Date post: | 10-May-2015 |
Category: |
Business |
Upload: | greg-chartier-phd |
View: | 256 times |
Download: | 1 times |
The Current State of Employee Surveys and
Keys to Implementing an Effective Survey Process
Employee Surveys:Pitfalls and Promise
2
Today’s Business Today’s Business SituationSituation
Complexity
Rapidly changing competitive environment
Re-organizations, mergers, acquisitions
Emphasis on business processes as key to competitive advantage
Interdependence — need for cross-functional, cross-boundary problem solving
HR needs to add value
3
PremisePremise
In order to succeed in today’s environment, organizations must: Communicate the organization’s vision, values
and objectives to all employees
Engage the workforce behind the priority objectives of the organization
Build commitment in the workforce in order to retain key employees
How Surveys How Surveys ContributeContribute
4
Assess Employee
Engagement
Assess Employee
Engagement
Institutionalize Values
Institutionalize Values
Predict Readiness to Change
Predict Readiness to Change
Identify BarriersIdentify Barriers
Build Ownership for Outcomes
Build Ownership for Outcomes
Track Progress
Link toBusinessOutcomes
Link toBusinessOutcomes
5
How Surveys How Surveys ContributeContribute
Provide organizational assessment
Create a catalyst for change
Provide structure for problem identification and action planning
Encourage accountability
Build teamwork and commitment
Open lines of communication
6
Employee Perceptions Employee Perceptions are Linked to Business are Linked to Business OutcomesOutcomes
Employee opinions and customer satisfaction− Schneider, Parkington & Buxton (1980)− Schneider & Bowen (1985)
Employee opinions and business performance− Tornow & Wiley (1991)− Wiley (1991)
“Lagged” effects and causation− Ashworth, Higgs, Schneider, Shepherd & Carr (1995)− Rucci, Kern & Quinn (1998)− Wiley & Brooks (2000)
7
The Link is IndirectThe Link is Indirect
Employee impact on quality/customer service
Impact of employee engagement directly on business performance
Quality/service impact on business performance
+
+ +
+
Employee Data
Employee Data
Customer Data
Customer Data
Financial Data
Financial Data
8
Conclusions from the Conclusions from the LiteratureLiterature
Employee and customer satisfaction are strongly and positively linked
A leadership value-system that emphasizes product quality and customer service is fundamental to this linkage
Practices derived from this value system include:− Providing employees with the necessary support, resources & training
− Involving them in decisions that affect their work
− Empowering them to do what is necessary to meet customer expectations
Employee retention is positively related to customer satisfaction
Quality and customer satisfaction have long-term, positive relationships with customer retention, market share and profitability
9
Conclusions from the Conclusions from the LiteratureLiterature
Certain practices that increase short-term sales and profits may do so at the expense of employee and customer satisfaction
Investment in practices that support quality, employee and customer satisfaction is a long-term business strategy, not a quick fix
10
Evolution of Employee Evolution of Employee SurveysSurveys
TopicsTopics MoraleMorale
PurposePurpose AssessmentAssessment Problem-solvingProblem-solving
Information flow
Information flow UpwardUpward Multi-directionalMulti-directional
ScopeScope Broad, longBroad, long Short, focusedShort, focused
Action responsibility
Action responsibility ManagementManagement EveryoneEveryone
TodayTodayPreviouslyPreviously
EngagementEngagement
11
The Survey ProcessThe Survey Process
Linking the Survey to StrategyLinking the Survey to Strategy
Data CollectionData Collection
Value-Added Data AnalysisValue-Added Data Analysis
UtilizationUtilization
Follow-up
12
Linking Surveys to Linking Surveys to StrategyStrategy
Successful surveys are action-oriented and focus on issues clearly related to the organization’s success Clear priorities and agenda
Limited survey scope
Behavior/outcome-oriented questions− Ensure that the data reflect employees’ actual experiences
Focused at multiple levels− Responsibility and authority can be pushed to the lowest
appropriate level
13
Data CollectionData Collection
Successful surveys are action-oriented and focus on issues clearly related to the organization’s success Process clearly communicated to all employees
