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Article
Publication date: 7 October 2014

André de Waal

The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the employee in the high performance organization. One of the management techniques which has gained much popularity the past…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the employee in the high performance organization. One of the management techniques which has gained much popularity the past 15 years is the employee satisfaction survey. Many organizations, both profit and non-profit, use a yearly questionnaire, which measures the satisfaction of employees with all sorts of things in the organization. Yet recently, dissenting opinions can be heard that are critical of what they call “the yearly employee survey ritual”. The criticism focuses on the results of the survey which are not dealt with adequately so that the employee survey gradually has become a dissatisfier for employees. Another phenomenon is that organizations that are considering to conduct a high performance organization (HPO) diagnosis renounce this using the justification that “we are already doing an employee survey.”

Design/methodology/approach

In this article the purpose of the employee survey, its advantages, its problems in practice and its relation with the HPO Framework are discussed.

Findings

It is shown how the employee survey can be improved. In addition, its is shown that the employee survey and the HPO Framework are two different but complementary techniques that can and should be used in conjunction with each other.

Originality/value

This article is one of the first to discuss the relation between two important management improvement techniques: the employee survey and the HPO framework.

Details

Strategic HR Review, vol. 13 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1475-4398

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Article
Publication date: 6 March 2007

Paul M. Sanchez

Leading organizations invest large amounts of time, energy, and financial resources in conducting employee surveys. Through Mercer Human Resource Consulting's work on more than

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Abstract

Purpose

Leading organizations invest large amounts of time, energy, and financial resources in conducting employee surveys. Through Mercer Human Resource Consulting's work on more than 1,000 survey projects, ten key areas within the survey process have been identified that consistently stand out as potential stumbling blocks to survey success. The purpose of this paper is to make companies aware of these potential blocks, and show that by adopting best practices to avoid them, organizations can significantly improve the odds of conducting a successful survey.

Design/methodology/approach

According to Mercer Human Resource Consulting's What's Working™ research, upwards of 50 percent of employers in Sweden, Japan, Singapore, the USA, Brazil, Australia, Canada, the UK, and Ireland regularly conduct employee surveys. Employee engagement is more often the intended ultimate outcome of employee surveying. All the same, employee surveys often fail in their strategic aims. Through Mercer's work on more than 1,000 survey projects, ten key areas within the survey process have been identified that consistently stand out as potential stumbling blocks to survey success.

Findings

This article identifies the ten key stumbling blocks to employee survey success as: Project planning; Communication; Questionnaire design; Timing; Prioritization of issues; Engaging senior management; Data delivery; Follow‐up support; Monitoring and accountability, and Linking survey results to business outcomes. These stumbling blocks and methods of overcoming them are described.

Originality/value

It is becoming increasingly clear to organizations that employee engagement has a significant influence on organizational performance and can become a long‐term source of competitive advantage. An original connection is made between effective employee surveys and employee engagement, and best‐practice guidance is provided on ensuring survey success. Otherwise, a survey runs the risk of destroying rather than building employee engagement.

Details

Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 28 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0275-6668

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1992

Catherine M. Sleezer and Richard A. Swanson

Explains the advantages of using a culture survey as part of anorganization′s change effort and examines the use of culture surveys ininformation gathering and communication…

Abstract

Explains the advantages of using a culture survey as part of an organization′s change effort and examines the use of culture surveys in information gathering and communication. Culture surveys, used properly, become invaluable in guiding change. Used improperly, however, they can be counterproductive. Describes the principles for designing, implementing and analysing the data resulting from a culture survey, along with a case study describing the successful application of these principles in one organization.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

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Article
Publication date: 3 August 2012

Jack Wiley

Employee surveys are used by organizations throughout the world, typically to drive change and improve engagement and retention. Giving employees a voice is seen as a “good thing…

3196

Abstract

Purpose

Employee surveys are used by organizations throughout the world, typically to drive change and improve engagement and retention. Giving employees a voice is seen as a “good thing to do” but too often the managerial response to the findings is “so what?”. This paper aims to offer a clear direction for creating best practice employee engagement surveys. It seeks to explain how action planning can be improved, thus enabling change to be managed and implemented more effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 31 HR practitioners who manage employee surveys within their organizations were surveyed for this study in early 2010. The participating companies are large organizations headquartered primarily in the UK, Germany and the USA. They represent a diverse set of industries including banking and financial services, consumer products, information technology, manufacturing, natural resources, telecommunication/utility services and retail.

