CUIMC Well-Being Survey Report

Our Collective Voice

Since 2022, the Office of Well-Being has been studying and working to better understand and improve employee well-being across the medical center. These efforts first began with our inaugural CUIMC Well-Being Survey. Through the adoption of metrics and a conceptual framework to guide our efforts, and countless partnerships and collaborations across the medical center, we have collectively made significant strides in our original mission: to foster a thriving, resilient work community that prioritizes well-being and excellence. We have learned that we need to think about systems, as well as local-level initiatives aimed at a personalized approach across many corners of our institution, acknowledging that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to build and maintain well-being.  

When we implemented our 2022 Well-Being Survey, we were navigating the unimaginable challenges the pandemic brought to our community. These challenges gave us an opportunity to look deeper into the core of our institution and enhance our focus on the health and well-being of our people. Through the strength of our community, your ongoing commitment, and willingness to show up and be a part of this work, we were able to demonstrate our resiliency and we became stronger, together. The results of the 2024 Well-Being Survey validate that. 

Today we find ourselves navigating unprecedented challenges once again. This is a pivotal moment for our community and our leadership to continue to build our foundations while reflecting on how we can better support our people during times of prolonged stress and uncertainty. As we continue this journey, I am honored to work alongside all of you as we implement this critical initiative. I invite you to read this report describing our progress thus far and where we plan to go next.  

Lou Baptista, MD 
Chief Well-Being Officer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Professor of Psychiatry at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

2024 Well-Being Survey Summary

The 2024 CUIMC Well-Being Survey aimed to strengthen our understanding of our work experience by building upon the baseline well-being data obtained in the 2022 CUIMC Well-Being Survey, evaluating our progress, and identifying additional opportunities for growth.  

More than 4,500 colleagues engaged in the survey (43% of eligible respondents), which included all CU-employed faculty, staff, and postdocs at CUIMC. The 2024 survey results reveal improvements across workplace satisfaction, workplace culture, and intent to stay. Overall, respondents reported feeling heard, valued, and having sufficient professional development opportunities in higher proportions compared to respondents in 2022. Furthermore, we observed a decrease in the percentage of our colleagues at risk for negative outcomes, such as burnout, severe fatigue, and poor overall quality of life. 

While the 2024 Well-Being Survey, completed in the fall of 2024, does not reflect many aspects of our current challenges, the data suggests that, as a community, we rebuilt some resilience and job satisfaction coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and leading into 2025. 

Survey Findings at a Glance

Well-Being Index 

The Well-Being Index (WBI) is a validated instrument used to measure overall well-being and distress among health care workers and continued to be a key metric. This 9-item index is scored on a range of -2 to 9. Respondents scoring higher than 3 are at an increased risk of negative outcomes, including burnout, severe fatigue, and poor overall quality of life. It is not a diagnostic tool for burnout.

• 2024: 33% of respondents scored at risk for negative outcomes 
• 2022: 44% of respondents scored at risk for negative outcomes