“The results show high levels of satisfaction – which isn't a given”

Mr Vonesch, today saw the publication of the Download 2025 employee survey results (PDF, 714 KB). What are you most pleased about?
The survey findings are extremely positive on the whole. What's particularly encouraging is that general satisfaction remains high among those who participated ¨C 90 per cent of respondents are largely to very satisfied with their work situation. The results demonstrate once again how strongly staff feel connected to ETH and how committed they are to our university.

What factors contribute most significantly to the high satisfaction levels?
Several factors play a role. Employees value the working atmosphere and the quality of supervision and leadership. They feel treated with fairness and respect by their professors and managers. Additionally, most people perceive interpersonal relations at ETH as respectful. Beyond this, employees once again gave work content and teamwork very high marks and have a positive view of their work-life balance.

Do satisfaction levels differ across staff categories?
Professors as well as administrative and technical staff show particularly high satisfaction levels. The figures are somewhat lower for scientific staff. These roles get a lot of pressure to perform and involve structural uncertainties like temporary contracts and unpredictable career progression. With that said, scientific staff still indicate high levels of satisfaction. Women tend to rate individual factors slightly more conservatively than men, regardless of their position.

Are there any aspects that attracted more critical evaluations?
Although employees feel deeply committed to ETH, their perception of how much ETH stands behind its staff and genuinely considers their concerns has somewhat declined since the 2021 survey, especially among scientific staff. This is something we take seriously.

What can ETH do to address this?
It's essential to build trust. This is a multifaceted issue that requires transparent communication ¨C both organisationally and interpersonally. Managers play a pivotal role in this regard. Simply having an open discussion with their team, for instance about the survey findings, sends an important signal: we hear you, and we're committed to dialogue.

Various health and wellbeing measures were put in place after the 2021 survey, such as information sessions and an external counselling service. How did participants rate their health this year?
Positively, but more cautiously. They also mentioned that work impacts their health more frequently. This might reflect heightened sensitivity to the topic or actual pressures in the workplace. However, the survey also shows that staff have considerable resources for coping with this constructively.

What resources can be helpful during periods of heavy workload?
Key elements are autonomy in one's role and colleagues supporting each other within teams. These are areas where we can keep supporting one another. What's clear is that promoting health and wellbeing remains a priority for ETH ¨C for example, through the Mindful@ETH series or the Mental Health Week in autumn, which is currently being planned.

What are the next steps?
We'll be distributing approximately 580 individual reports to professors and supervisors ¨C as long as at least five people from their teams and groups took part in the survey. These reports provide a valuable basis for discussing where to take action and make specific improvements. But it makes sense to open up this dialogue even without an individual report.

So this applies to everyone in a leadership role?
Precisely ¨C it¡¯s about seeing feedback as a growth opportunity and putting it to good use: being receptive to your team¡¯s concerns, engaging in reflection and developing constructive solutions together. Often even small changes can make a significant difference.

What would you say is your personal takeaway?
The results show high levels of satisfaction ¨C which isn't a given. Coupled with employees' considerable dedication, this creates a strong foundation for effective teamwork and excellent performance. At the same time, the survey findings offer valuable insights into where we can improve. That¡¯s exactly what the survey is for: to move forward together, both as a university and within each team, department and research group.