− Steps− Dates− Expectations
Appropriate administration process and technologies
Limited administration period− Frequently determined by administration process
Rapid data turn-around− “Survey data are not fine wine -- they don’t get better with age”
14
Value-Added Data Value-Added Data AnalysisAnalysis
Key-driver analysis: Employee Engagement
0.22
0.32
0.28
Clear Strategic
Vision
Clear Strategic
Vision
Opinions Are Valued
Opinions Are Valued
Development
Encouraged
Development
Encouraged
Employee Engagement
Employee Engagement
15
Value-Added Data Value-Added Data AnalysisAnalysis
Strategic Priority Analysis
Impact on Employee Motivation
Em
plo
yee
Favora
blility
HighLow
High
Key Strength Areas
Key Strength Areas
Critical Improvements
Critical Improvements
•
Performance
Recognition
Leadership
Culture
Development
Strategy & Values
Comm.s• Reward
•
• IT
Working Environment
• Line Management
•
•
•
•
•
•
16
Value-Added Data Value-Added Data AnalysisAnalysis
Linkage Research
Integrating and correlating survey data with other important organizational data
Goal is to identify elements of the work environment that “link” to key organizational outcomes (e.g., customer satisfaction, quality, turnover, etc.)
The stronger the linkage between employee survey results and measures of organizational effectiveness, the greater the value of the survey
17
Value-Added Data Value-Added Data AnalysisAnalysis
Linkage Research Linkage research is difficult to do well
− Need a fairly large number of similar units (e.g., branches, stores, etc.
Linkage research may change priorities− Typically focus on lowest rated issues/topics− Linkage research helps focus on empirically-identified “predictors”
of organizational outcomes
Content affects the likelihood that results will predict outcomes
− Survey measures of “Organizational Effectiveness” more likely to link to outcomes
− Traditional “Employee Relations” topics conspicuously absent
18
UtilizationUtilization
The most critical step...
The most critical step...
The transition from collecting data to actually doing something about it
“Survey Data Never Changed Anything”
The transition from collecting data to actually doing something about it
“Survey Data Never Changed Anything”
19
UtilizationUtilization
“Surveys are like hand grenades. Once you pull the pin,
you really have to do something with them!”
“Surveys are like hand grenades. Once you pull the pin,
you really have to do something with them!”
Or, put another way:
20
UtilizationUtilization
Communicate resultsCommunicate results
Understand the dataUnderstand the data
Prioritize issuesPrioritize issues
Transition to actionTransition to action
“This is what you said.”“This is what you said.”
“Tell us what you mean.”“Tell us what you mean.”
“We can’t fix everything. What’s important?”
“We can’t fix everything. What’s important?”
“What are we going to do about it?”“What are we going to do about it?”
21
UtilizationUtilization
Feedback and Action-Planning Model
Takes place at multiple levels− Company/business unit− Function− Work group/department
Managers trained to conduct meetings
“Trickle-up” of issue specifics
Employees involved in developing & implementing actions
22
Follow-UpFollow-Up
Feedback and Action-Planning Model
Ongoing monitoring of action-implementations
Continuous communication linking actions to the survey process
Make surveys a regular part of your business measurement
Surveys are not opinion polls. Surveys are not opinion polls. They are a process!They are a process!
Surveys are not opinion polls. Surveys are not opinion polls. They are a process!They are a process!
23
Best Practices in Best Practices in SurveysSurveys
Line ownership of the process
Executive buy-in and commitment
Focused on strategic/operational issues
Integrated with other organizational processes
Accountability for action
Communication, communication, communication
24
Survey PitfallsSurvey Pitfalls
Unclear survey objectives
Insufficient planning/resources
Poor questionnaire design
Inappropriate administration methodology
“Paralysis by Analysis”
Failure integrate link survey with standard business practices
Lack of accountability for survey-based improvements
Poor follow-up communication
25
Contact InformationContact Information
For more information, please contact:
Jack Kennedy
Executive Director
Half Moon Consulting
(914) 923-5051