The Secret Behind Employee Surveys

White Paper ® TalentKeepers is celebrating 15 years of providing award-winning employee engagement and retention solutions to help companies around the globe increase their performance. We’re a recognized leader in innovative onboarding tools, employee engagement surveys that drive growth and accountability, HRCI and SHRM certified training for HR professionals, unique eLearning leadership programs, teambuilding tools and much more. Twice we have won HR Executive Magazine’s Product of the Year award. Re-energize your efforts and expect more from your engagement and retention partner. Contact us today at [email protected].

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The Value of Surveys in Engaging and Retaining Talent

We all get that we need to listen to the Voice of the Customer (VOC). No one is going to argue the importance of knowing what customers want and when and how they want it. The voice of the customer is the first whisper of customer loyalty.

But are we tuned in well enough and often enough to another important sound – the VOE (Voice of our Employees)?

Forward thinking companies recognize that listening to the VOE is the other important part of business success. These companies know that listening to “both sides of the story” is critical when it comes to making operational decisions. They also know that to achieve optimal levels of loyalty – from both customers and employees – they need to keep their finger on the pulse of both populations.

Furthermore, successful companies understand the important link between employee and customer satisfaction.

There is a happy, engaged employee behind every happy, fulfilled customer. .

The talent management industry defines engaged employees as those who willingly give “discretionary effort” – going beyond what is typically required in a position to help an organization succeed. When they are engaged, employees express themselves physically, cognitively, and emotionally during work performances. At TalentKeepers, we describe an engaged workforce as having a heightened level of ownership when each employee wants to do whatever they can for their team, the customer, and the organization.

In general, organizations fortunate enough to create and maintain an engaged workforce enjoy improved performance levels. TalentKeepers’ research indicates that higher levels of employee engagement are linked to employee commitment, a high performing workforce, satisfied and loyal customers, and a productive and profitable organization.

So what’s the best way to find out if your employees are REALLY happy?

The answer is simple. Ask them.

Companies often invest large sums of money with third parties to uncover reasons why employees leave, or to generate suggestions for improving morale, productivity, and employee satisfaction. While the money and effort involved in third party consultations are well spent in most cases, management often overlooks a more qualified voice to speak to these challenges: the employees themselves.

Leaders who understand this mindset spend time interacting with their employees. They are “out in front” upholding the vision, helping out where needed, and getting to know their team members. Smart companies take this a step farther. While informal communication is absolutely crucial in ensuring Over two thirds of U.S. companies an engaged workforce, formalizing the survey their employees to gauge listening process provides three advantages: employee engagement and satisfaction.  Proof that the company cares  Basis for accountability and action  Sounding board for EVERYONE

Employee engagement surveys are important tools in determining whether or not team members are whole-heartedly happy and bringing their best selves to work. . When done well, surveys reinforce for employees that their contribution is valuable, their concerns are important, and their input is appreciated.

WHY ask?

Employee engagement surveys expose the truth.

Gathering an accurate understanding of how your employees feel about each other, their leaders, their current positions, and the organization as a whole is the starting point for determining what aspects of your organization are currently working effectively and which elements present the most opportunities for improvement. The consistent measurement of these elements will instill accountability among leaders for addressing areas which are in need of improvement.

Employee engagement surveys allow you to capture new ideas as well. Because employees are closer to the pulse of company processes, products, services, and customers, they hold a valuable perspective on improvement and innovation opportunities that are commonly overlooked by senior management. Asking employees for their opinions can yield breakthrough discoveries

The most valuable employee engagement surveys measure the effectiveness of co-worker, leader, job, and organizational factors. . The psychological benefits of employee surveys are often as important as the concrete improvements they generate. Many employee concerns are based on non-quantitative elements such as trust, work schedules, recognition, benefits, and working conditions. When a company conducts an employee survey, workers feel cared about, empowered, valued, and believe that leadership is dedicated to improving job satisfaction. Surveys provide a boost of empowerment and pride, creating a higher sense of morale and a stronger sense of loyalty.

Do They Really Want to Be Asked?

Contrary to any grumbling or rumors you might hear, research indicates that employees, in general, like surveys. They appreciate, and are sometimes even surprised, that someone is asking for their opinions.

The most valuable employee engagement surveys measure the effectiveness of co- worker, leader, job, and organizational factors. A survey should measure the stability of a workforce and evaluate critical factors that attract, help retain, or drive talent away. Engagement surveys should ask direct questions to find out what might motivate workers to be their best at work and what might make them either stay or leave a job. TalentKeepers’ engagement survey, TalentWatch, is an anonymous survey that measures organization, job, leadership, and co-worker factors that contribute to an employee’s willingness to join your organization, why they are engaged at work and choose to stay, and why employees would consider leaving. This survey identifies action items to improve key performance indicators like quality, sales, service, and productivity.

TalentWatch® is easy to implement and results are available quickly. Reports include easy to understand and actionable results for leaders, such as the percentage of employees that are currently engaged, satisfaction levels, and employee turnover risk.

Why is it important for leaders to receive their own engagement survey results rather than just see business unit results? The individual leader report helps each leader understand, analyze, and create a development plan that keeps the focus on what matters most to their team and empowers the leader to embrace the fact that their interaction impacts employees in organization, job, leader, and co-worker situations every day.

