Make Your Meetings More Active

Include items on your meeting agenda that require participants to get out of their seats (breakout groups, stand and write ideas on an easel).
Choose movement friendly meeting locations (walkable neighborhoods, on-site gym, nearby park).
Hire a professional instructor (pilates, yoga, tai chi, stretching, Zumba) to lead a class before or during the meeting.
Point out the stairs and encourage attendees to use them. Consider including the location of stairs in meeting directions or putting arrows to the stairs in front of elevators.
Organize a group walk early in the morning, during a break or before/after dinner.
Consider incorporating standing ovations after each speaker to encourage participants to stand and stretch.

Standing Breaks

At least once an hour, participants should be encouraged to stand up to improve blood circulation, boost metabolism, and relieve physical discomfort from sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Announce that it is fine to stand up and move around, as needed. If possible, provide raised tables for those electing to stand during the meeting.

Stretch Breaks

Stretch breaks help participants wake up their bodies and minds.
Encourage people to stand up and stretch in place.
Try playing a Healthy UC Davis WakeBreak video! These instructor-led stretch videos range from 4 to 15 minutes.

Breathing Exercise

Focused breathing is an energizing activity that can help relax and clear your mind. Simply inhale for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds.

Suggested Activity Agendas

LENGTH OF MEETING	STANDING BREAK	STRETCH BREAKS	BREATHING BREAKS	MOVEMENT BREAKS	WALKING BREAKS
50 - 60 min	x		x
2 - 4 hours	x	x	x	x
All Day	x	x	x	x	x

Leadership Message: Employee Experience Survey 2025 results and next steps

August 19, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to the 14,548 staff and clinical faculty who participated in the 2025 Employee Experience Survey across UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

This year’s response rate was a remarkable 62.2%, with 2,000 additional participants compared to surveys conducted in previous years. You not only showed up, but you also encouraged others to take part. That kind of engagement is a powerful reminder of the strength and shared purpose that define our community and help make UC Davis a better place to work, learn, grow and provide care.

You told us where we’re doing well – in areas like supporting work-life balance and building a culture of trust on the Davis campus, and in nurse engagement and providing quality care at UC Davis Health. You also told us where we need to improve – including the need for more open communication from leadership and more emphasis on inclusion and equity.

While these areas continue to be priorities, we’ve made meaningful progress since the last survey, and your feedback is helping us focus our efforts where they’re most needed.

While we have conducted employee experience surveys in the past, this is the first year both UC Davis and UC Davis Health have used the same survey tool. Because the new survey uses different questions and a different rating scale, results from previous years cannot be directly compared. For the Davis campus, we will consider the 2025 results as our new baseline moving forward.

Results have been shared with senior leaders on campus and at UC Davis Health. Supervisors and managers who received five or more responses have access to dashboards with team-specific insights. High-level results are posted on the Employee Experience webpages, along with tools and resources to help teams have honest conversations and take meaningful steps forward.

We’re listening and committed to acting on what you told us. Thank you again for your time, voice and partnership. Whether you work in a clinic, a research lab, an office, or outdoors, your experience matters because it shapes the experiences of those we serve: our students, colleagues, patients and communities.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Gary May
Chancellor
UC Davis

Human Resources