Engaged employees are the foundation of successful companies. In fact, according to Gallup, a majority of the workforce is missing, with half (51%) being ‘not engaged,’ and another 17% being ‘actively disengaged[i].’” If employees aren’t engaged with their work, then they’re less likely to make the impact that their managers hope for. When employees are engaged, they’re brand ambassadors, customer satisfaction gurus and they even take fewer sick days. Engaged employees are the backbone of successful businesses.
We all want to hire and retain engaged employees, but how do we know the degree to which they are engaged? Simple. We measure employee engagement using a known survey tool that produces actionable reporting. Here are a few more reasons to use employee engagement surveys.
Discreet Way to Voice Concerns
- Using a confidential employee engagement survey makes it possible for employees to offer honest feedback to their employers. Imagine walking into your boss’s office to report that you wouldn’t recommend the company’s products, your supervisor doesn’t treat you with respect, and you think you don’t get paid enough.
Most of us would only have the gall to do such a thing if the next phrase we had planned happened to be, “I quit!” Imagine instead, that you want to keep your job. Suddenly, it’s tough to conjure a situation in which you’d be willing to say such things to your superior, for fear of losing your livelihood.
One important advantage of an anonymous survey is that we can collect honest and insightful feedback about topics employees might not otherwise be comfortable bringing to your attention. If you want actionable data about the state of your organization, employees need to know that their privacy is protected.
Effective Means of Communication
Surveys facilitate ongoing communication, improving employee engagement. The best employee surveys not only provide feedback, but are actionable so that you can improve over time.
Interestingly, the simple act of conducting an employee satisfaction survey oftentimes increases employee engagement. Conducting an employee survey shows that you’re invested in communicating with your staff. It makes employees feel valued, which leads to a happier and more engaged workforce that is more likely to go the extra mile.
Provides Insights for Restructuring Benefits Programs
Using an employee survey as a tool to gauge your employees’ true opinions towards your company’s benefit program is essential.
Learning what types of benefits employees appreciate most — as well as the types of benefits they would like to have — can help you restructure your employee compensation package to retain existing employees and attract more long-term employees. You can readily include questions about your benefits packages in your employee survey.
Opportunity to Learn About Working Conditions from an Insider
Despite the fact that managers within your organization may be working hard to create ideal working conditions for your employees, you won’t really know whether your efforts are working until you receive unabashed feedback from your workers. Before you commit to a survey provider, confirm that the employee survey tool in question includes a section about workplace conditions.
Surveys Are a Useful Tool for Determining Organizational Weaknesses
An employee survey should also be seen as a diagnosis instrument indicating the strengths and weaknesses of the company. With their knowledge of daily work process, employees can provide useful information about day-to-day operations and how they can be improved. In addition to considering your organization’s employee feedback, get your hands on industry benchmark reports for the sake of comparison. Sample our benchmark data with one of our Free Industry Spotlight Reports.
Get Started
When you’re ready to learn more about employee survey timelines, process and pricing, schedule a time to meet with one of our employer coaches. We’ll get all your questions answered.
[i] Adkins, Amy. “Employee Engagement in U.S. Stagnant in 2015.” Gallup, 13 January 2016.
