| In a competitive world with the need for businesses to | | | | generally to inform and not discuss issues. |
| be more streamlined and productive a company can | | | | Keeping the Initiative |
| often find itself with a workforce working under | | | | An employee satisfaction survey run on a regular |
| pressure resulting in low moral and high staff turnover. | | | | basis is able to ask each employee specific questions |
| The benefits of a company having a highly motivated | | | | and represents a pro-active management initiative |
| workforce can be considerable and the two goals of | | | | where the whole workforce can be consulted on |
| having a workforce that is both motivated and | | | | various issues. Surveys are able to provide a level |
| productive should not be regarded as being mutually | | | | playing field between the quieter and more vocal |
| exclusive to one another. | | | | employees. |
| Left unattended employers run the risk of alienating | | | | Consultation should not be seen as a sign of |
| their employees, events can cause employee | | | | weakness, a confident manager will take counsel from |
| frustrations to boil over resulting in employers finding | | | | all quarters before making a decision. By issuing a |
| themselves on the back foot, faced with a problem | | | | survey and keeping the initiative the employer is able |
| that cannot be ignored. | | | | to tackle problems from a position of strength as |
| Ideally employers would take time to understand the | | | | opposed to waiting for problems to fester and then |
| needs of their employees and learn from their | | | | develop out of proportion. |
| experiences of working on the front line, but employers | | | | Small problems left unresolved can lead to a situation |
| are often themselves tied up day to day fighting their | | | | where a minor problem might break the camels back |
| own fires. | | | | and the workforce mood change from positive to |
| By automating much of the intelligence gathering | | | | negative over night. |
| process and providing the findings in a format that can | | | | It's Quick and Easy |
| be readily analysed online surveys provide employers | | | | For the majority of companies online surveys |
| with an efficient, effective and low cost method to | | | | represent a proactive and low cost solution. They are |
| help achieve a pleasant working environment, where | | | | quick to design and for many companies, where the |
| staff satisfaction and productivity is high. | | | | majority of personnel have desktop computers, they |
| Dissatisfied & Unproductive | | | | are quick to deploy direct to the individual. |
| The are many reasons why employees may be | | | | In situations where individuals do not have personal |
| dissatisfied with their job and more often than not staff | | | | access to a computer there are still many options |
| frustration is channelled into a demand for higher | | | | available to implement the online survey solution such |
| salaries and less hours. Employers who tackle these | | | | as giving access to a shared computer, operator input |
| issues head on, making it all about salary and hours, will | | | | or, as a last resort, a hardcopy survey. |
| often find themselves dealing with the symptoms and | | | | Job Satisfaction |
| not the root cause. | | | | There are many elements that go towards providing |
| It's not about Money | | | | an employee with job satisfaction, from the working |
| The following are common barriers to achieving | | | | environment, working methodology, working ethos, |
| productivity, none of which are likely to be resolved by | | | | company ethics to having good and effective |
| increasing salaries or reducing hours:- | | | | management. Job satisfaction brings benefits through |
| • Inadequate training | | | | improved motivation and productivity from a |
| • Out of touch management | | | | workforce that feels that they are treated as |
| • Out of date working methods | | | | individuals and not a commodity item. |
| • Lack of proper tools and equipment | | | | Inform and Educate |
| Many studies have shown that salaries are rarely the | | | | An online survey can also be used to educate and |
| number one priority of employees and providing an | | | | pass on to the workforce important information, the |
| employer is paying market rate they would be | | | | 'message' is consistently delivered and does not suffer |
| fundamentally wrong to think that paying higher salaries | | | | from the Chinese whisper phenomenon where a |
| is the answer to all employee problems. | | | | message can be distorted as it is handed down. |
| Take the case of a single mother who is juggling a full | | | | An online survey can explain a difficult situation and get |
| time job with the need to look after two children. Out | | | | valuable feedback from the employees as to the best |
| of frustration she may demand more money so that | | | | solution. It is rare in this situation that the workforce |
| she feels that she is able to cope where a better | | | | would appear negative and more likely that they will |
| solution, for both her and the company, may be more | | | | feel informed and empowered that might in itself turn a |
| flexible working hours. | | | | potentially negative problem into a positive challenge |
| It is About Communication | | | | that unites the workforce. |
| It is important for any company to encourage | | | | Exit Surveys |
| communication. Company's that make communication | | | | Exit surveys are an excellent way of ensuring that |
| between personnel and management difficult, or take | | | | when personnel leave an organisation they are leaving |
| the view that if personnel have a problem they will say | | | | for the right reasons and not due to reasons that if |
| something, can often delude themselves into thinking | | | | appreciated earlier could have been addressed and |
| their workforce is content when it is not. It only takes | | | | resolved by management. Although identifying a |
| one small problem and one disgruntled employee to | | | | problem may not prevent a person leaving it could |
| feel aggrieved for an entire workforce to develop a | | | | solve an unappreciated issue that may, if left |
| destructive 'them and us' attitude. | | | | unchecked, result in other key personnel also leaving. |
| Improving Communication | | | | Analysing the Results |
| One to one meetings between employer and | | | | Having consulted the workforce with an online survey |
| employee would be ideal but in practice only practical | | | | the results are available for instant analysis. Common |
| for very small businesses. | | | | and specific problems can be easily identified and |
| Regular meetings between management and worker | | | | brought to the attention of senior management who |
| representatives are good in theory but they often | | | | will then have the opportunity to address the issues |
| become talking shops and can begin to loose their | | | | that have been raised. |
| edge as the participants become familiar with one | | | | Summary |
| another and the forum runs the risk of being hijacked | | | | Used regularly online surveys represent a simple and |
| by the more extrovert personalities. | | | | productive method of taking the pulse of an |
| Suggestion boxes are useful but can be viewed as | | | | organisation and an easy way to establish a two way |
| token efforts by management as they wait for | | | | communication channel between employer and |
| personnel to highlight a problem. | | | | employee with the results providing management with |
| Newsletters can be a positive step, but their purpose is | | | | vital, accurate and significant information. |