The CUPA-HR 2022 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey: Focus on Supervisors

Higher ed continues to face a retention crisis. Turnover in any role can impact an institution, but turnover in a supervisor role has more far-reaching implications. This report explores higher ed supervisors' likelihood of looking for new employment, their current challenges and working environments, and which job aspects specific to supervisors are associated with their retention. Results from the 2022 CUPA-HR Employee Retention Survey reveal nearly 2 in 5 (36%) supervisors indicated they are likely to look for other employment in the next 12 months. Most supervisors work additional hours beyond full-time, whereas most non-supervisors do not. Further, supervisors absorbed more responsibilities of vacated positions and experienced more increases in job expectations than did non-supervisors after the onset of COVID-19. Supervisors reported their top challenges as filling empty positions and maintaining staff morale. Finally, higher ed supervisors are less likely to look for other employment if they have more support and power to make decisions in their supervisory roles. Specific recommendations for retaining supervisors in higher ed are provided.

The CUPA-HR 2022 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey: Initial Results

The CUPA-HR Higher Education Employee Retention Survey was piloted in May 2022. The survey was created to better understand the segment of the higher ed workforce that is at risk for leaving their current jobs, why these employees are considering leaving, and what higher ed institutions can implement to increase retention and improve the higher ed workplace. The survey was targeted to all higher ed employees who are not faculty -- administrators, professionals, and non-exempt staff. There were 3,815 respondents from 949 institutions. Findings from the survey included: 1) more than half of higher ed employees are at least somewhat likely to look for other employment in the next year, mostly because they desire a pay increase, 2) higher ed institutions are not providing the remote work opportunities and flexibility that employees want, 3) employees are working longer hours and taking on more responsibilities since the COVID-19 pandemic started, 4) employees are dissatisfied with opportunities for career development and advancement, recognition for their work, and parental leave and dependent care policies. Recommendations for increasing retention include remedying these areas of dissatisfaction wherever possible.