To better understand the caregiving challenges facing Wayne State's faculty and staff, the university's Workplace Initiatives team wants to hear from everyone about their current situation and future caregiving needs.

On Feb. 11, a survey conducted by the Workplace Initiatives within the Division of Academic Affairs was sent to all benefit-eligible employees at Wayne State. The survey is a follow-up to the Childcare Survey conducted in 2020 by the university's Daycare Implementation Committee, led by Dr. Loraleigh Keashly.

In addition to questions about childcare, this year's survey now includes questions about elder care, dependents with special needs and current work modalities, as many employees' remote work situations have changed since 2020.

"As our workforce ages, their needs and responsibilities change," said Dr. Krista Brumley, professor of sociology and director of workplace initiatives. "We have heard from department chairs and other university leaders that elder care is a common concern for our faculty and staff. It is important that we better understand how common these concerns are so that we can assess and better address those needs as an institution."

Brumley said that as the cost of living continues to increase, so do caregiving costs. Wayne State currently offers a variety of childcare resources and benefits, but Brumley said that having more accurate data around Wayne State's parent population will help assess whether the university's benefits currently meet employee needs. For example, the 2020 survey revealed that faculty and staff anticipated needing more childcare after the pandemic. Now, Brumley and her team would like to know what level of support is needed.

All employees - with or without caregiving responsibilities - are encouraged to take the survey and provide comments in the feedback section. Employees who complete the survey can enter a drawing to win $10 to $50 in OneCard dollars.

The information gathered can help Workplace Initiatives assess areas of need and build programs to better support faculty and staff. This could potentially include an employee engagement group around elder care, financial support or subsidies or participation in innovative state programming, such as the State of Michigan's Tri-Share Child Care program, in which one-third of child care costs is covered by the state, one-third by the employer and one-third by the employee. These are just potential outcomes, Brumley said. First, the team must gather the data to determine the best plan of action.

"Wayne State is committed to creating a workplace environment where faculty and staff can thrive," said Dr. Keith Whitfield, interim provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. "This survey effort is one way that we can help ensure Wayne State is an employer that supports everyone."

To take the survey, please refer to the email that was sent on Feb. 11. This is a unique link that cannot be shared. For questions about the survey or Workplace Initiatives, contact the director, Krista Brumley.