Key Topics
This month we wanted to share some guidance on key areas you should be asking questions around to get your staff survey right. We love helping organisations understand their staff better. Even more so if we can help them get improved engagement and involvement.
Sense of Purpose
We all want a sense of purpose in life, a sense of belonging to something that is worthwhile. That’s why it’s really important to check your staff understand and buy in to your mission, vision and values. Make sure you compose your staff survey questions to align with the terms you and your team recognise. Asking if staff understand your organisations mission, values and vision is a good starting point.
Feeling Valued
Staff will feel much more engaged with, and committed to, an organisation where they feel valued. Both by the organisation and the people closest to them – particularly management. How valued do your staff feel in your organisation?
Training & Development
Most people want to feel their job provides them with plenty of opportunities to learn and develop. That’s why you should be checking on training and development. Do staff understand what training and development they can access to help them achieve a high standard in their role?
Career Progression
Along with good training and development, most people want to feel they are offered fair and achievable career development opportunities and a clear career path. Without it, don’t be surprised if they don’t stick around too long and find it elsewhere. What career progression options are in place and how are they communicated to your teams?
Communications
It does not matter how good the organisation, if accessing or sharing information is hard this soon becomes a major demotivator. Where can staff access all the necessary information for them to perform well in their role?
Resources
This is one lots of people miss in engagement surveys, but we think it’s crucial. If you are working every day to contribute at work but fighting to get the appropriate resources, or working without them, it rapidly becomes draining. After all, who likes wading through treacle? Ask employees during your onboarding process if they have all the resources they need. Then make sure you include this question in your regular staff surveys in case their requirements have changed and you are unaware of any barriers.
Ability to Contribute
People who are engaged want to contribute ideas and thoughts. They will also get an added boost if they feel their views will be listened too and actioned where appropriate. Staff who feel management welcome their ideas are more likely to come forward with them.
Autonomy
Few people feel fulfilled in being automaton. That’s why a good degree of autonomy can contribute to increased engagement. Have a think about how much flexibility you provide?
Friendship
It helps to make work more fun if you have friends there. Even better if the organisation itself is friendly. How welcome to staff feel? How can you determine how friendly your workplace really is?
Efficacy of the organisation and its leaders
Most people want to feel they belong to an organisation which acts in an ethical way, and where its leaders are role models. In an age when organisational successes and failings can be shared rapidly online this is more important than ever. Do your staff perceive senior management as consistently acting ethically?
Health and Wellbeing
Stress and mental illness is a major problem for the workforce overall. More than 1 in 4 staff will suffer from mental illness at some stage. It’s going to be pretty impossible for your staff to be truly engaged if they are hugely stressed. What is the work/life balance like for your employees?
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Easily set up, run and interpret surveys on engagement, respect, wellness or other topics to ensure you always understand your people, their needs and motivations.
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