Connect with your frontline workforce through the power of employee surveys
Employee surveys have become an essential tool for organizations to gather valuable feedback from their employees. They allow companies to identify areas of improvement, understand employee satisfaction, improve overall engagement and allow employees to feel heard. In this article, we will discuss what you need to know about employee surveys and their impact on the employee experience.
Why Employee Surveys Matter
Employee surveys are an effective way for organisations to listen to their employees and gather important, actionable feedback. They also provide a means to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement. When employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to be satisfied with their job, which can lead to increased productivity, lower turnover rates, and better customer service. According to a survey conducted by Gallup, highly engaged teams have a 21% higher profitability rate than teams with low engagement levels. Here are some other statistics that highlight the importance of employee surveys:
- Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by 202%
- 78% of employees said being recognized motivates them in their job
- Companies with high employee engagement have a 40% lower turnover rate (LinkedIn).
Types of Employee Surveys
There are several types of employee surveys that companies can use to gather feedback. Here are some of the most common ones:
Employee engagement surveys: These surveys are designed to measure the level of engagement and satisfaction of employees. They typically cover topics such as communication, recognition, work environment, and overall job satisfaction.
Pulse surveys: Pulse surveys are short surveys that are sent out on a regular basis (e.g., weekly or monthly). They are designed to track changes in employee engagement and satisfaction over time.
360-degree surveys: These surveys involve feedback from multiple sources, including managers, peers, and subordinates. They are used to gather feedback on an employee’s performance and behaviour.
Onboarding surveys: These surveys are designed to gather feedback from new employees on their onboarding experience. They can help companies identify areas of improvement and make changes to their onboarding process.
Exit surveys: Exit surveys are conducted when employees leave a company. They are designed to gather feedback on the reasons for leaving and to identify areas of improvement.
Feedback Systems
Employee surveys are only effective if companies have a feedback system in place to respond to the feedback they receive. Here are some components of an effective feedback system:
Communication: Companies should communicate the results of employee surveys to their employees and let them know what actions they plan to take based on the feedback.
Action planning: Companies should develop an action plan based on the feedback they receive from employee surveys. The plan should include specific steps to address areas of improvement.
Accountability: Companies should hold themselves accountable for following through on their action plan. They should regularly check in on progress and make adjustments as needed.
Follow-up surveys: Companies should conduct follow-up surveys to track progress and measure the effectiveness of their action plan.
Tips for Conducting Effective Surveys
To get the most out of employee surveys, companies should follow these tips:
Keep it anonymous: Employees are more likely to provide honest feedback if they know their responses are anonymous.
Keep it short: Employees are more likely to complete a survey if it is short and to the point.
Ask the right questions: Companies should ask questions that are relevant to the employee experience and will provide actionable feedback.
Follow up: Companies should communicate the results of the survey and take action based on the feedback they receive.
Taking Employee Surveys to the Frontline
Frontline workers are often left out of organisational surveys due to the logistical challenges of administering these to a dispersed workforce. This is where a mobile digital solution can play a critical role in bridging this gap, as these workers often have limited access to company intranets or computer systems, making it even more challenging to reach them.
Digital employee engagement tools provide a solution to these challenges. With the prevalence of smartphones and tablets, frontline workers are more likely to have access to a mobile device than a computer, allowing companies to communicate with workers in real-time and administer surveys on-the-go.
The benefits of using a digital mobile platform for employee surveys for frontline workers are numerous.
- Firstly, it can provide real-time feedback from frontline workers, allowing companies to respond quickly to concerns or issues. This is especially important in industries where frontline workers are responsible for delivering critical services, such as healthcare or transportation.
- Secondly, it can improve the overall engagement and satisfaction of frontline workers. By providing them with a platform to voice their opinions and concerns, companies can demonstrate that they value their employees’ input and are committed to making improvements. This, in turn, can lead to increased loyalty and employee productivity.
- Thirdly, it can be used to gather data on employee satisfaction and engagement that can be used to inform decision-making at the organizational level. This data can be used to identify areas where the company is excelling or areas that need improvement and can be used to develop targeted initiatives or training programs.
Key Takeaways
Employee surveys are an important tool for companies to gather feedback and improve employee satisfaction and engagement. By implementing an effective feedback system, companies can use employee surveys to identify areas of improvement and make positive changes in the workplace. And, by implementing a digital platform, employers can connect with all their employees, even those on the frontline without access to email or intranet. By providing real-time feedback, improving engagement and satisfaction, and gathering data for decision-making, these apps can play a critical role in improving the overall performance of companies.
To discover how you can listen to your employees, talk to an expert today.