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In 2019, Dutch knowledge institutions and research funders launched the Recognition & Rewards programme. Together, we aim to recognise and reward the work of academics more broadly, by paying greater attention to the different core domains in which academics operate (research, teaching, impact, leadership and patient care).
We are working towards a new balance in the recognition and rewarding of academics, in which every talent counts. Together with a range of other initiatives, the Recognition & Rewards programme contributes to the creation of a healthy and inspiring working environment in academia.
Why this barometer?
The Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer is conducted twice during the period 2022–2026 to assess how the new approach to recognising and rewarding academic work is developing within universities.
The first measurement took place in January 2024; this is the second and final measurement. The study is carried out by the independent consultancy Berenschot, commissioned by the national Recognition & Rewards programme. The collected data remain with Berenschot and are shared with institutions and the Recognition & Rewards programme team only at an aggregated level.
Your opinion is of great importance in creating a representative picture of how academic institutions recognise and reward their staff. We therefore greatly appreciate your willingness to participate in this study.
- What is the Recognition & Rewards culture barometer?
To gain insight into developments within Recognition & Rewards, we conduct a “Culture Barometer”. The aim of the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer is to assess the extent to which the programme’s ambitions and associated behaviours are recognised, shared and experienced in policy and daily practice.
The barometer is carried out by independent research consultancy Berenschot, commissioned by the Recognition & Rewards programme. The Culture Barometer consists of a questionnaire distributed among academics about the progress of the Recognition & Rewards programme within the various institutions and provides an overview of the current state of the change approach.
The first measurement took place in January 2024; this is the second and final measurement.
- Why are we conducting the Recognition & Rewards culture barometer?
We conduct the Culture Barometer to monitor developments within the Recognition & Rewards programme. In this way, we make visible how the cultural change is progressing and can further shape the programme accordingly. More information can be found in the national programme plan.
- Which organisations are involved in the culture barometer?
The barometer is carried out by independent research consultancy Berenschot, commissioned by the national Recognition & Rewards programme. The collected data remain with Berenschot and are shared only at an aggregated level with institutions and the Recognition & Rewards programme team.
The Recognition & Rewards programme involves the fourteen universities (united in Universities of the Netherlands, UNL), the four faith-based universities (united in the Network of Faith-Based Universities, NLU), the seven university medical centres (united in UMCNL), the institute organisations of KNAW and NWO, and the research funders NWO and ZonMw. With the exception of the two research funders, all these parties are also involved in the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer.
- How is the study conducted?
The study consists of an online questionnaire that is distributed by each participating institution to its academic staff. Institutions invite their staff to complete the questionnaire.
- Who is the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer intended for?
The Culture Barometer is distributed among all academic staff employed by Dutch knowledge institutions (universities, university medical centres, and research institutes). PhD candidates with an employment contract also receive the questionnaire.
- Why is support staff not included in the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer?
Both the position paper “Room for Everyone’s Talent” and the roadmap “Room for Everyone’s Talent in Practice” focus on academic staff. We observe that some institutions also involve (academic) support staff in the Recognition & Rewards programme, while others do not. For this reason, the national steering group of the Recognition & Rewards programme has decided not to provide national coordination regarding developments relating to this group of staff.
In addition, the challenges faced by support staff are in many respects not comparable to those of academic staff. In our view, support staff deserve a separate approach that fits their specific situation. As a result, the Culture Barometer does not fully align with the context of support staff.
- What is the focus of the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer?
The Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer focuses on the different components of the Recognition & Rewards programme. The questions address experiences with diversified career paths, the balance between qualitative and quantitative assessment, Open Science, Team Science and Leadership.
- What happens to the data? Is participants’ privacy safeguarded?
The collected data remain in the possession of Berenschot, in accordance with the retention period agreed with the commissioning party. Due to potential identifiability and the confidential nature of the questionnaire, Berenschot does not share individual-level data with institutions or the commissioning party. If institutional reports are produced, the same principles for data presentation are applied.
The results are presented in an aggregated report for the entire sector, highlighting differences between disciplines and, where relevant, background characteristics. This report will be published. Institutions themselves receive a short report containing the results for their own institution; these reports are not published by Berenschot. Berenschot does not report on groups of fewer than ten respondents, ensuring that data cannot be traced back to individuals.
- What will be done with the results?
We discuss the results within the joint Recognition & Rewards programme. The report serves as input for further shaping the programme. Within the various institutions, dialogues will also take place about the results. In addition, the report will be made publicly available through the channels of the national programme.
- Who funds the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer?
The barometer is carried out on behalf of the Recognition & Rewards programme and is therefore funded by the national programme. Participating institutions fund half of the national programme, while the other half is funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). More information about the funding of this programme can be found in the annual report.
- Who can I contact if I have questions about the Recognition & Rewards culture barometer?
EWcultuurbarometer@berenschot.nl.
- Am I required to participate in the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer as an employee?
No, participation in the Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer is voluntary. However, your response is valuable to us, and we hope you will take the time to complete the questionnaire.
- Has the questionnaire been tested?
A pre-test of the questionnaire was conducted during the first measurement with a subset of the sample, in order to test the indicators. This was done among a subset of all job categories within academic staff. Test respondents were asked to provide feedback. The points arising from this were already incorporated into the questionnaire for the first measurement. A second test is therefore not necessary.
- Can respondents save their answers and finish completing the form at a later stage?
If a respondent closes the questionnaire and reopens it in the same browser, the questionnaire will restart at the point where the respondent stopped. Because an anonymous link is used, this does not work in another browser. This is also dependent on browser cookies; if cookies are deleted or certain script blockers are enabled, this functionality may not always work. The advice is therefore to complete the questionnaire in one session.
- Is it possible that I may have been sent the link to the survey twice?
All participating institutions have sent the questionnaire link to their own academic staff. Some academics work at multiple institutions, for example at a university medical centre and a university, or at a research institute and a university. For privacy reasons, institutions have not shared personal staff data with one another. It is therefore possible that you have received invitations from multiple institutions. We ask you to complete the questionnaire once, based on your role and experience at the institution where you work the largest number of hours.