Hokie Wellness survey reveals key employee health findings

 In October 2024, Hokie Wellness gave Virginia Tech employees the opportunity to complete the National Faculty Staff Health Assessment through the American College Health Association, and 1,730 of the university's faculty, staff, and non-student wage employees participated in the study.  

“Having health and wellness data from employees at Virginia Tech is essential for knowing what programming and services Hokie Wellness should be offering, as well as what resources we should be advocating for to better support employees across all campuses,” said Dave Andrews, associate director of employee wellness.

Hokie Wellness will also be offering the opportunity for employees to attend a presentation on May 27 to learn more in-depth information about the findings. Employees can register in the PageUp Learning Management System to attend.

Survey statistics to consider

Within the survey, white and female employees were overrepresented while other racial groups were underrepresented. Trans and nonbinary employees made up a small subset of the survey sample. 

The survey employment categories did not align with the university employee classifications. Because of this, we are unable to compare the participating percentage of faculty, staff, and non-student employees to the percentage found at Virginia Tech. We encourage consideration of all these limitations when interpreting the results of the survey.

Physical health

More than 8 out of 10 employees surveyed (83 percent) described their overall health as either good, very good, or excellent. Most survey respondents reported having been screened for blood pressure (94 percent), blood sugar (83 percent), and cholesterol (81 percent) sometime in the past two years. Of these respondents, there were notable differences in those experiencing a condition compared to those receiving treatment.

About 3 in 10 (29 percent) had elevated cholesterol levels, though more than half of them (52 percent) were not currently receiving treatment. One in 4 respondents (25 percent) were diagnosed with high blood pressure/hypertension, and about a quarter (23 percent) of them were not currently in treatment.

Nearly 9 out of 10 (87 percent) reported normal blood sugar levels. However, of the 13 percent of respondents with elevated blood sugar or diabetes, 29 percent were not currently receiving treatment. The survey results also showed that only about half (53 percent) of respondents met the guidelines for recommended aerobic exercise.  

Mental health

Employees were also surveyed on the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Approximately 43 percent of females, 24 percent of males, and 60 percent of trans and nonbinary respondents reported being diagnosed with anxiety. Of those diagnosed, 80 percent of females and trans and non-binary individuals were receiving treatment, compared to only 68 percent of males.

Similar proportions of employees reported a diagnosis of depression: 31 percent of females, 19 percent of males, and 55 percent of trans and nonbinary respondents. Of those diagnosed with depression, 84 percent of females and 83 percent of trans and non-binary individuals were receiving treatment compared to only 72 percent of males.  

Factors impacting overall health and work performance

Sixty-nine percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed that Virginia Tech promotes a culture of wellness. Additional responses within the survey were able to provide possible explanations on employee wellness and stress levels, which may help Hokie Wellness in understanding the 22 percent who felt neutral and nine percent who disagreed or strongly disagreed on this topic.  

The top factors influencing respondents’ work performance in the last year included having the right tools and resources to perform one’s job, supervisor or manager support, relationships with supervisors, stressful environments within the department, relationships with coworkers, and severe headaches and migraines. 

Using survey findings to pinpoint resources

Virginia Tech provides access to a number of resources that can help with issues such as mental health such as TimelyCare, a virtual health platform offered to employees at no cost. TimelyCare provides 12 free counseling sessions per academic year, 24/7 TalkNow support, health coaching, and on-demand self-care content. In addition, the Employee Assistance Program provides benefitted employees with four free counseling sessions per issue, per plan year.  

Employee Relations, the Ombuds Office, and the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education are available for those in need of guidance regarding work specific issues. Hokie Wellness, Talent Development, and other resources offer a variety of workshops and trainings from topics such as nutrition and self-care to career development for individuals and leaders, and team engagement and training opportunities.

Despite some available resources, it can be difficult to navigate the challenges that come with maintaining work-life balance while trying to stay healthy. According to the survey, employees find scheduling conflicts, job responsibilities, time management, inconvenient locations, personal motivation, and forgetting to attend to be the greatest barriers to participating in wellness and work programs.

To address some of these barriers, employees, managers, and leaders may seek guidance from their assigned HR representatives, available in each senior management area. For those who have difficulty attending in-person events, Hokie Wellness offers many monthly programs in a hybrid format or by Zoom.  

For more information, employees are invited to sign up for the Hokie Wellness newsletter where resources are shared on a regular basis. Monthly program information is also shared in the Virginia Tech News daily faculty/staff email. Finding the right resource for mental and physical needs can be challenging. Hokie Wellness is here to help employees navigate the many campus and community resources. You can call 540-231-8878, email hokiewellness@vt.edu, or schedule an appointment online to meet with them.

Moving forward

Andrews expressed his appreciation to employees who shared their feedback, which will help his team continue to structure programs to address the concerns and needs expressed.

“Collecting and analyzing data is a critical step in helping us better support the health and wellness of employees, but it truly is only the first step. We have begun making changes within our department to better address the needs of employees, but there is a lot more work to do. It takes all of us to create a true culture of wellness at Virginia Tech, from an individual, departmental, and institutional level,” Andrews said.  

While we all have a role to play, Hokie Wellness also acknowledges the structural barriers that impact the health of employees. The data found in this survey helps the team to continue advocating for university wide resources, and also helps pinpoint possible obstacles and influences that, when addressed, may further assist in closing certain gaps in care.  

“Employee health and wellness is a priority for Human Resources and Virginia Tech,” said Bryan Garey, vice president for human resources. “Many studies show a clear link between workplace culture and how healthy and happy employees feel. Virginia Tech is no different, and beyond the workplace, we want our employees to know we care about them and are here to help them be successful in their professional and personal lives. We’re eager to use these findings to strengthen our Hokie Wellness programs and resources.”  

Employees can support Hokie Wellness’ employee wellness efforts directly by giving time or through financial support. If you are interested in volunteering, learn more about the Wellness Champions program. If you would like to give financially, use this link to give to the university’s Employee Wellness Fund.