WPA 2025: Overall progress – but we still need to focus on our workplace culture
The vast majority of employees at Aarhus University find their work meaningful, and levels of staff engagement and satisfaction are high. Although the WPA shows positive overall trends, it also highlights the need to continue working on fostering a good workplace culture. That’s why it’s so important that we follow up on the results of the WPA with dialogue in our individual units, emphasises Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.
WPA 2025 shows overall progress, which is encouraging, emphasises Rector Brian Bech Nielsen. The workplace assessment measures employee engagement and satisfaction based on an average of four key indicators: overall satisfaction, motivation and engagement, loyalty, and willingness to recommend. At 4.2, this year’s overall result is an improvement on the 4.1 from the previous WPA.
“I’m delighted to see that so many of our staff are happy to work at AU and would recommend the university as a workplace to others. This is a good overall result of which the entire university can be proud,” says Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.
7,172 members of staff took part in the WPA, which is an increase of three percentage points from 75 per cent in 2022 to 78 per cent in 2025.
Look at the results and start the discussion
The results show that staff awarded high scores to questions relating to collaboration and support as well as meaning, influence and development. A new topic in this year’s WPA was inclusion, which also received good results.
According to WPA 2025, loyalty to AU remains high, with a score of 4.3, and motivation remains at a stable 4.1. Most employees also feel that they have sufficient access to their day-to-day management and that their workplace communication culture is both respectful and supportive.
However, the WPA also highlights areas where action is required to improve working conditions. Scores relating to task-time balance and stress were higher than in 2022, but these areas remain among the lowest-rated indicators.
“The most important thing now is for each unit to take a good look at its own results and discuss what it needs to do to progress with the task of fostering a good work environment. But it’s also worth reminding ourselves of what we’re doing well so that we can replicate these successes going forward. Our workplace culture and work environment must be a continuous focus in our daily operations – not just in the wake of the WPA results,” says Brian Bech Nielsen.
He adds:
“A good work environment is not only crucial for our motivation and our desire to go to work: it’s also vital for our health and general well-being.”
Rector: Disappointed by inappropriate behaviour
The results for inappropriate behaviour also show that there is still room for improvement. 12 per cent of staff have been subjected to abusive, offensive or condescending language, which is an increase of two percentage points since 2022. At four per cent, the proportion of staff who have experienced bullying remains at the same level as in the previous WPA.
The rector emphasises that, when it comes to inappropriate behaviour, we should focus on absolute numbers rather than percentages.
“A significant number of our colleagues have been subjected to inappropriate behaviour. We cannot accept this at Aarhus University. It’s encouraging that scores are high for tolerance, respecting each other’s differences, and communicating politely and respectfully in our local units. But even so, it is unacceptable that so many members of staff have been subjected to offensive conduct at work. It’s disappointing, because for many years respect and decency have been highlighted as core values at the university. We must do better. We must take this very seriously, and I urge managers and staff to make this issue a priority in their follow-up work,” says the rector.
This year’s WPA survey included more questions about inappropriate behaviour, so the reports reveal more information than in previous years. The report this year contains more detailed responses about sexism and unwanted sexual attention. The university chose to include more questions on this issue in response to the 2024 VIVE report on sexism at Danish universities.
“We wanted to shed light on the extent and nature of this type of inappropriate behaviour at AU. We now have an indication that the situation may be less severe than the VIVE report suggested, but, that said, it still remains at an unacceptable level. Sexism and unwanted sexual attention have no place – and certainly not at AU. The same goes for physical violence, which some employees also mentioned. We need to make a concerted effort to rectify this,” explains the rector.
More people affected by a poor indoor climate
Overall, staff have been slightly more negative about the physical work environment than in 2022. In particular, they have mentioned problems with the indoor climate as well as noise and vibrations. An explanation for this could be the many construction and renovation projects currently underway at the university, close to where people work.
On the other hand, there has been a slight decrease in the share of employees dissatisfied with the physical conditions in terms of supporting their work, such as lighting at their workstation or uncomfortable working positions.
Brian Bech Nielsen appreciates that so many employees took part in the WPA. He emphasises that the survey is an important tool for assessing the status of the work environment and a good starting point for making any necessary changes:
“As a university we are driven by high academic standards, engagement and ambition. We must safeguard and continue to improve our workplace culture. Our employees are our most important resource, regardless of where in the organisation they work or what they do. We can be pleased that, with the WPA, we have a solid foundation for our continued efforts,” says Brian Bech Nielsen.
High level of satisfaction
Staff expressed a high level of satisfaction with regard to their competencies, well-being, the meaningfulness of their work, and the level of influence they have on their tasks. They also gave high scores to questions about communication culture, respect and support from leaders, and they reported having sufficient access to their day-to-day management.
Low level of satisfaction
Staff expressed a low level of satisfaction with regard to the balance between their tasks and the time available to perform them. They also gave low scores to questions about having clear goals in their unit and communicating these goals in a meaningful way. Employees also reported that they were not very likely to receive important information.
Despite giving high scores to questions relating to meaning, influence and development, staff gave low scores to questions about their future prospects at work.
They also gave low scores to the importance of staff development dialogues for their professional development and to the feedback they receive from their day-to-day managers.
The VIVE report on sexism and career paths at Danish universities (March 2024, in Danish)