It’s usually
an annual event in the internal communications calendar,
but for many organisations, communicating the survey
results can be complex, problematic or, worse, non-existent.
How does the internal communications manager ensure
that employees get a return on the information they
have given and the company benefits from the results?
We provide a quick guide to success.
The Employee Satisfaction Survey is a key performance
indicator for many global organisations with the results
pointing up local issues and differentiating regional
responses. As a result of the survey, results may be
posted on the intranet and reported in newsletters or
employee publications. Interpretation may be left to
regions or local managers. What needs to be clear, however,
is that the management values the information and is
prepared to act. Survey participation can suffer as
a result of poor reporting or interpretation in previous
years. So how can you manage communication around the
survey to encourage participation and make it a true
driver for change? Here are some suggestions:
1 Positioning the survey
Many employees will ask the question: “How will
what I say make any difference?” People can become
‘survey-averse’ especially if, in previous
years, results were published late or not at all, or
if there is little perceived management actions as a
result of the survey. There should be an expectation
around the information employees give being used to
drive change. Their input should be regarded as highly
valued by the organisation. When employees are invited
to participate in the survey, whether online or on paper,
it should be clear:
- what is being measured
- when and how they will see the results
- what will happen as a consequence
- realistically, how long it will take to complete
2 Improving the response rate
It helps if you have clearly positioned the survey as
in (1). You may also have set out an awareness campaign
via intranet, posters or team briefings. You may consider
a countdown idea as the deadline nears for the completion
of the survey. Where it’s practical, you might
consider announcing a ‘survey day’ and promote
it as an event. If you are using an online tool, it
may be possible to show the changing number of completions
throughout the day. Local management also need to set
the priority, rather than regarding it as a slight distraction
from ‘proper work’. In some work situations,
they might even consider allocating time for employees
to complete their surveys. You might also consider having
a small section of the survey which reflects hot topics
for employees (from requests for inclusion prior to
finalising the survey questions). As a rule of thumb,
- raise the priority and importance with an awareness
campaign
- focus attention on a very short survey response
period and deadline
- encourage the involvement of regional and local
managers in gaining participation
- include current hot topics for employees
3 Communicating the results
The survey results are generally about degrees of satisfaction,
along with some anecdotal material from the comments
people will have made. But what do they mean for the
organisation? What people really need is some interpretation
beyond spin or the celebration of the upside. What they
really want to know is how the survey results will be
used to take the organisation forward, to make it a
better employer to work for and a more successful business.
This must include a response from board level management
that messages have been received and understood, as
well as a demonstrable commitment from local management
to improve. You might consider including:
- what the results mean for the organisation, management
and employees
- the actions that will be taken as a result of the
survey findings
- how local management will address issues raised
- what plans there are for updating people on the
progress made to address the issues
If you want your next survey to make a difference,
Saffron House can help you develop a communication plan
and provide the ideas to make it sparkle. Contact
us now to discuss the possibilities.
© Saffron House Consultancy. Reproduction
rights reserved. If you wish to use this article, please
apply to Saffron
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