It doesn't have to suck
There is a reason why I am being so blunt (per usual) about employee surveys. I didn't pull this fact out of thin air, you can even ask Forbes...generally, the response rate is around 30-40%. That is pretty bad. So you may be asking yourself, why do so few employees take surveys?
Thanks to my Linkedin Fam I got answers straight from the horse's mouth:
^ Thank you to all who engaged on this poll, great insight! I'll add the link to this survey in the comments so you can read all the great feedback from this poll.
When it comes to giving you advice about employee surveys, one of my all-time favourite quotes to reference is "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to." The caveat there is those are the EXACT questions you need to be asking in surveys. Ladies & gentlemen, buckle up because it is about to get uncomfortable lol.
So first things first: most likely you are not going to like the answers you get initially. Once you get past the cringe & ego blow...that is where true change for the better can take place for your business. If I am being honest it's also a great tool for leadership to use as a self-growth tactic. When you hold space to receive criticism to be a better leader and business, that is where the magic happens. You don't get to throw a fit and argue every point someone brings up & expect change. Instead, you take it all in and actively listen to what your employees are telling you.
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Employee surveys aren't for getting the answers that YOU want. The questions must be created to get the answers you need. Otherwise, you're being an askhole and that gets you and your business nowhere. So come up with hard questions that will make the most positive impact on your business.
I am about to give away some $Free.99 Work Culture Consultant goodness that I would tell my clients. At the end of the survey, ask your employees: What questions are we not asking, that we should be? *insert mind blown emoji* That question right there will provide you with 'questions' you may not have even realized were an issue or concern for the company that needs attention ASAP. Win-Win.
The biggest thing you need to do: Let go of the reigns.
Having someone outside the company get the employee feedback is the best way for employees to feel comfortable enough to give you the candid feedback you need, otherwise it's wasting your time and their time. I have a lot more where this came from because this is what I do. I have shot up employee response rates to over 40% of where they were & got information out of employees that businesses needed to get better and because I have great clients they also took action to fix said issue with my consultation and their ambition to be the best in their industry.
Your employee surveys don't have to suck. Do better for your business & your people, by getting these surveys done the right way...not the easy way, not the same way you always have...the right way. You got this! I have all the faith you will see some amazing outcomes.
Should you need help, I am here for you & your business/people.
Coach for New Creators — Create, Speak, Design, & Publish
3 年Although I agree, there is something missing that employers need to understand: What people REALLY want is for the company to take ownership and lead with the people in mind. To come up with their own unselfish ideas and solutions that put people first, and THEN ASK their employees if this is helpful, if this is something they want, or if they have other recommendations. Otherwise it's like the company is asking an open ended question, and employees don't really know where to take it. They don't know if the employer is really thinking of them, or just trying some new method of getting more out of the people. The intention has to be clear and unselfish stated up front by the employer. I've been on both sides of employee surveys a few times, including working with outside surveyors and being the marketer trying to get responses (my team managed to achieve 60% response rate among 15k employees). The biggest problems I see are from the lack of action, but it stems from no clear direction resulting from the survey. That is on the employer. They need to set the tone, set the brand and the course for change, then ask the people what they need to make it happen. And ultimately it's part of an overall employee focused brand.
Senior Project Manager, experience in Electrical Transmission, IT and Telecommunications. Leadership Development and Project Leader. Speaker | Leadership Mentor | Educator, Harassment And Racism Prevention
3 年Truth. Your employee engagement survey is a direct evaluation of your Leadership and Management
Program Manager & Recruiter | Community Manager with communities of 100K+ | Recruiting Nontraditional Talent That Transforms Businesses | Host @The NoDegree Podcast | ATS Executive Resumes | 300+ LinkedIn Reviews
3 年Always spitting fire! Brittinay Lenhart