Going Beyond the Survey: Creating Holistic Change from Survey Results

Employee surveys continue to be an invaluable source to organizations. They provide numerous benefits, including measuring employee engagement, assessing employee satisfaction, and collecting feedback. But not all organizations are harnessing the benefits of employee survey data. Many organizations collect survey data but are unsure what steps to take next.

So, you administered an employee-wide survey and collected data on the health of your organization. Now what? If your organization has been sitting on survey results for months, with little to no action, you are not alone. Surveys are undertaken with good intentions, with the hope of understanding the needs and concerns of the workforce. Once the results are in, it can be overwhelming to analyze the data and then prioritize and act on the results. Oftentimes the results are compiled without a plan for action. Without a clear action plan, implementation will either not happen at all, or it will be counterproductive, leaving things worse than they were.

When an outside source administers an employee survey, they should provide you with results as well as insights into the data that may not be obvious from the results alone. Were there themes in the answers from a particular demographic or department? Are all of your employees having a similar experience, or are certain groups having vastly different experiences? An effective organizational consultant turns survey data into real-life narratives about the experiences of its employees.

Effective consultants also convert employee survey results into actionable plans. They provide you with a summary of risks and recommendations. If a third party consultant doesn’t offer strategic planning as part of their expertise, your organization will need to be diligent in ensuring that needs are highlighted, prioritized, and included in budgeting and long-term planning. (Pro tip: think twice before hiring a company that does not provide insights, recommendations, and assistance in developing a roadmap for transformation!)

Whether your survey is done internally or through a third-party, your plan before, during and after implementation should include the following:

A Messaging Plan

Don’t just send out a link to the employee survey and hope people will participate. Motivate your workforce to participate by communicating to them about WHY their input is important and what will be done with the information.

Once the survey is complete, decide how you will share the results. Sending detailed data results to the entire workforce is often ineffective. We recommend promoting workforce engagement by providing employees with a summary of the results, along with a plan for action. Your messaging should outline the next steps and inform your workforce the actions that will be taken.

Expert Advice Following the Employee Survey

The results of your employee survey may illuminate a need for services or training that are not currently part of your existing expertise. Consider bringing in experts to transform your survey data into effective organizational change. If your budget currently does not allow for third party training, it may be time to reconsider how your organization views workforce training. Training your workforce has countless benefits and should be seen as an investment, rather than a cost. Many experts can work within a limited budget, so it helps to be transparent about what your company can afford.

Collect Qualitative Data from Stakeholders

Collecting post-survey qualitative data can be a great way to provide context to survey results. Consider holding focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of employee experiences. Individual interviews can also provide insights into organizational culture and employee resistance to change. It is unusual for everyone to share the same enthusiasm or dedication to particular initiatives. Qualitative data collection can be a way to understand what may contribute to employee resistance to change and what steps might be taken to motivate employees to be engaged in the change process.

Executive Alignment Following the Employee Survey

Successful organizational change begins at the top. Change happens when leaders work collaboratively to attain organizational goals. With the survey results, risk, and recommendations in hand, bring the executive leadership team together to forge an actionable plan. Leaders should collaborate to create a shared vision, success criteria, and an ongoing training and monitoring plan.

Progress Measurements and Adaptive Monitoring

How will your organization know when it is making progress? What does success look like? Do not wait until the next annual survey to find out if your plan is having the impact you intended! Effective action plans include a method for measuring progress. Be sure to include quantitative metrics whenever possible. If any action items are more difficult to quantify, determine how progress will be measured. Then, collect and assess data regularly throughout the change process to measure progress and revise action plans if necessary.

Organizational transformation requires work. It does not happen through good intentions and hope alone. Envision RISE can assist with setting a course for your transformation journey, beginning right where you are at this moment. From baseline assessments to executive alignment to strategic planning to training, we have the expertise to help you plan and execute an effective organizational transformation.

References

https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/10-benefits-of-employee-surveys/

https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/storytelling-with-data/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/alignment-leadership-successful-change-management-nikita-shah/