at stores and services)

5 % 4 % 82% (111) 135

AVERAGE 53%

The more information the merrier!

12. From the following lists of units, please mark the appropriate boxes for each of them.

I receive information on the guidelines and up to date issues

I do not receive information from this unit

I would like to receive more information from this unit

Total

My own unit 65 % 7 % 18 % 135

IT Administration Services 62 % 10 % 21 % 135

International Services 36 % 23 % 39 % 135

Academic Affairs 27 % 31 % 31 % 135

Human Resource Services 31 % 27 % 36 % 135

Communication Services 24 % 37 % 33 % 135

Financial Services 15 % 44 % 36 % 135

Project Services 13 % 39 % 34 % 135

Estates Services 4 % 49 % 29 % 135

AVERAGE 31 %

At work

13. Would you be interested in having the University of Oulu sponsor events and programs where you could expand your

knowledge, meet other personnel, researches, and/ or advisors?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Speeches by prominent scientists, engineers, experts of your work

field.

Tours and visits of scientific facilities related to your work field.

Study programs / option to study while working

Social meetings with other University staff (i.e. informal

meetings)

Trips and visits to social events (e.g. concerts, theatre, festivals, etc.)

Activities within the University (e.g. tour of the art collection at the

University)

Presentation of my work place to my family

Other

Communication at work

14. In your opinion, how do you consider is/are the best way(s) for the University of Oulu and its different units to communicate its

personnel on up to date issues?

0% 25% 50% 75%

Work email (e.g. @oulu.fi, @ee.oulu.fi)

Staff bulletin

Posters and public notices in the halls of the University (e.g.

Information boards)

Hermes digital newspaper

Social Media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Google+)

Other

90%

Working at the University

15. What is/are the BEST thing(s) about working at the University of Oulu?

16. What is/are the WORST thing(s) about working at the University of Oulu?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

The flexible working hours

The working environment in general (e.g. the office, facilities, etc)

The people I work with.

The management (e.g. superiors)

The location

The salary

The computer systems (e.g. Microsoft Office, SAP, SoleTM, etc)

Staff meetings

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

The language barriers

The bureaucracy of the management

The computer systems (e.g. Microsoft Office, SAP, SoleTM, etc)

Other

The location

The salary

The working environment in general (e.g. office, facilities, etc)

Staff meetings

The people I work with.

The inflexible working hours

- The students

Working at the University

17. How likely is it you would recommend the University of Oulu as a great place to work?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Not recommended at all

Slightly recommended

Recommended

Very recommended

Totally recommended

- Despite the constructive criticism, I really love working

here :)

- U Oulu is clearly the best Uni in the world, and thus a

great place to be. I cannot, to the outside, make any

other statement!

- Of course the individual has to like science! Also the

stuff is mostly very nice! It easy to communicate in

English.

- I can recommend for quality education but the job

prospectus are not that good, after graduation there

are hardly any job openings in Oulu and also in Finland.

+ -

Future Plans

18. What are your plans for the future?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

I do not know/ I do not have any plans yet.

Staying in Finland indefinitely

Staying in Finland for a period of time I have already decided

Return to my home country

Move to another EU country

Other

41%

59%

Most probable leaving Finland

Most probable staying in Finland