I was reviewing the annual employee survey results recently from a business where I am a non-executive Director and reflecting on what a valuable tool these can be for Business Leaders - providing they are well constructed, well managed, well delivered and well followed up!

This stimulated a debate at one of our recent Pabasso meetings, where we really drilled down into how useful staff surveys can be and some of the pitfalls to avoid when using them.

Here are a few of the ideas we discussed to avoid the classic ‘It's a waste of time, no one listens to me anyway’

• The Frequency: To get real value from employee surveys, you need to do them regularly - at least once a year. Do not just do them on an ad hoc basis every few years. 

• The Purpose: Make it clear to your team why you are doing the survey and the value they could get from completing the survey. Granted that's easier if you have previously done one and you are able to provide examples of action taken as a result of employee feedback. From an earlier survey.

• The Buy In: in order for any staff survey to be effective, management at all levels must be brought into the project at an early stage and become champions for the project. If they don't see the value in it, it's unlikely to go well.

• The Promotion: Publicise the survey, initially and continually whilst it is open, make it easy for your staff to complete the survey (paper or electronic) and give them time to complete the survey.

• The Incentive: Incentivise them to complete them, more challenging if they are anonymous (this can be optional), but perhaps offer a prize draw for all employees if the response is over a certain percentage, then continually publicise the percentage received back so far and the prize on offer to encourage peer pressure and a better response. Alternatively, offer a charitable donation to a chosen charity for each completed survey, anything to boost participation.

• The Resources: Use the many resources that are available on the internet to help you with the survey; you do not need to reinvent the wheel.

• The Feedback: Subsequently, thank your teams for completing the survey and make sure you present a summary of the feedback to your team and highlight any actions you intend to take as a result of employee feedback. 

• The Action: Implement any actions you take as a result of the survey in a timely manner and make it clear to everyone why you are making any changes - if it is as a result of their feedback.

I am surprised that there are still many business leaders who do not use these or pay lip service to them to pacify HR. 

If you are doing it only to pacify HR and you do not intend to follow up the survey and take action, don't bother wasting your time. 

It will be a demotivational rather than a motivational process.

If you are a CEO or an MD of an established SME in Yorkshire who would value the opportunity once a month to get together with fellow CEOs & MDs from non-competitive sectors in a confidential environment then why not consider joining one of our Pabasso Boards.

There are too many tangible and intangible benefits that our clients get from membership to list here, so why not give us a call for a confidential chat or come to one of our FOC Roundtable events?

The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, 3rd December from 1000-1200 at Wizu, 55 St Paul’s Street, Leeds, LS1 2TE.

This session is an introduction to the kind of trusted, strategic conversations we facilitate at Pabasso boards.

There’s no charge to attend, but places are limited to ensure a focused and valuable discussion.

Select this link to find out more and secure your place

We’d be delighted to welcome you.

Regards, Richard Doyle