Results from a recent survey show that El Camino College employees indicate improvements are needed with the college’s communication, executive leadership, and work environment.

The Employee Campus Climate Survey, administered by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning at ECC, includes faculty, staff, administrators, part-time employees, and temporary non-classified employees.

The results were presented at the ECC District Board of Trustees meeting Monday, March 24.

“We have done the survey three times: 2018, 2021, and 2024 and we do it every three years,” Viviana Unda, director of research and planning, said. “And we do a Student Campus Climate [survey] and an Employee Campus Climate [survey].”

The response rate from spring 2024 was 52%, an increase of 17 percentage points from the 35% response rate in 2021.

As the top concern, respondents indicated the college needed to improve communication and collaboration.

Out of 1391 respondents, 225 anonymously commented that improvements should be made regarding communication between management and employees.

“I think every organization kind of has its ups and downs, but I do have to say that in my time, I started El Camino in 2022, … I’ve had more levity,” Paul Rosales, digital media and communications coordinator, said. “Being able to talk, whether it’s with President Thames or it’s with my director, or my team, the other graphic designers, everybody seems fairly open.”

Past results from 2021 reveal that 53% of employees believed that ECC communicates openly with employees at all levels, compared to 62% in 2018.

This year’s top concern differs from the 2021 survey, where the top concern revealed that employees wanted to have more opportunities for increased pay or promotion.

In contrast, respondents this year shared that workplace relationships and team dynamics is the top area in which the college does well.

Out of 1568 positive comments, 318 respondents reported that they like the team and department which they work in at ECC.

Executive leadership was the second area which respondents indicated a need for improvement.

Out of 1391 respondents, 98 reported that the college’s leadership needs to improve communication, vision, and direction.

Employees reveal that a more respectful and trusting approach could be exemplified from executive leadership in team meetings and more transparency could be shown.

Work environment was the third area which respondents marked for improvement at ECC.

One respondent suggested that morale is low, which impacts the ability to foster connection, healing and understanding of mental health needs.

To address work environment challenges, administrators will refer to committees in helping solve the issues raised.

“We take those [survey] findings and we share them with the different bodies that need to take care of these findings,” Unda said. “The survey comes from a subcommittee, so within the Equal Employment Opportunity General Committee, there is a subcommittee only in charge of this survey.”

President Brenda Thames was present at the meeting alongside the board of trustees.

“As discussed in the presentation, the college has worked on an action plan to address the concerns that were presented in the campus climate survey and those action plans address the feedback that we received through the open forms,” Thames said.

The next board of trustees meeting is set for Friday, April 18.

For more information on future board of trustees meetings and agendas, visit BoardDocs.