Employee surveys are a great tool that helps companies figure out employee engagement which significantly affects the overall success of any organization. They also help you gather insights into what your employees value, their source of motivation, and their frustrations.
The surveys also help you find out whether employees are motivated, their engagement, and productivity levels. Below we look at key reasons why employee surveys matter and how to increase the response rates.
You should work to increase employee survey response rates for various reasons. You can read here to know more about how to increase employee survey response rates.
It Helps Detect Gaps
Employee surveys help organizations detect gaps that need to be filled. These could be knowledge gaps or issues with inadequate training, induction, poor conflict resolutions, among other aspects that affect the day-to-day running of a company. These findings help the company strategize on filling the gaps through recommendations from experts, the management, or the employees.
Measures Employees Engagement
Regular surveys help measure employee engagement and areas of disengagement. For instance, most employees feel detached from the senior management. With the survey results, it’s easy to pick areas that need changes, improvement, and total overhaul. This is not possible without their input.
Effective Data Gathering Tool
Employee surveys are a very effective method of gathering data and other important information. This can range from what employees feel can be done to improve the company, what new projects to introduce, what other companies are doing that can be replicated, and any other helpful data. Consolidating this information from different people can significantly help the company improve its operations. The surveys are effective and also save time since the information is gathered once.
Drives Organization Change Management and Growth
Feedback from surveys can help an organization manage change and drive growth. It’s easy to identify areas of change when the suggestions come to someone who works in the organization daily. The changes may include external training programs, policy reviews, more staff to understaffed departments, incentives and reward programs for motivation, and a relaxed working environment. Positive change comes with growth as long as it’s implemented professionally. Organizations can make significant investments and even change the company culture based on these surveys.
Great Avenue to Build Employee Trust
When followed by implementation, employee surveys lead to trust. After the survey findings are out and feedback is shared, implementation is the next important step that brings ownership. It also makes employees feel valued. With trust, you do not need to coerce them to take the surveys in the future, they will be looking forward since they know there is follow-through and their welfare is taken care of. It also gives employees a voice as stakeholders in the organization since their opinions matters
How to Increase Employee Survey Response Rates
These are various methods an organization can use to increase survey rates
- Communicate the importance and the objectives of the survey
- Make the survey short and simple
- Engage the management in the process
- Ensure the survey is easily accessible
- Assure employees privacy and confidentiality
- Share survey results
- Communicate areas that have been implemented as a result of the surveys
Employee surveys help you build trust, grow as a company, and manage change. They also assist you to identify gaps using a very effective tool. Always ensure the surveys are short, simple, accessible, confidential, and the results are not only shared but also implemented