Findings

The paper reveals the key challenges that survey practitioners face and the barriers they need to overcome. It highlights that senior leaders are a key barrier and that metrics of survey effectiveness often lack organizational focus. It offers insights and practical recommendations for HR practitioners. In particular, it shows how organizations can improve their survey feedback and action‐planning processes.

Originality/value

The paper is based on original research by the Kenexa High Performance Institute. It translates the survey findings into practical implications for HR practitioners who are looking to utilize employee surveys to drive change and improve engagement.

Details

Strategic HR Review, vol. 11 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1475-4398

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2001

Jean Hartley

Employee surveys are becoming increasingly widespread among both public and private sector organisations. Yet, while there are many articles and books on the technical aspects of…

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Abstract

Employee surveys are becoming increasingly widespread among both public and private sector organisations. Yet, while there are many articles and books on the technical aspects of how to carry out an employee survey there is much less contemporary information about the impact of employee surveys on the organisation? This paper examines why local authorities undertake employee surveys and the extent to which these contribute to strategic change. The research is based on a review of the use of employee surveys by 12 organisations using surveys at the corporate level. The research found that surveys are used for a variety of purposes to influence change. Purposes are primarily either concerned with organisational assessment (as a diagnostic prior to change) or to implement organisational changes. These results suggest that employee surveys are both mirrors and makers of organisational change. The paper concludes with some theoretical, methodological and ethical implications for academic researchers in the ways that they use and report surveys.

Details

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3558

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Article
Publication date: 9 May 2008

Ingwer Borg, Michael Braun and Miriam K. Baumgärtner

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether the participants in an employee survey who do not answer one or more demographic items differ systematically from those who…

1606

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether the participants in an employee survey who do not answer one or more demographic items differ systematically from those who fill out all demographic items.

Design/methodology/approach

Logistic regression, with affective commitment, job satisfaction, and attitude towards leadership as predictors of responding to demographic items is used to analyze the data of an employee survey in a German company.

Findings

Survey participants with low commitment, poor job satisfaction, and negative attitudes towards leadership are more likely not to provide demographic information, while highly committed participants tend to answer all demographic items. Non‐respondents are also more concerned that their skills become obsolete, and they feel that employees do not have enough say.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not distinguish among demographic item non‐respondents on the basis of how many and which items are omitted. Future research should take a closer look at the different sensitivity of the demographic items.

Practical implications

Managers should be aware that it is likely that the results of an employee survey for their organizational subunits tend to be biased and show a picture that is too optimistic as compared to company‐wide results.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in demonstrating a systematic and practically important bias in employee survey statistics that has been overlooked so far.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2005

Paul J. Gollan

This research aims to examine non‐union and union representative arrangements at the Eurotunnel call centre and assesses their effectiveness in representing the needs of employees.

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Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to examine non‐union and union representative arrangements at the Eurotunnel call centre and assesses their effectiveness in representing the needs of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The research examines these issues over a five‐year period using a series of employee surveys, interviews and focus groups. This period has also allowed a review of consultation arrangements before and after union recognition and an examination of the outcomes from such arrangements.

Findings

The evidence suggests that the non‐union voice structures at Eurotunnel are used as devices for information and communications rather than true consultation mechanisms or bargaining agents. However, the challenge for the trade union at the Eurotunnel call centre is that what can be regarded as a success in some aspects (increased trade union membership and presence) has not resulted in a change in attitudes towards unions by a majority of Eurotunnel employees. This could be seen as one of the major challenges for union‐employer partnership arrangements.

Research limitations/implications

Generalising the findings of this case to other call centres in non‐union workplaces and firms can be problematic, given the unique ownership and structure of Eurotunnel.

Practical implications

These results would suggest that, while trade unions may provide greater voice than non‐union arrangements, the strength of voice is dependent on the legitimacy and effectiveness of trade unions in representing employees' interests at the workplace. Potentially it could have far‐reaching implications for employers, unions and government policy regarding the structures needed for providing effective consultation and representative structures.

Originality/value

Uniquely, it highlights the potential limitations and dangers for employers and unions in not addressing the needs and expectations of workers in any workplace.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Patrick Kampkötter, Jens Mohrenweiser, Dirk Sliwka, Susanne Steffes and Stefanie Wolter

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new data source available for researchers with interest in human resources management (HRM) and personnel economics, the Linked…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new data source available for researchers with interest in human resources management (HRM) and personnel economics, the Linked Personnel Panel (LPP).

