2018 Compliance and Ethics Culture Survey

Background

In 2016, University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk conducted a compliance and ethics culture survey to evaluate the compliance and ethics culture at UCF. The results of the survey were extremely positive, with a few opportunities for improvement, such as a relatively low employee familiarity with University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk, the UCF IntegrityLine, and UCF’s policy for reporting Misconduct and Protection from Retaliation. To increase employee awareness and education about the office, the UCF IntegrityLine, UCF policies and regulations, and compliance and ethics topics, the office implemented a number of initiatives such as the new UCF Employee Code of Conduct, three online web trainings titled Gifts and Honoraria, Potential Conflicts, and the UCF Employee Code of Conduct, and the compliance and ethics newsletter, the IntegrityStar. Annual Compliance & Ethics Week awareness campaigns were held each November and the office hosted tabling events for faculty during orientation and for staff during the benefits fair each year. All new employees also began receiving information about the office, the UCF IntegrityLine, and the UCF Employee Code of Conduct.

In 2018, the culture survey was repeated. From March 1 to March 30, 2018, the office distributed the anonymous survey by email to all university employees, including hourly, and student employees with email addresses. An article was included in the March 2018 edition of the compliance and ethics newsletter, the UCF IntegrityStar. Of the 8,892 university employees who received the survey, 1,700 employees (19%) responded. The results from this survey were benchmarked against the initial results from the compliance and ethics culture survey conducted in 2016. The following summary highlights the key responses and trends. The complete survey results and trend report are attached.

Results

The 2018 survey revealed a 22% increase in employee awareness of the University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk office and the UCF IntegrityLine. Employee awareness of UCF’s policy for reporting Misconduct and Protection from Retaliation increased by 14%, with 75% of employees reporting familiarity with this policy. There was also an increase in the percentage of employees who knew where to find information on UCF policies and procedures, with 78% reporting familiar in 2016 to 84% in 2018. Knowledge on finding information on UCF regulations also increased from 75% in 2016 to 80% in 2018. Familiarity with the UCF Creed also increased from 80% in 2016 to 84% in 2018.

An impressive 86% of employees reported that they were familiar with the new UCF Employee Code of Conduct.

Employee responses regarding whether they experienced or observed a violation of laws, regulations, or university policies or regulations within the last 12 months, and whether they were asked to bend, break, or circumvent laws, regulations, or university policies or regulations were similar in 2016 and 2018. Eighty-three percent had not experienced or observed a violation of laws, regulations, or university policies or regulations within the last 12 months and 94% stated that they were not asked to bend, break, or circumvent laws, regulations, or university policies or regulations.

The responses regarding integrity and ethical behavior were similar in 2016 and 2018. Respondents stated that they believed that employees (83%) and employees in leadership positions (78%) at UCF demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior.

With regard to reporting incidents or concerns of potential misconduct, most employees (71%) responded that they felt comfortable reporting incidents or concerns to their supervisor. When asked if they felt protected from retaliation when reporting to their supervisor, 66% responded favorably. The same percentage of employees reported that they felt protected from retaliation for reporting to a central office, with 67% responding favorably to protections offered through the UCF IntegrityLine. Employee responses were 3-6% higher than reported in 2016.

Response to Survey

The office will continue its communications and training during fiscal year 2018-19 to raise awareness of University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk, the UCF IntegrityLine, UCF policies and regulations, and compliance and ethics topics. The culture survey will be repeated in 2020.