A question I read on Linked In about staff surveys

Found myself on my soap box this morning when I saw this question from Ankhur Chadha posted on Linked In from one of the groups in which I’m a member!

“We are starting an Employee Motivation Survey. Please share your ideas and insight on Do’s and Don’ts.



1. Necessity of conduction this survey.
2. Pre & Post planning of survey.
3. What should be the Sample size.
4. how to motivate employees to take part in the survey.

Would also like senior members to comment on the analysis and post analysis part of the survey.”

Here’s my response!

Ankur hi,
Don’t get me started on this one! It’s something I feel particularly passionate about! Surveys are like any other tool – used properly, they can be really useful, and help a manager or the wider company make tangible and lasting differences to the culture of a team: to staff engagement and to staff motivation.

The problem is, there are some basic mistakes companies can make which mean the whole process simply becomes not only a rather expensive waste of time, but more worryingly as far as I’m concerned, worsens the way employees feel about their workplace.

There are 9 basic mistakes I see happen regularly:

1) They have grown into unwieldy, time-consuming and complex “monsters” requiring complicated setup and access.
2) Once set up, it takes ages, (and often consultancy hours for which you are paying!), to encourage all staff to take part.
3) Despite your cajoling and encouragement, you’re lucky to achieve more than 60% of staff completing the survey.
4) You have to wait to get the results.
5) The results come back in the form of some long, rather complex report.  Often, follow up falls on the shoulders of a few souls in HR or Learning & Development who struggle to plan a useful programme of improvement.
6) Follow up is so late it becomes ineffective.
7) Staff are cynical. They see it as another, management led initiative, which disappears into a black hole, and which doesn’t seem to change anything. I’ve heard a few staff in my time say they feel staff surveys a waste of time, because while they are asked for their opinion, nothing changes. It’s perceived as a “tick-box” exercise.
8)They are expensive to run. You find yourself paying not only for the survey, but the “complex report” from the consultancy, and maybe even further high fees for them to help you implement the follow up.
9) Because the survey is seen as management led, staff don’t really get involved in the plans for improvement. They simply do not see “what’s in it for them”.

As a trainer and coach, specialising in helping managers hone their people skills, I’d answer your 4 points quickly this way:

1) YES! Surveys are a great tool – I advocate them all the time. BUT individual managers need to be highly involved and staff should not feel this is something being done to them – they should be encouraged to take ownership too.
2Know what? I think we make things too complicated sometimes. In the entrepeneur world there is a saying; “Money loves speed”.
Are there ways surveys could be done quicker, simpler, and with better effect? Yes! Plan – for sure. But don’t become paralysed with it!
3) Sample size? I believe every team in every company – every manager – should regularly solicit feedback from their staff. the problem is, most HR departments seem to think it all has to be their job – which just removes the immediacy and potential power of the activity.
4) Motivate employees? why does the process not motivate them? for all the reasons I cite above!
If you want to motivate employees – you have to give them a reason to be motivated!
sorry for the soap box! will step down now!

Are you struggling with  employee motivation and morale right now?  For 40 extremely practical tips, techniques and tools to help you motivate staff in the most difficult of circumstances, as well as an easy quick survey tool and activity you can run with your team to get you started, see “The busy manager’s guide to staff motivation: 40 simple tips and techniques to improve employee motivation in tough situations.”

———————————————————————

For more information to help you with the people side of management,
including how to improve employee motivation and get the best out of your team, take a look at these great resources:

———————————————————————

Related posts:

1. 9 reasons most staff engagement surveys don’t work – and some tips to get them right!
2. Great ideas for recognising staff – which will cost you next to nothing
3. Want to motivate your staff? I don’t recommend this!
4. What are the best ways of creating a real team feeling within the department?
5. Simple techniques to help managers keep their staff loyalty