Fall is almost here, and you know what companies like to do at year-end? Figure out what their employees think so that they can do “better” next year. Sometimes this involves a survey sent out to all employees.
I asked Luke Phillips at WrightIMC, a company that creates and administers these employee surveys, why you should fill one out. His answer:
To keep reading click here: Should I fill out that worker satisfaction survey?
Previous post: Helpful hints for moms returning to the workforce
Next post: How to use LinkedIn for your job search
The Carnival of HR moves around the web, but you'll always find the latest info here to see what is going on. Shauna Moerke (better known as HR Minion runs the Carnival. And she writes the best reminder notes ever. Remember to support your Carnival! Submit your best posts and read it regularly and you'll be a better HR professional. Really.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
#1 isn’t actually correct–my former company did surveys through an outside company, told people they were anonymous and then actually determined who had said what through IP addresses.
I only found this out when my boss let it slip that my employees were happy so I didn’t have anything to worry about, unlike other managers that had been “caught” doing a poor job based on what their employees had said in the survey.
There was some serious fallout for individuals based on the survey results, but no significant company changes.
I’m horrified! Really horrified. I cannot imagine that a reputable company was willing to lie about that.
Well, I can imagine that, I just chose not to. That’s ridiculous.
It was the catalyst for my job search. It took a year and enduring a lot of mental terrorism, but I got out. My friends there say the survey still comes every 6 months and everyone below director level thinks it’s anonymous.
I’ll split the difference of opinion between you and Luke Phillips: it might be helpful to complete the survey, but it probably won’t be.
Yeah, well, I agree with you. Most people don’t do much with these things.
Well, for whatever it’s worth, as a trainer I am often on the other side of these things.
Yes, it will often seem like nothing comes of them; but as stated, just because you see something one way doesn’t mean everyone else has the same viewpoint. There may very well have been something “stupid” in my training class
that you didn’t like; But, it might very well be there for a reason (even if the reason is that one of the boozo managers demanded that I include it)
Also, something might very well be a good idea – but an idea is only as good as it can be implemented. Something will sound good, look good on paper, but in reality doesn’t work well for whatever reason. (even when the manager isn’t a boozo)
Yes, we try to keep things anonymous; but, when someone says something nasty about someone, one of the boozo managers will try to track that person down. As for me, most of the time a stupid comment isn’t worth my time tracking down. So, a word of warning – if your manager is a boozo, then be careful about what you say.
Lastly, if you were asked to do it on your own time and dime that would be a different issue; However, most likely, you are being PAID to fill them out. (and don’t try that boozo move “well, it isn’t in my job description” nonsense – I’m not buying and neither is management) So, yea, try to keep things professional when filling out surveys. Thank you!
Bozo. It’s spelled bozo.
Unless the clown is drunk.
I have seen some great results, real organizational change, come out of employee satisfaction surveys. I have also seen absolutely nothing happen. It depends on the leader and if the leader cares enough to make a change or utlize the feedback.
Arrgghh, I hate these. You feel damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Plus, don’t make me fill these out–I have work to do.
As for anonymous, i recall surveys where e-mail was sent and if you display actual “click here to participate” link, in that link was your user id as part of url.
Or e-mails that keep you reminding you have not filled survey – how are they supposed to know if someone did or not if it is supposed to be anonymous?
(Okay I know actual survey data may be anonymized and you need to protect from having same people voting X times but it still feels a bit dodgy – especially if it is on intranet)
Great blog EHRL by the way, I keep reading it for over a year and went through archives too. Lots of good information, though I am in different part of world but still work for big american corporation. Thank you!
I agree it’s probably common for IP addresses to be used to track the responses. Our firm used survey monkey and it offered this as a feature.
its good to analyse how employee think about company in the year end. feed back must take anonymous as well.
Hello,
This is my first time doing this. I am trying to see if I understand how to do surveys right. Could someone look at it complete it and let me know please.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RP9LPVF