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Employee surveys are the best, most cost effective way to gain insight into the opinions and beliefs of employees at all levels of an organization.  Traditionally, employee surveys focused more on classic employee relations themes and were used as a measure of the morale of employees.  More recently, marketing departments have turned inward, surveying employees to learn their thoughts about corporate initiatives, marketing campaigns, and a host of other corporate programs.  In addition, some organizations have taken surveying to the next level in the form of 360° evaluation surveys or department to department user surveys.

Today's surveys are quick-hit, often Internet-based and focus on specific items of importance to the organization. They combine modern technology with statistically sound survey methodology to assess the opinions and beliefs of workers on a wide range of important topics. The days of "survey events" are probably over.  Time constraints, cost constraints, and the increased sophistication of our employees as "survey takers" have all combined to create a need for a fast, flexible, and scalable survey approach.  At Lighthouse Associates, we have developed tools to allow rapid deployment of employee surveys via the web, e-mail, IVR, as well as traditional paper and pencil techniques. These techniques can be combined to allow the greatest flexibility for all survey participants.  We provide a full range of consulting services to allow your organization to rapidly implement your employee surveys, analyze the results, and provide feedback to employees and other key constituents.

Organizations can have a number of different reasons for conducting an employee opinion survey.  It is very important that the organization’s leadership clearly think through the goals they have for the survey, the results that they hope to get from the survey, and the manner by which the survey itself can serve to help further those goals.  Some of the reasons that many organizations chose to conduct employee surveys are:
 

Employee Relations Climate Surveys

This is the most common type of “employee relations” survey undertaken by organizations.  It typically asks about job satisfaction, job mobility, pay and benefits, management style, communications and work relations, and the like.  These surveys can provide valuable insight, especially to a new management team, into the areas of concern for employees, and help determine those areas needing immediate attention.  These surveys often depend on written comments to allow employees to expand upon their responses or to talk about areas not covered in the survey questions.

Organizational Total Alignment Surveys

This survey provides the most powerful insight into the overall potential of an organization to accomplish its vision and objectives.  Known as a “total alignment” survey, it focuses on the key elements that determine if the organization’s staff and management understand, support, and are working toward achieving the organization’s goals and vision.  This survey examines the perceptions of staff and management regarding the way goals are set and communicated, their level of participation in goal setting, and the manner by which achievement is measured, among other areas.  It looks to see that there is a clear line of sight between the work an employee does and the goals his or her work unit is trying to accomplish.

Union Organizing Risk Assessment Surveys

This survey is similar to the employee relations climate survey, but focuses on key areas of concern that are shown to lead to union organizing efforts on the part of the workforce.  These areas include job demands, job security, fair treatment by management, benefits, pay, involvement in decision making, and so on.

Quality of Work Life Surveys

Unlike climate surveys, “quality of work life” surveys focus on those specific aspects of the work environment that lead to high levels of work life satisfaction.  These surveys do not normally include questions about entitlement-type issues such as pay, benefits, and parking.  These surveys usually include questions regarding feelings of satisfaction, job fulfillment, and opportunities for learning and advancement (not just promotional advancement).  They may also include questions about participation opportunities, treatment by management, the organization’s mission, vision, and values, and other organizational issues that can affect the employee’s perception of his or her work environment.

Leadership Effectiveness Surveys

Organizations use this type of survey to assess the effectiveness of members of the leadership team as they communicate, motivate, involve, reward, and lead the workforce in their division, department, or work unit.  Typically focusing on mid- and front-line management, this survey assesses the success of all managers as they adhere to a set of leadership principles that the organization believes to be critical to its success and to creating a positive work environment.  This survey provides valuable information for individual management development plans, career and succession planning, and performance management.  Combined with the “quality of work life” survey, the "leadership effectiveness" survey is a very powerful tool for measuring the organizations achievement of its workforce related, balanced scorecard objectives.

Internal Customer Service Surveys

Many organizations have come to understand that employees are also customers.  Process handoffs and the customer/supplier chain within an organization are key factors in the quality and productivity of an organization.  Understanding the service level needs and the level of satisfaction of one group of employees (i.e. a department or work unit) with the services provided by another group of employees is crucial feedback for the latter group.  These surveys are usually much shorter (five to fifteen questions) and are administered monthly, quarterly, or annually to a targeted group of respondents.  Web survey techniques are especially effective for these types of surveys.

360° Feedback Surveys

The use of 360° surveys to obtain feedback on the performance of managers and executives is controversial.  We have seen them used very effectively and not so effectively.  Lighthouse Associates can help you assess whether 360° surveys are right for your organization, and how best to integrate them into (or not integrate them into) your performance management program.  If they are right for your organization, we can assist you in designing and implementing such a process.

 

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