Me and my questionnaire
How can I remain anonymous when I provide gender and age?
UiA will not have access to age and gender data in their unit-level reports. Therefore it will not be possible to trace your answers.
Why is there no open comment field in the questionnaire?
Because it is difficult to anonymize answers given in free-text fields. You can raise your thoughts in the group discussions that will be held as part of the follow-up to the survey results.
What if I discover that I misunderstood and want to change my answers?
- If you notice this while filling in the form, i.e. before you click “Finish” on the last page, you can go back to previous pages and change your answers.
- If you have already clicked “Finish” on the last page, you must send an email to ark-kontakt@ntnu.no and request that the form be reopened.
Is it possible to receive a copy of my own answers?
If you want to keep a record of your answers, you can print them out page by page while completing the questionnaire.
What should I do if I regret having completed the survey?
Send an email to ark-kontakt@ntnu.no and request that your response be deleted. To have your response deleted you must provide the email address to which the invitation to participate in the ARK survey was sent. You must do this within two weeks after the response deadline at your institution.
In which languages is the survey available?
Employees can choose the questionnaire in Norwegian or English.
Why does the link not work?
- The link may have been split in two (line-break). Try copying the full URL and pasting it into your browser’s address bar. Make sure you do not include any spaces — web addresses do not contain spaces.
- If you still cannot access the survey: reply to the invitation email describing the problem and we will help you resolve it.
I haven’t received a reminder!
Perhaps you have already clicked the link and viewed the survey. Doing so activates your link and you will therefore not receive reminders. Find the invitation email and use the link there. If you have deleted the email and want to respond, contact the ARK contact person at your unit.
Do I have to answer all the questions??
No, but it is important for the survey’s quality that you answer as many questions as possible.
Can I choose not to answer the survey and still take part in ARK?
Yes, participation in the survey is voluntary. At the same time, the survey gives a more accurate picture the more respondents there are. We therefore hope you will take the time to answer. You have an obligation to contribute to a good working environment and its development, so participation in the process at your unit is expected.
How will research using my answers be conducted?
- Research will not focus on your individual answers alone. Statistical analyses will be performed on groups and on the aggregated responses of many employees.
- Researchers who wish to use data from the database must apply to do so and state the aims of their research. Applications are reviewed by a research group at NTNU.
Can researchers find out who answered what?
- No, because the link between your responses and your email address is deleted well before any research begins.
- Researchers will only be provided with anonymized data in which no individual can be identified.
Can I be certain that my manager will not be able to identify my answers?
- Yes. Your manager will receive finalized result presentations in which the personal details you provided (age, gender, job category, etc.) are not included.
- All employees are treated as a group in unit-level analyses.
- Employees are grouped in the result presentations so that individual responses cannot be recognized.
- Information about gender, age, job category, etc. is only used in analyses of large units/groups and the institution as a whole, so that no individual can be identified.
- All responses are stored after data collection on a server without internet connection, accessible only to a few NTNU staff who are bound by confidentiality.
About ARK and the process:
How will the results be presented?
The results will be presented as straightforward overviews with averages and measures of dispersion.
How will the results be followed up?
- The status of follow-up will be reported to cooperation bodies such as AMU and in HSE reporting.
- Safety representatives will be involved in the follow-up work.
- Managers and safety representatives shall together document implemented measures and completed processes.
Why is the employees’ questionnaire not sent to everyone?
The survey is sent as a personal email to all employees with at least 40% employment on a permanent salary. Those paid by timesheets do not receive the survey. Only persons who have been employed for at least 3 months receive the questionnaire.
Will managers receive support to follow up the results?
- Yes — managers can receive guidance from the HR department.
- Yes — managers can also seek assistance from the occupational health service.
- Yes — management may engage external consultants for help if they can fund this themselves.
Is this survey made specifically for my institution?
No — the survey is designed for the whole university and college sector in Norway. It is adapted to our challenges while enabling mapping of psychosocial conditions in work environments.
Should managers complete the questionnaire?
- Yes — managers should answer like all other employees.
- When calculating results for a given unit, the manager’s answers for that unit will be excluded from the unit’s results. This is done so that the manager’s answers do not influence the responses for the unit the manager is responsible for.
- A manager’s responses will be included in the results for any higher-level unit and for the institution as a whole.