Why are we initiating a employee engagement survey?
It is very important to be aware of and agree on the purposes for launching employee engagement surveys. It is also important to communicate these purposes to managers and employees. It creates a safer environment for managers and employees to approach the survey and the focus on well-being constructively when they understand the underlying purposes.
Questions for Reflection on Our Purpose:
- What do we want to achieve by initiating employee engagement surveys?
- What impact would higher employee engagement have on the company?
- How is a focus on employee engagement connected to our business strategy, values, and other development initiatives?
- How, when, and through which communication channel should the purpose be communicated to managers and employees?
Inspiration List: Different Types of Purposes for Initiating well-being surveys
Many studies show that employee engagement, motivation, and performance are inextricably linked — and that a focus on employee engagement creates huge value for both employees and the company. For HR/Organization:- To map the organization’s strengths and weaknesses related to employee engagement, enabling targeted leadership efforts instead of a scattergun approach.
- To gain an understanding of the company culture based on data — not assumptions.
- To help HR maintain a continuous focus on employee engagement.
- To increase performance and productivity as a result of improved employee engagement.
- To attract and retain talented employees.
- To reduce sick leave caused by poor working environments.
- To strengthen employees’ intrinsic motivation and innovation capacity through employee engagement.
- To enable follow-up actions and address what is important to employees.
- To train employees in reflection and co-ownership of the company culture.
- To strengthen managers’ insight into what is currently happening within their teams. Managers receive feedback on employee engagement when it is relevant/current.
- To provide a leadership tool for daily use that supports managers in listening, getting to know their employees, and targeting their leadership efforts.
- To ensure that each employee has a voice, can take responsibility, and is inspired to take action.
Who is responsible for employee engagement?
Employee engagement in an organization is a shared responsibility. It doesn’t make sense to appoint one or two functions and say: “Employee engagement. That’s your project!” If a focus on employee engagement is to become part of the culture, everyone must contribute. Of course, some key players have a particular responsibility — including HR and management.What is our starting point for working with employee engagement?
Organizations have very different starting points when it comes to working with employee engagement. Some have previously prioritized employee engagement and have a well-developed language for what it means and how employees talk about it. For other organizations, employee engagement is a completely new area to work with. Questions for reflection on our starting point:- What experience do we have with working on employee engagement?
- How well equipped is each manager to work with employee engagement and development?
- How do we talk about employee engagement? Do we have a language for it and a shared understanding of it?
- What characterizes our culture? Hierarchical, flat, formal, relaxed, risk-taking, cautious? How will the culture affect our employee engagement process, both positively and negatively?
What does it require of us to initiate employee engagement?
Just as it is important to know why you are initiating employee engagement initiatives and what the organization’s starting point is, it is also crucial to be realistic about what it demands from you as an organization. Starting a focus that is not followed up on or is later deprioritized can actually do more harm than good. Therefore, be clear about what it requires in terms of time, focus, and competencies — also in the long term. Follow-up equals outcomes. Questions for reflection on what it requires of us:- Do we as leadership have the will to invest time, resources, and competencies into the process?
- Are we prepared for the fact that surveying requires follow-up and continued focus?
- Is the organization ready to recognize that employee engagement and job satisfaction are created collectively — and that all levels have a responsibility and must contribute?
