The most valuable yet underrated tool business owners can use to understand the needs of their employees is surveys.
They are easy to use and provide employers with a good amount of feedback, however, employers are not taking full advantage of them.
Employee surveys are crucial for gauging the culture around your company. But what are employee surveys and what is the benefit of them?
3 Key takeaways you need to know
- Employee surveys should be a continuous process to keep the lines of communication open and regularly check in with your employees.
- To demonstrate that you value your employee’s feedback start implementing changes based on their responses
- Finding the right balance and survey frequencies, keep employees engaged without overwhelming them
What are Employee Surveys?
Employee surveys are tools used by organizations to collect feedback, measure engagement, and understand an employee’s job satisfaction.
These surveys can be as simple as one question like the employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) surveys, or they can go more in-depth, and dive deeper into the root causes of problems in the company, so you can act on survey results and create change before issues arise.
Types of Surveys
There are plenty of surveys for various information and insights, but here are the most useful types of surveys:
Exit Interview Survey
Exit interviews are a great way to receive feedback regarding employee experience at the company. There are many reasons why employees leave a company, but if multiple people are leaving for the same reasons, it’s time to take a look at the feedback and see what needs to change
Employee Engagement Survey
This survey is used to measure how committed an employee is to the company. The survey’s data will help you understand how many people are unsatisfied with their position and considering leaving the company. Gaining insights from this survey will help offer insights on how to increase employee retention rates.
Company Culture Surveys
This popular survey is used to gauge how employees feel about the workplace environment. They’re a great way to create a positive work environment by allowing employees to share their insights to make them feel more included in company decisions.
Employee Satisfaction Survey
These surveys are great at measuring and identifying where employees are dissatisfied in their positions. You’re able to gain immediate results from these surveys so you can quickly implement employee feedback.
Benefits of Employee Surveys
Surveys are extremely beneficial in promoting a positive work culture within an organization and opening lines of communication between employees and employers. Many organizations do not utilize surveys as much as they should and they are left questioning why employees are so dissatisfied and lack engagement within the company.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of employee surveys and why you should be utilizing them.
1. They help identify common workplace issues
If you want to know how your employees feel about their roles, send them an anonymous survey. It’s a great way to receive feedback and suggestions on improvements that can be made within the organization while also picking up on trending concerns that could be affecting the employee. Allowing your employees to open up regarding their concerns will help you understand where you need to focus your immediate attention to avoid recurring problems.
2. They help you gauge employee satisfaction
Understanding your employee’s satisfaction rates increases employee retention and ensures they are more productive in their positions. An interesting study from Forbes found that 31% of employees are more productive when they’re happy at work.
3. Increases employee engagement
It’s not uncommon for employees to feel disengaged with their work at times, however, when it’s a constant struggle, it could mean they’re looking for work elsewhere. Surveys can help distinguish why your employees feel disengaged and how to fix those issues to increase their engagement and retain hardworking employees. Sending consistent surveys to employees will help you notice trends over time with what changes are working and are not working.
4. Data-driven decision making
It’s easy to assume you know what your employees want based on what you overhear, such as better employee benefits, more compensation, better work-life balance, and so on. But instead of relying on assumptions from a small group of unsatisfied employees, surveys can take the guesswork out and provide valuable insights and data based on real answers. You could be amazed by what your employees want compared to what you thought they wanted.
5. Creates a trusting and positive work environment
Surveys not only help you get to the root of a company’s problem, but they also boost employee engagement and create an employee-first approach to the organization. Employees are the reason your organization thrives, so why not support them right back? Sending them frequent surveys helps “create a culture of trust and transparency” between employers and employees boosting loyalty and commitment to your organization.
Surveys are an investment in your company’s future. By listening to your employees and acting on their feedback, you can create a workplace that not only attracts top talent but retains it.
Why Surveys are Important in Organizations
Implementing employee surveys is crucial in any organization because it allows staff to speak up about issues that are arising.
Employee surveys serve as a platform for employees to express their views on various aspects of their work life, which in turn, aids employers in making informed decisions that can lead to a more positive company culture.
Filling out a company survey provides employees with the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.
“Employees value having a say, even if they don’t get their way”
Harvard Business Review
How Often Should I Send Employee Surveys?
The frequency between surveys can vary on multiple factors. This could be how in-depth the survey questions are, how often you make changes in the organization, or if there was a huge shift in turnover rates.
Not all surveys provide the same results, so it’s important to understand what kind of feedback you’re looking for from your employees and base it on that.
A few questions you can ask yourself to determine the frequency of a pulse survey:
- What do I want to achieve with this survey?
- How much time do employees need to complete this survey?
- Do I have an action plan in mind once I receive the survey data?
The Pros and Cons of Employee Surveys
There’s no doubt about surveys being a valuable tool in an organization, however, there are also downfalls to employee surveys.
Pros:
- Foster open communication
- Offer valuable data for strategic planning
- Enhance employee engagement and satisfaction
Cons:
- Risk of survey fatigue
- Managing expectations for change
- Anonymity leading to nonconstructive feedback
Despite these cons, the benefits of conducting employee surveys often outweigh the potential drawbacks, especially when surveys are thoughtfully designed and executed.
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Conduct an Employee Survey with Peoplelytics
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Peoplelytics offers well-crafted eNPS surveys and company culture surveys that provide you with action steps to take based on your employee’s feedback.
Stop stalling on the thought of what to send to your employees. We’ve pre-built 50+ surveys, so if it’s your first time conducting employee surveys, we’ve got your back. It’s time to take the first step towards transforming your workplace today. Sign up now to enhance employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention with our 30-day free trial.
Let’s Recap
By now, you should understand the benefits of employee surveys and how they can positively affect employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction.
It’s just a matter of which employee survey would be most beneficial to your organization. Whichever employee survey you choose, make sure you take into consideration the frequency you send the surveys. Surveys are not a tool to be utilized once and then forgotten about. They are important tools to help you and your employees grow as a team to foster relationships of trust and transparency.