Results are also available at group levels and, most importantly, you have the ability to filter results by attributes such as performance rating, tenure, generation, and location.

To ensure long-term positive results, leaders must effectively communicate their appreciation for employee ideas and suggestions.

Click here to learn more about TalentWatch®, TalentKeepers’ team engagement survey.

Another powerful engagement survey that we offer is called FirstFit®. TalentKeepers developed an award-winning process that received the Top Training Program of the Year Award from Human Resource Executive Magazine in 2008. It helps organizations effectively and consistently engage employees by building stronger relationships between each employee and their leader.

This simple yet powerful process starts with our FirstFit® survey, which asks each employee what attributes he/she values most in a leader. Leaders then receive results for each of their employees’ preferences and conduct a meeting, called a Handshake Meeting. During this conversation, they review the individual preferences and discuss behaviors that past leaders have used effectively with the employee. The leader then commits to use similar behaviors when interacting with the employee.

The second part of the meeting focuses on the leader asking for the employee’s commitment to be open and honest with the leader about anything that is bothering them or reducing their engagement.

The process is supported by an online learning module called Handshake Connection, which teaches leaders how to effectively conduct Handshake Meetings. Tens of thousands of leaders have used this process to better engage their teams by understanding the unique needs of each of their employees.

Click here to learn more about our FirstFit® survey, TalentKeepers’ individual engagement survey.

Too often, organizations ask departing employees about why they are leaving the organization, and the employees describe the attributes of their new employer that attracted them to their new position, such as better pay and benefits, a more flexible schedule , etc. However, the real question to ask these employees is “What made you start looking or respond to the recruiter’s call?”

TalentKeepers offers an exit survey called PartingWords® that uncovers the true reasons why team members leave an organization. The survey questions are organized by turnover categories – co-workers, organization, job, and leader factors. This comprehensive tool asks the right questions to enable leaders to better identify and respond to the issues that cause employees to voluntarily leave the organization. Click here to learn more about our PartingWords® exit survey.

What Do You Do with the Results?

If you are going to commit to conducting employee engagement surveys, the first thing you want to do is make sure that results are available quickly. The best surveys are easy to implement and provide detailed, actionable results to all levels of management, from an executive dashboard to individualized reports for front-line leaders. Data should be easy to interpret and immediate, and reports easy to pull. Effective surveys need to provide the option for confidential input and offer options in terms of multi-modal administration (i.e. online, paper). The ability to filter results by customized employee attributes is a plus in enabling leaders and the organization to be able to take specific action.

SO that’s the first thing. . But what’s the vital thing?

To ensure long-term positive results, leaders must effectively communicate their appreciation for employees’ time, ideas, and suggestions. If any operational changes are made as a result of an idea submitted via an employee survey, leaders should make employees aware that their suggestions are being acted upon. Remember, letting employees know their voice matters to the success of the team and the organization has a direct correlation on employee engagement!

Leaders should also view this survey data as a rare Without a survey, leaders opportunity to improve their own skills and behaviors. have to guess at how Without a survey, leaders have to guess. they’re doing with their team members. Remember, the true value of an engagement survey is based on a leader’s commitment and ability to manage differently based on the survey results. The ultimate goal is to apply the VOE (Voice of the Employee) to improve employee engagement through leadership, co-workers, job/career satisfaction, and a high performing organization.

Conclusion

The high costs of disengaged employees reach far and deep into organizations. Engagement surveys are one of the most valuable tools to help organizations assess and attack issues that cause employees to become disengaged. Not only do these surveys signal what areas need improvement, but point to ways that increase productivity. They also strengthening employee-leader relationships, supporting a climate in which employees are motivated to work harder, and drive results.

TalentKeepers has surveyed millions of employees around the world. We are experts in all of the elements required for conducting a highly effective survey, including design, communication, administration, data analysis, and providing actionable results. We offer standardized surveys with global benchmark data for all phases of the employee lifecycle, as well as the ability to customize a survey that meets your exact needs.

Talent Management Solutions

® TalentKeepers is celebrating 15 years of providing award-winning employee engagement and retention solutions to help companies around the globe increase their performance. We’re a recognized leader in innovative onboarding tools, employee engagement surveys that drive growth and accountability, HRCI and SHRM certified training for HR professionals, unique eLearning leadership programs, teambuilding tools and much more. Twice we have won HR Executive Magazine’s Product of the Year award. Re-energize your efforts and expect more from your engagement and retention partner. Contact us today at [email protected].

Leadership Training Programs All of TalentKeepers training and development programs are built around critical competencies and designed to give leaders the skills they need to be increasingly effective in their careers. Leaders learn talents including Trust Builder, Flexibility Expert, Talent Developer & Coach and High Performance Builder in a total, blended learning approach including e-learning modules, reinforcement workshops and off-line practice activities.

Employee Engagement Solutions Retaining and actively engaging high-performing employees builds strength in an organization’s culture and improves overall performance. TalentKeepers offers several tools proven to increase commitment and positively impact engagement and productivity.

Surveys/Assessments TalentKeepers’ surveys and assessments can help you measure and report the impact of critical factors that contribute to engagement and the degree of influence those factors have on employees’ decisions to join, stay or leave your organization.

For details on our Talent Management Solutions or to get more information on TalentKeepers’ full range of products and services:

Call us! 407-660-6041 www.talentkeepers.com [email protected]