2008 AHRIS reader survey highlights and follow-up actions

1. The majority (67%) of respondents read AHRIS because it is related to their professional work.

2. One-third (33%) of respondents work or study in the field of human resources while one-quarter (24%) work or study in the social work, human rights, legal or medical fields.

3. Over one-third (37%) of respondents work in private business; 20% work in government; and 18% work in non-government organizations.

4. The survey results affirm the readers' interest in topic areas that are currently regularly covered in AHRIS.
Action: Continue to cover all topics that have been regularly covered in past issues.

5. The survey results show that the respondents are also interested in these topic areas:

  • human rights and the workplace
  • human rights and aboriginal issues
  • human rights and sexual orientation

Action: Include more items on the above-noted topics in AHRIS.

6. The majority (84%) of respondents indicated it was either very important or somewhat important to receive information about Commission panel decisions and related court decisions immediately upon their release.
Action: Publish special issues of AHRIS as needed to publicize panel decisions and related court decisions in a timely manner:

  • In a month when a regular issue of AHRIS is not scheduled, publish a special issue of AHRIS highlighting panel and court decisions released in that month.
  • In a month when a regular issue is scheduled, continue to highlight panel and court decisions released in that month.
  • If a decision is of particular note for AHRIS audiences, publish a special issue highlighting the particular decision as soon as it is released.

7. The survey results affirm that the current length of AHRIS and frequency of distribution of AHRIS is appropriate.
Actions:

  • Continue to include about 15 to 20 items in each regular issue of AHRIS.
  • Continue to publish shorter special issues to disseminate time-sensitive or important news in a timely manner.


8. Almost half (45%) of respondents found out about AHRIS through the Commission website. One-quarter (25%) of respondents found out about AHRIS through: Commission workshops or presentations (13%); Commission displays (3%); and Commission staff (9%). About one-fifth (19%) of respondents found out about AHRIS through a friend or colleague. 11% of respondents indicated that they found out about AHRIS in other ways.
Actions: Staff should increase efforts to promote AHRIS: 

  • Workshop presenters and display staff should be encouraged and reminded to promote AHRIS.
  • Staff should consistently distribute or display the newsletter sign-up sheet at workshops, displays and speaking engagements.
  • Staff should be encouraged and reminded to promote AHRIS when speaking with the public.
  • Staff should review current marketing efforts for AHRIS and develop a promotions plan.


 

 

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