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Employee
Surveys
Employee
Satisfaction or Climate Surveys
Employee surveys are conducted to identify what the
organization can do to increase productivity and reduce
unwanted turnover.
It
is estimated that the cost of replacing one employee is
anywhere from one-third to three times their annual salary:
one-third at the lowest paid level and three times at the
executive level. This includes many factors such as the
time and productivity lost by the employee as he or she
becomes disenchanted, the time spent in discussing the situation
by co-workers, managers and human resource staff. All this
is before the time and energy spent to recruit, interview,
select and train a new person and perhaps to go through
outplacement of the disenchanted employee.
A
successful survey process includes:
- A
strong partnership between the consultant and the client
organization from the beginning, from designing of the
survey to the presentation of results and recommendations
- A
representative group of people in the client organization
to work with the consultant to ensure that the survey
is on target for design, content and language
- Clearly
outlined expectations on how the survey data is to be
analyzed and reported
- An
effective manner of distributing the surveys (by paper
or electronically) and receiving the data in a confidential
manner
- Well
organized reports that highlight the most important results
and provide recommendations for follow-up with the employees
- Results
and recommendations that are provided back to the employees
in a timely manner
With
the experience of conducting many employee surveys, Sayer
& Associates can provide the direction, support and
analysis needed to make the survey a success in both the
eyes of the management and of the employees. Our clients
have reported that their employees increase their participation
in change efforts and in work motivation when they know
they are being heard and included in corporate plans.
Corporate
Culture and Values Surveys
The organization has established the type of culture
it wants – the type of values that they want the employees
to embrace in their work. But is it happening? And, if not,
why not? This type of survey can be an important gauge of
progress against goals in changing a corporate culture.
However, it is essential that the survey be written to evaluate
the actual behaviours that would be in evidence if the values
were in place, not simply to ask for opinions. It’s
a tough challenge in terms of survey work but very worthwhile
for organizations that are serious about change.
A
successful survey process would include many of the factors
included under Employee Satisfaction Surveys but may also
include:
- Structured
interviews with Executive and/or management level staff
- Focus
Groups to discuss survey results and provide additional
qualitative input
- Consultations
with Senior Management to discuss the major results, prior
to writing a final report and recommendations
Exit
Interviews and Surveys
Recent research has shown that "personal reasons"
were given as the reasons for leaving a job by 80% of employees
interviewed by their company. This number dropped to 20%
when the exiting employees were surveyed with confidentiality.
Finding out why employees – especially high performers
–leave is important in addressing immediate or short-term
issues, such as difficult managers or poor project management.
There are many positive and negative reasons for job change,
and varying insight into the reasons. Employers need to
be attuned to this in order to create strategies for retaining
solid, high performing staff.
Sayer
& Associates provides:
- Research
and counselling background to provide professional and
confidential polling of employees who leave
- Monthly
or quarterly (the amount of turnover affects confidentiality)
reports with metrics that include turnover data from corporate
and individual perspectives
- Cumulative
reports to build an ongoing picture of trends or issues
in turnover
- Reports
created to link to corporate strategies and measures
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