When you first log into our platform to participate in a workforce demographics study, you will be asked to enter your workforce count, within specific categories. The workforce count you enter should include everyone you will email the survey link. Here are the definitions provided for each role:
- Supervisory Staff: Staff (those who receive a W-2 or volunteer in a staff capacity) who supervise or manage at least one other staff member, contractor, or artist at your organization.
- Non-supervisory Staff: Staff (those who receive a W-2 or volunteer in a staff capacity) who do not supervise or manage anyone else at your organization.
- Independent Contractors: Contractors (those who receive a 1099, non-board) who were employed in the last 12 months, including artists. Do not include employees of firms you contract, such as accounting or legal service firms.
- Board Members: Individuals who serve on your organization's board of directors or advisory board.
- Organization Volunteer: Organization Volunteers are defined as individuals without a board or staff role who are integral to the operational process of your organization.
How do I decide who to email with the survey link?Each organization has its own staffing and workforce structure-
it is up to your organization to decide who should participate to meaningfully represent your workforce within the parameters of the definitions above. The workforce counts you enter should only include those who intend to contact with the survey link.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- What is the extent and recent of their working relationship with your organization? If the relationship is informal, long past, or very brief they may be unlikely to respond to the survey, lowering your overall response rates and ability to receive a report.
- How would they classify themselves within your organization's workforce? Respondents will choose a role at your organization when competing the survey, and their choice will be reflected in any reports you receive. If you will be inviting participation from individuals who wear many hats or whose classification is not immediately intuitive, consider telling them how you would like them to identify in within the survey.
Which volunteers and contractors should I invite to participate?
Contractors- only include paid contractors with a recent or ongoing engagement with your organization. We suggest contractors who have worked with your organization within the last 3 months, or who are engaged on a regular or cyclical basis. Include artists who are paid as contractors in this category.
Volunteers- only include volunteers with substantial involvement in your organization, or who are integral to your organizational process. We suggest volunteers with a ongoing commitment to your organization of at least 5 hours a week, or who serve in a specific role as a volunteer. For example, DO include someone who comes to your office twice a week to perform bookkeeping tasks. DO include volunteer members of a choir or other ensemble DO NOT include someone who volunteered one time at an event.
Unpaid Staff- Some organizations rely on unpaid individuals to fill roles traditionally considered staff roles. (E.g, an unpaid executive director who works a significant number of hours a week for an organization). We recommend counting these individuals as staff.
How will workforce count affect my study outcomes?The total number of workforce members you enter will help us determine how many responses you need to be eligible to receive a free report on your organization's workforce demographics. You will need to reach a certain percentage of responses, which varies based upon your total workforce count. If you send the survey to a large number of volunteers and only a few of them respond, that will decrease the likelihood that your organization will receive enough responses to receive a free report. Find more information about how response thresholds are calculated
here.
The number of responses within each category will be reflected in your report on your organization's workforce.
How to Administer the Workforce Demographics Survey
