Employee opinion surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, employee engagement surveys, culture surveys& Given the multitude of surveys we are exposed to today, which instrument is most appropriate for your organization? To most people, these instruments seem very similar, but are they really?
More and more organizations have embraced employee surveys to better understand and act upon employee perceptions. In fact, between half and three quarters of large U.S. companies regularly conduct employee surveys (Kraut, 2004). The popularity is born out by surveys being a regular topic of discussion at conferences, seminars, workshops and its frequency and popularity is on the increase. Why? The answer is simple: 1) People like surveys - they view them as democratic, fair and confidential, and 2) They are easy to conduct1. So, what are the differences and similarities between these instruments? Read on and find out.
Employee Opinion Survey - "An Employee Opinion Survey is a survey of employees' views, opinions, attitudes and perceptions of various aspects of the organization in which they work. With an Employee Opinion Survey, your primary goal is to measure your employees' beliefs and attitudes about their organization. The information garnered from Employee Opinion Surveys provides management with insight and knowledge about what employees believe is important in the organization. This information has the potential to impact the bottom line and foster positive employee relations in any or all of the following ways: identifying cost-saving opportunities, improving productivity, communication, customer service, supervisory relationship, and gauging employees' understanding of and agreement with the company strategy and mission, to name a few.
Employee Satisfaction Survey - Employee Satisfaction Surveys assist employers in the measurement and understanding of their employees' attitudes, opinions, motivations, and general satisfaction with their work environment. With an employee satisfaction survey, the objective is to gauge your employees' level of satisfaction with specific components of their position. Common survey topics measured are co-worker cooperation, internal customer service, productivity and efficiency, job stress, physical working conditions and more. Then, this begs the question: is there a difference between an Employee Opinion and Employee Satisfaction Survey? Kevin Sheridan, Chief Executive Officer of HR Solutions, Inc., believes there is little, if any, difference than the name of the survey. Both surveys have similar goals: gather opinions whether employees are satisfied, to assess key employee issues, measure their impact versus the company's business objectives and identify the most important issues for action and develop an action plan to address.
Employee Engagement Survey - Truly engaged employees are motivated, committed and loyal to their organization. They are very involved in their work, supportive of co-workers, oriented to providing good customer service and are an inspiration for others. An engaged employee is a person who is fully involved in and enthusiastic about his/her work. Essentially, the employee engagement survey is used to evaluate an employee's level of commitment, motivation, passion and sense of purpose within their position3. Sheridan states that employee engagement can be defined as "an employee putting forth extra discretionary effort, as well as the likelihood of the employee being loyal and remaining with the organization over the long haul. Sheridan adds: "Research shows that engaged employees: perform better, put in extra efforts to help get the job done, show a strong level of commitment to the organization, and are more motivated and optimistic about their work goals. Employers with engaged employees tend to experience low employee turnover (a key issue) and more impressive business outcomes. Sheridan goes on explaining that a "Magnetic and Engaged Culture is a workplace to which great employees are attracted. It is marked by engaged employees who share a desire to be part of the value that the organization creates. A magnetic and engaged workplace is one that draws employees in, and sustains an environment in which they are less likely to leave. Actively disengaged employees, however, are known to be the poison of an organization, leading to horrific business and customer service outcomes. "One of our clients refers to their actively disengaged employees as "terrorists, stated Sheridan. The organization takes this term very seriously, creating an action plan to transition these individuals out of the organization as there is little to no chance of re-engaging those employees.
Employee Culture Survey - A Culture Survey helps measure the shared, unspoken assumptions and beliefs held by an organization or department. The purpose of an employee culture survey is to provide an accurate assessment of the existing culture from the employees' point-of-view. Organizations conducting a culture survey assess the current state of organizational assumptions and values, compare an organization's current culture to its desired future, and design an action plan for a culture of continuous improvement. Sheridan recommends keeping in mind that the word "culture has different meanings to different people and there is no one agreed upon definition. For example, people can refer or perceive their workplace to be a culture of openness, where there is open and honest communication, encouragement of upward and downward communication, or teamwork are hallmarks of the institution, whereas another person, when asked about culture, may immediately think about diversity in their workplace and what distinguishes it from other workplaces. To address these differences, HR Solutions recommended approach is to state up front the objectives of the measurement tool and clarify the critical role culture plays in the workforce in shaping the way work gets done.
Organizational surveysregardless of structurecan have many purposes, but ultimately they should be used as tool for assessment and positive change. This is particularly true today with managers' escalating requirements for research that assists with the examination of employee performance, satisfaction, engagement and ties to corporate culture.
HR Solutions recommends clients to identify three to four major objectives you would like to achieve with the survey. Too many objectives may result in a survey that fails to meet the immediate needs of the organization. In addition, set quantitative goals. This will enable the measurement of results and return on investment to the organization, establish a baseline for repeat surveys and identify how "far is up to monitor organizational progress. Having considered these questions, you are not well-positioned to select and design the appropriate survey instrument to support your goals.
In conclusion, one of the greatest challenges faced by organizations conducting employee surveys is the limited attention paid to post-survey action-planning and communication phase -- the very place where the majority of clients and their data-only providers fail to implement survey recommendations. This critical gap can lead to employees asking questions like, "Why are you having me take another survey when I never heard any feedback or saw any actions from the last survey?
HR Solutions' research indicates that only thirty-three percent of employees nationwide believed that employee surveys would result in change for their organization. Surprised? We're not. Some oft-cited reasons? Post-survey communication was poor or non-existent, senior management gave lip-service to implementing positive change, or the action-plans were nonexistent, weak, or lacked accountability. HR Solutions sets itself apart from conventional survey providers by offering comprehensive post-survey support services which ensure both managers and employees are informed of survey results, action plans and management's ongoing commitment.
We are confident this article has equipped you with the knowledge you need to select the survey instrument which best suits your organizational needs. Remember: keep your organizational goals front and center, communicate to your employees on a regular basis, adhere to a thorough and comprehensive survey process, and utilize a best-in-class provider of employee opinion services who can assist your organization in Turning Data Into Action".
1. Organizational Surveys, 1996, Allan Kraut, Jossey-Bass.
2. Ivey Business Journal, "What Engages Employees The Most Or, The Ten C's Of Employee Engagement by Gerard H Seijts and Dan Crim.
Copyright 2007 by HR Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. For permission to reprint or reproduce, call (312) 236-7170 or write to HR Solutions, Inc, 25 E. Washington Street, Suite 600, Chicago IL 60602. Please send e-mail questions and comments to info@hrsolutionsinc.com.
