According to a recent Gallup poll, just 36 percent of U.S. employees are engaged at work. This means that over 60 percent of workers are actively disengaged. To combat “quiet quitting,” companies use employee engagement surveys to measure employees' job satisfaction and commitment to their workforce. However, simply collecting data from these surveys is not enough to create meaningful change in the workplace. To truly understand the root causes of employee disengagement, go beyond the numbers and dig deeper into the "why" behind the results.
Employee Surveys Drive Meaningful Change
Employee surveys have become essential for companies looking to improve their employee experience (EX). By gathering employee feedback, companies can identify areas where they excel and areas where they need improvement. Surveys can help identify issues with company culture, such as a lack of diversity and inclusion or poor communication among teams. They can also provide valuable insight into employee satisfaction with benefits, work-life balance, and career development opportunities.
By addressing the concerns highlighted in employee surveys, companies can make meaningful changes that lead to a more positive EX. For instance, some companies have used employee survey data to introduce flexible work schedules, create wellness programs, or establish mentoring and training programs.
Types Of Employee Surveys
When it comes to improving the employee experience, companies can use several types of employee surveys to gather feedback and insights from their workforce. Let's take a closer look at four popular types of employee surveys: pulse surveys, annual surveys, 360-degree feedback surveys, and exit surveys.
Pulse Surveys
Pulse surveys are short, frequent surveys designed to gather real-time employee feedback on specific topics. These surveys typically focus on a single question or a few key questions and are sent out regularly. Pulse surveys are an effective way to quickly identify areas of concern or areas where improvements can be made. For example, a pulse survey might ask employees about their work satisfaction or feelings about the company's communication practices.
Annual Surveys
As the name suggests, annual surveys are conducted once a year to gather employee feedback on a range of topics related to their work experience. These surveys are more comprehensive than pulse surveys and typically cover a broader range of issues, such as compensation, benefits, training, development, and company culture. Annual surveys give companies a more in-depth understanding of their employees' needs and concerns, allowing them to make more informed decisions about improving the employee experience.
360-Degree Feedback Surveys
360-degree feedback surveys are designed to gather feedback from an employee's colleagues, managers, and direct reports. These surveys typically focus on the employee's job performance and provide valuable insights into areas where the employee excels and needs improvement. 360-degree feedback surveys are helpful for employee development and can help companies identify employee training and development opportunities.
Exit Surveys
Exit surveys are conducted when an employee leaves the company and are designed to gather feedback on the reasons for their departure. These surveys are essential for companies looking to improve their employee retention rates and identify areas where they can improve.
Sometimes companies try to use broad industry data to solve problems with their employee turnover. But each company is different and has unique challenges. A report from 2017 found that only 7.6% of companies have the same top reasons for employees leaving in the same order of importance.
Exit surveys can provide valuable insights into issues unique to a company, such as employee morale, compensation, benefits, and work-life balance. This can help make targeted changes that improve the overall employee experience.
Measurement and Best Practices
Employee Survey Best Practices
Employee surveys can be an incredibly valuable tool for improving an organization's employee experience (EX). However, conducting a successful survey requires more than just asking a few questions and hoping for the best. To ensure that surveys are effective, here are some best practices to follow:
Choosing the Right Survey Type and Frequency
When selecting a survey type, choosing one that aligns with an organization's goals and objectives is essential. Consider whether to conduct a pulse survey, an annual survey, a 360-degree feedback survey, an exit survey, or all of the above.
Additionally, determining the appropriate frequency of surveys is crucial. Regular pulse surveys can help identify issues in real time, while annual surveys can provide a more comprehensive view of an organization's EX.
Ensuring Anonymity and Confidentiality
To encourage honest and candid feedback, it's essential to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. Employees should be assured that their responses will be kept anonymous and that their feedback will not be shared with their managers or colleagues.
Making the Survey Process Easy and Accessible
Surveys should be easy to complete and accessible to all employees regardless of their role or location. Consider using an online survey platform that is easy to navigate and accessible from any device.
Interpreting Survey Results and Taking Action
The true value of employee surveys lies in the insights they provide and the actions taken based on those insights. Carefully examine the survey results to identify trends, patterns, and areas of concern. Look for themes in the data and identify areas where improvements can be made.
Acting On Survey Data
After analyzing the data, identify the most critical areas of improvement. Consider prioritizing these areas based on their impact on the overall EX.
Creating Action Plans to Address Areas of Improvement
Develop an action plan to address each identified improvement area. Assign responsibility for each action plan and establish a timeline for completion.
Implementing Changes and Measuring Progress
Implement the changes identified in action plans and track progress over time. Conduct follow-up surveys to measure progress and identify new areas for improvement.
Following these best practices will result in a successful employee survey program that helps identify critical areas for improvement, make data-driven decisions, and ultimately improve an organization's EX.
See How Companies are Revamping Employee Experience
Sometimes a company will build a solid culture, but they won’t have the right employees—with the right behaviors—set up to deliver on the brand’s promises. That’s the problem a large telecommunications provider recently came to us to solve.
The solution?
We mapped out a full employee engagement strategy that set them apart from the competition—and reshaped their future. Read the full Employee Experience Strategy Case Study to learn how we helped them elevate EX and gain an edge.
Andrew Reise knows how important it is to listen to employees. We work closely with organizations to determine employee needs and create strategic plans to increase employee happiness and retention. Contact us to get started.
