College of Physical Sciences
Ethics Board
Workplace Surveys/Questionnaires
WORKPLACE SURVEYS/QUESTIONNAIRES
The College Ethics Board has voiced some concerns with projects which involve conducting
work environment surveys/questionnaires. The concern arises due to the possibility of
consequences for an employee who may be identifiable by the company from their
participation data.
The College Ethics Board has therefore specified that all data obtained from a work
environment survey/questionnaire must be fully anonymised from the point of collection.
The appropriate consent template is attached for your use. The project participant should
not even be identifiable to project supervisors.
An example of questions which may be asked as part of any work environment
survey/questionnaire undertaken must be provided to the College Ethics Board as part of
the ethics application process. These do not have to be specific questions, but just a
flavour of what typically may be asked.
Ethics Application Requirements:

Completed ethics application form. With details of the project, data acquisition and
consent issues clearly described in Section 7.

An example of questions which may be used in the work based
survey/questionnaire.

Copy of the anonymised consent form for the project (informed consent must be
obtained from all participants)
Data ID no:
(Name of Project)
Consent form for participation in the (name of project).
Please read the statements below and tick the final box to confirm you have read and understood the
statements and upon doing so agree to participate in the project.
I confirm that the research project (name) has been explained to me. I have had the opportunity to
ask questions about the project and have had these answered satisfactorily.
I consent to the material I contribute being used to generate insights for the research project
(name).
I am aware that the researcher might take video recordings and photos of the sessions. I
understand that I can request to stop recordings and photos being taken. I understand that I can
ask for the recorded videos and photos to be deleted.
I understand that my participation in this research is voluntary and that I may withdraw from the
study at any time.
I consent to allow the fully anonymised data to be used for future publications and other scholarly
means of disseminating the findings from the research project.
I understand that the information/data acquired will be securely stored by researchers, but that
I understand that I can request any of the data collected from/by me to be deleted.
By participating in the (name of project), I confirm have read and understood the above
statements.
I consent to the appropriately anonymised data possibly being made available to others for
research purposes only.