Using Employee Attitude Surveys

The employee attitude survey is a management tool business owners or managers use to learn about the views and opinions of their employees on issues pertaining to the company and their role within the organisation. It is both a methodology and a process to help management understand the different needs of the organisation from the perspective of the employees.

It is done by fielding online questionnaires or conducting interviews. They may be undertaken occasionally to check the pulse of the workforce with regard to a specific concern, for example, the implementation of a new policy. These surveys may also be done regularly to measure employee engagement and morale and identify new areas that need resolution so they can be included in the next planning activity.

Benefits of using employee attitude surveys

Identify problems and issues

The employee attitude survey discloses how employees feel towards the company and reveals the causes of several problems, such as high absenteeism, fast turnover, conflicts and disputes within the organisation, and low employee satisfaction. From the online survey results, management can determine the steps necessary to address those issues, improve employee morale, and increase productivity.

Assess your policies

Going directly to the employees to ask what they think can help management assess the results of past and present activities, the impacts of certain decisions, and the effectiveness of policies and practices. Lessons can be extracted from the employees’ responses to serve as springboards for future efforts on planning and strategy development.

Boost and maintain employee morale

Employee attitude surveys provide information on the sources of morale and guides management on how best to motivate employees, stimulate dialogues, promote commitment, and improve job satisfaction. They also enable the company to respond promptly to changing circumstances in the workforce and maintain control by giving indications on how employees are likely to react to any changes implemented.

Tips for conducting an employee attitude survey

In-house or outsource?

Some companies prefer their in-house HR department to implement their employee surveys, while others outsource the conducting of the survey and data analysis to third-party suppliers who can potentially provide more expertise and an unbiased interpretation. If you keep this project in-house, ensure you test and then pick an online survey software that is user-friendly yet advanced enough for your needs. A user-friendly software is imperative, as you’ll want to ensure your surveys can be conducted and responses analysed as efficiently as possible.

Choose the focus of your survey

Specific areas typically covered in an employee attitude survey are the employee’s career plan, current job position, the climate at work, training and development, organisation design, culture in the company, management and style, sources of stress, and what gives rise to satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

Anonymity is key

When it comes to employment attitude surveys, you’ll have to deal with the possibility that your employees may not be so truthful in answering the questions. They know you will be reading their responses and you may be able to identify them in the process. Online survey tools such as SmartSurvey allows for anonymous responses and you should reassure your employees of this fact.

Many employers invest in employee attitude surveys because it offers many long-term benefits to their company. By reaching out to your employees, the people that work hard for your company, you never know what untapped opportunities you’ll discover.