Employee Survey Gives Vital Feedback

Successful companies use employee surveys to get feedback that honestly shares employee views. Managers use employee surveys to determine if employees are engaged, thrive and want to stay. Without this data, a company can be blind to the reality of their workplace.

No matter where employees are located for work–at home or at the office, an engaged and thriving employee is key to achieving sustainable performance.

Employee survey items

Employee surveys can ask questions about both engagement and thriving at work. Although thriving and work engagement share common features, they differ in a few key areas.

Engagement items in the employee survey

Surveys to measure engagement, ask about an employee’s energy at work–cognitive, emotional and physical energy. For a more thorough assessment, items that are drivers of engagement are often included in an employee survey.

Thriving items in the employee survey

Thriving at work has two specific areas that define it: vitality and learning. In other words, does the employee experience vitality and learning at work? When you measure vitality, you measure energy, alertness, looking forward to each new day, and feeling alive. Additionally, thriving at work has a learning component. Those who thrive at work, learn often and are continually improving.

Measure engagement and thriving

By measuring both engagement and thriving, you are seeking a reading on employee energy and effort that sustains good health. The goal is to have engaged employees, but not to the point where there is burnout or conditions that damage an employee’s health. The work must benefit both the organization and the employee.    

Get honest feedback on your employee survey

Of course, you want honest feedback on your survey. So, should a company conduct the survey themselves or should they get an external consultant to manage and analyze the data?

If the employee survey is done in house, employees may be concerned about a lack of anonymity. Therefore, they may not give honest answers. Your goal is to have real data to drive needed change. You can discuss with a trained consultant who specializes in employee surveys and workplace culture to evaluate which surveys can be done effectively in house and which surveys are better done with outside consultants.

Benefits of employee surveys that measure engagement and thriving at work

Employees engaged at work, produce a number of benefits for the organization. These benefits range from reduced turnover, to increased job performance, to greater profitability for the organization. But to ensure that employees thrive in the process, you can add items to your employee survey that measure thriving at work. Employees who thrive at work demonstrate good employee health, positive job attitudes, and heightened performance.

Conduct your employee survey with the right frequency

So how often do you conduct an employee survey? Consider conducting a wellness check each year–as you might do with your own doctor to gauge your health. But don’t wait a full year for opportunities to get feedback through a shorter employee survey targeted at specific areas where the organization is driving change. Also, take time to have regular one-on-one meetings with the people you manage.

The health of the employee and the organization must be an ongoing focus to have a successful organization.