Pulse survey results/next survey opens June 29

June 25, 2020
John H. Dozier, Institute Community and Equity Officer, 2020–2023 | Timothy F. Jamison, Associate Provost, 2019–2022 | Maryanne Kirkbride, Executive Administrator, MindHandHeart |

Dear community members,

From May 26 to June 1, over 6,000 of you participated in the first Pulse Survey, which was designed to help us understand how you are feeling about the physical, technical, and social/emotional resources or support available to you while working remotely, as well as your work experience during this period. To those who participated, thank you! Now we’d like to share the results of that initial survey, and let you know that we will release the second Pulse Survey on June 29. The second survey will be a ‘flash’ survey: it will close on July 3, just before the long holiday weekend.

What actions have been taken based on the survey results?

We have created a baseline to monitor changes in community well-being. As our pandemic response continues we can monitor our community, provide information to decision makers, and engage the community in creative solutions.

We will offer expert advice and support to adapt to working from home. With typical MIT resourcefulness, respondents shared stories of makeshift approaches to home office set-ups. While MIT’s Environment, Health and Safety Office has addressed ergonomics for many years, it is now leading a multi-department team that is customizing resources for our current situation. New tools and guidance will be available by mid-July.

We’ve created new information resources and will continue to address information flow: From your input, we now have a more nuanced view of the challenges of information flow in this rapidly changing environment. Your responses affirmed the need for additional central communication, and new resources have been made available:

We encourage you to look at the survey results, and to get in touch with us with ideas or further questions. Keep your eye out for the next survey release on June 29!

Sincerely,

John Dozier, ICEO
Tim Jamison, Associate Provost
Maryanne Kirkbride, MindHandHeart - and the Community Continuity Group


  • Pulse surveys are sent to current faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and continuing doctoral students at MIT main campus and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Results from student-focused remote learning and other surveys augment our understanding of the whole community.
  • The Community Continuity Group is one of several continuity groups launched to help coordinate MIT’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.