Design/methodology/approach

The LPP is a longitudinal and representative employer-employee data set covering establishments in Germany and a subset of their workforce and is designed for quantitative empirical human resource research.

Findings

The LPP employee survey applies a number of established scales to measure job characteristics and job perceptions, personal characteristics, employee attitudes towards the organization and employee behaviour. This paper gives an overview of both the employer and employee survey and outlines the definitions, origins, and statistical properties of the scales used in the individual questionnaire.

Practical implications

The paper describes how researchers can access the data.

Originality/value

First, the data set combines employer and employee surveys that can be matched to each other. Second, it can also be linked to a number of additional administrative data sets. Third, the LPP covers a wide range of firms and workers from different backgrounds. Finally, because of its longitudinal dimension, the LPP should facilitate the study of causal effects of HRM practices.

Details

Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-3983

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2012

Ingwer Borg and Cornelia Zuell

Items that ask the respondent for a comment in his/her own words are becoming increasingly popular in online employee surveys, but research on such comments is scarce. The purpose…

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Abstract

Purpose

Items that ask the respondent for a comment in his/her own words are becoming increasingly popular in online employee surveys, but research on such comments is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to analyze, theoretically and empirically, what kind of comments are generated in employee surveys by respondents who differ in terms of job satisfaction and commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

The data studied here are from an online employee survey conducted in 2004 in a multinational IT organization with a German headquarter. Some 24,000 employees generated about 75,000 comments focusing on 15 topic fields. The comments were additionally coded on their tone, using a computerized dictionary approach especially developed for this purpose. Frequencies, wordiness, and the tone of different types of comments are measured. The statistical relationship of comments to job satisfaction and to organizational commitment is analyzed.

Findings

Some 40 per cent of the respondents provide comments. Most comments have a negative tone. Negative comments are wordier than positive ones. The likelihood of writing comments is inversely related to the respondents’ job satisfaction and to their organizational commitment. Dissatisfied employees and employees with low commitment also write more negative and wordier comments.

Practical implications

The study sets benchmarks on what to expect when using open‐ended comment fields in employee surveys. A methodology for analyzing huge text files with respect to their tone is presented.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that investigates a realistically large data set of comments. It also shows how to use computer methods to relate frequencies, wordiness, and tone of comments to standard variables such as job satisfaction or commitment.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Justyn Harkin

The purpose of 2017 ALEX® Benefits Communication Survey is to explore what employees think of the ways their companies talk to them about their benefits. Specifically, the survey…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of 2017 ALEX® Benefits Communication Survey is to explore what employees think of the ways their companies talk to them about their benefits. Specifically, the survey focuses on whether employees understand the benefits communication material that is put in front of them, and it tries to provide insights on how employers can help employees improve their ability to make informed decisions about their healthcare options.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey was conducted online from February 24 to March 17, 2017, by Harris Poll on behalf of Jellyvision. It included 2,043 US adults (ages 18+) who were employed full-time, eligible for company-provided benefits and did not currently have health insurance through Medicare, Medicaid or the VA. Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, income, marital status, household size and propensity to be online for aligning them with their actual proportions in the population. Results of this research were compared with Jellyvision’s April 2016 survey of 2,105 employed adults.

Findings

Of the employees whose companies offer health insurance benefits, approximately half (49 per cent) say making health insurance decisions is “always very stressful” for them, and 55 per cent say that they would like help from their employer when choosing a plan. One in five employees (21 per cent) say they often regret the benefit choices they make during open enrollment. Further, while 89 per cent say they generally understand their options, only 59 per cent can actually identify the different elements involved in the full cost of their health care. In terms of communication preferences, 65 per cent of employees prefer to look over benefit enrollment instructions outside of working hours.

Originality/value

Jellyvision commissioned this study to provide employers with valuable insights about how employees process and respond to benefit communications. The data can help employers understand the sources of enrollment-related stress and critical gaps in health insurance and benefits knowledge, which can lead to poor decision-making and regret among employees. The survey also reveals employee communication preferences, which employers can use to optimize their content, drive engagement, and empower employees to make more informed benefit enrollment decisions.

Details

Strategic HR Review, vol. 17 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1475-4398

Keywords

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