Press Release 46/2008

KIT Survey: Employees Wish to Know More

Executive Board Is Satisfied with the Participation Rate and Degree of Approval of the Staff – Hippler and Umbach: “We Are Taking Sceptics Seriously”
42034-1
Carefully optimistic: Most of the employees consider the merger to be positive, but doubt that the KIT will reach all its objectives. (Photo by: Universität Karlsruhe)

According to Dr. Martin Wörtler from the Boston Consulting Group that supported the KIT in the conception and implementation of the survey, the response rate is enormously high. “Comparable surveys made in industry often reach rates of about 10 – 15% only.” Eberhard Umbach, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Forschungszentrum, is highly satisfied: “The unexpectedly high participation and the presently very high number of supporters confirm the acceptance of the KIT.” According to the President of the Universität, Horst Hippler, however, the management will continue to take the sceptics seriously: “We will have to integrate these employees much better.” At the moment, a project team is evaluating the survey in detail and identifying fields of action.

Another result: 83% know the objectives of the KIT, at least partly. But only 14% are entirely and another 57% at least partly convinced that most of these objectives will be reached. “This is not least due to the fact”, explains Eberhard Umbach, “that our objectives are rather ambitious.” Moreover, important information is not yet known to all employees and many questions are only being settled at the moment. The staff doubts that politicians really intend to establish the framework conditions required. Accordingly, the employees wish to obtain more detailed information (71%) and to be addressed personally more frequently (49%). “In the future, we will increasingly try to comply with this wish”, announces Umbach.

As confirmed by the survey, many employees are still missing recognition. According to Horst Hippler, the management wishes to counteract this feeling by e.g. staff parties. In addition, the management will underline its appreciation of the employees during staff meetings: “The success of KIT will depend on the staff: We will only succeed together.”

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is the merger of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, member of the Helmholtz Association, and the Universität Karlsruhe. This merger will give rise to an institution of internationally excellent research and teaching in natural and engineering sciences. In total, the KIT has 8000 employees and an annual budget of 700 million Euros. The KIT focuses on the knowledge triangle of research – teaching – innovation.

The Karlsruhe institution is a leading European energy research center and plays a visible role in nanosciences worldwide. KIT sets new standards in teaching and promotion of young scientists and attracts top scientists from all over the world. Moreover, KIT is a leading cooperation partner of industry.

ele, 25.07.2008

ele, July 25, 2008
Contact:


Monika Landgraf
Chief Communication Officer
Head of Corporate Communications
Chief Press Officer
Phone: +49 721 608-41150
Fax: +49 721 608-43658
presse does-not-exist.kit edu

The photo in the best quality available to us may be requested by
presse does-not-exist.kit edu or phone: +49 721 608-41105.