ARK – for a healthy university

In September 2023, work environment surveys will be sent out by email to employees at University West. The ARK survey covers key psychosocial work environment factors and working conditions in the higher education sector. However, there are aspects regarding equal terms (regulated in the Swedish Discrimination Act) missing in ARK, which is why the ARK survey at the university is coordinated with a separate survey about equal opportunities. The two questionnaires are sent from different systems but have the same response time and are simultaneously processed in the follow-up meetings, development of action plans, implementation, and evaluation.

The response period is three weeks and ARK performance reports are sent back to the unit after another three weeks. The results of the equal terms survey are reported per department, and not per unit.

The performance report is in Powerpoint format and designed to be used directly for presentation. The results are presented in bar charts and a spindle summary chart.

The workplace's ARK results are reported in comparison with results for other levels within the organization and in comparison with the university and higher education sector in general.

N.B.! The survey responses are not the results. The responses should be seen as a base for reflection, dialogue, and continued work.

Content of the surveys

The survey (KIWEST – Knowledge Intensive Work Environment Survey Target) used in ARK has been developed in collaboration between the participating universities. Decisions on changes to the survey are made by the ARK steering group.

In essence, the ARK survey captures what is usually included in the concept of psychosocial work environment and such organizational and social conditions as are formulated in the Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulations on organizational and social work environment, AFS 2015:4. The survey is designed to be used in systematic work environment management and is based on how certain working conditions co-vary with negative experiences, stress/ill health and positive experiences, well-being and job satisfaction.

Questions aimed at estimating the frequency of, for example, sexual harassment, other types of harassment or discrimination are not included in the ARK survey. University West has chosen to coordinate ARK with a separate survey on equal opportunities. The results from ARK and equal opportunities are worked on at the same time, and in the same way, with the only difference that the questions are asked and answered in different systems.

Follow-up meetings

Based on the results of the surveys, each workplace organizes follow-up meetings at which all employees are invited to participate. The meetings should be a broad meeting place for reflection and discussion about the work environment and equal opportunities in the workplace.

Action plans

Based on how employees and managers have interpreted and evaluated the results of the surveys together, and based on their common picture of which working conditions need to be safeguarded and developed, employees participate in developing and implementing work environment improvement measures and initiatives. The measures developed must be realistic, concrete, anchored and possible to implement within the framework of one's own activities. More general issues and measures are passed on to departmental or university-wide level. The actions need to be documented in an action plan.

The workplace manager is responsible for ensuring that actions are decided and implemented appropriately, and for evaluating the implementation. The manager is also responsible for continuously informing employees about what measures are being taken and how the work is progressing.

After about six months, a local evaluation is made. The ARK and equal opportunities process will then continue to be carried out at two-year intervals.

The five phases of the work with ARK and equal opportunities are linked to the practice of systematic work environment management, which is regulated in Swedish work environment legislation and in the Discrimination Act.