Why An Employee Survey Should be Part of Your Pandemic Response

Employee engagement is your employees’ ability and willingness to contribute to organizational success, especially their willingness to give “discretionary effort” - going beyond what is typically required in their position to make the organization successful. The coronavirus pandemic has made it clear some factors are out of an organization’s control. So, it’s more important than ever to focus on something they can: creating a culture of engagement.

Why is Employee Engagement More Important Now?
In late June, we surveyed over 700 organizations in preparation for our presentation at the Inspire Strategic HR Conference. Here’s what we learned:

98% of organizations feel engaging employees is more important now than before the pandemic began.
64% are experiencing more stress within their organizations.
51% are busier than before the pandemic.

Add to these results the fact that change, in and of itself, will reduce engagement because it inserts uncertainty. We have all experienced tremendous amounts of change over the past several months. Both our personal and professional lives have been upended in ways none of us could have imagined at the beginning of the year.

The antidote for combatting the negative impacts of change is communication. Employees want and need to hear how their organizations are faring during the pandemic, what changes are coming, and how these changes may affect them. Employees also want to be heard. Effective communication is a two-way process and organizations need to learn how their employees are holding up during the pandemic, how they’re dealing with modified work settings, and additional resources they may need to work effectively.

The Value of Employee Engagement Surveys
Employee engagement surveys are truly the voice of your employees. An employee survey which is carefully designed and implemented will reveal actionable information for leaders to create a culture of engagement. When an organization surveys on a regular basis it sends a positive message to employees that their opinions are valued.

In our 16th Annual Workplace America research report on employee engagement and retention trends, 73% of organizations report using employee surveys at least annually, and 100% of “Best-in-Class” organizations survey as well. Creating stronger employee bonds enhances brand identity and loyalty which reinforces your organizational culture.

The pandemic likely upended your business plans for 2020. As you look to create your strategic plan moving forward, you’ll need data to make the best decisions. Now is exactly the right time to be fielding a survey to all of your employees for these reasons:

It’s always a good time to survey employees. Especially during uncertain times. Listening to employees during times of extreme change is critical to show opinions are valued and to guide meaningful action.
The best leaders want to hear from their employees. Good leaders always want to hear from employees. With many employees working remotely or in modified work settings, leaders have fewer opportunities to casually interact with team members. A survey allows leaders at all levels to understand their employees’ concerns and respond effectively.
Just asking “how’s it going” speaks volumes. Surveying is a great way to show the organization cares about employees, especially during challenging times. Even though employees may be extremely busy, they appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.
Ask questions that are meaningful in the current environment. Asking questions that are relevant to the current business environment is critical. Not only to provide leaders with the information they need most, but also showing team members you are aware of the current challenges they are facing.
Engagement can rise in times of adversity. Organizations that care about employees and listen to their perceptions are the ones that are always investing in their employee experience. This investment is clearly paying off as research shows engagement rising for many organizations. Listening to employees and acting on their input during this time creates a sense that we are all in this together

Engagement surveys can be implemented with the help of a survey vendor or by using a DIY survey option.

No matter which you choose, a successful employee engagement survey should include:

Carefully designed survey questions which will yield actionable results.
Clear and detailed reporting for various audiences; senior leaders, front-line leaders and all employees.
Training and guidance for leaders to help them talk with their team members about survey results and gather suggestions for addressing opportunity areas.
Online action planning tools for leaders to drive action and accountability.

I have two final thoughts about how to maximize your investment in your engagement survey:

Employee engagement is a business issue, not a “nice to-do”, or a human resources initiative. Nothing will develop and maintain senior leadership support better than linking engagement metrics to operational performance metrics such as sales, service, and productivity. 100% of Best-In-Class organizations link engagement to performance, versus just 42% of all organizations. This is a differentiating tactic. If analysis like this is new for you, start with a few measures from your engagement survey (ideally that are linked to specific leader, team or business unit) and compare these measures to a few key performance indicators for each leader over a defined period. Look for basic correlations and trends. To understand how engaged employees impact your business, linking key performance business indicators to employee engagement measures tells the story.
Leverage your leaders to drive engagement. Leaders are already held accountable for a variety of metrics; a retention goal and team engagement metrics help reinforce the importance of engaging employees. These metrics should tie into a leader’s compensation plan just like their operational performance metrics. Further, if you already evaluate your leaders each year for your succession plans, you can make engagement and retention effectiveness an essential criteria for consideration.

As a national speaker, CEO, author and coach to senior leadership teams within hundreds of organizations, Christopher’s 30 years of industry experience brings a unique understanding of how to maximize organizational performance through people. Christopher co-founded TalentKeepers in 2000, an organization dedicated to researching and improving employee engagement and retention. He is a member of the American Psychological Society and an Associate Member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the Florida State University, and a Master of Science degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Central Florida.

TalentKeepers® is celebrating 20 years of providing award-winning employee engagement and retention solutions to help companies increase their performance. We’re a recognized leader in innovative onboarding tools, employee engagement surveys that drive growth and accountability, DIY survey materials, HRCI and SHRM certified training for HR professionals, unique eLearning leadership programs, teambuilding tools, and much more. Twice we have won HR Executive Magazine’s Product of the Year award. Re-energize your efforts and expect more from your engagement and retention partner.

Check out more resources at our website www.talentkeepers.com/ learning-center/