| Organization Communication Problems?So, | | | | Think about putting the survey on a |
| your organization is suffering from poor | | | | local intranet or internet web server.To |
| communication practices. John complains | | | | make filling out the form easy for |
| that his boss never tells him anything. | | | | people, have it so that the form can be |
| Sally is expected to come up with sales | | | | completed online. If this is not |
| targets without being briefed on this | | | | possible, either send the form by email |
| year's company strategy.Where do you | | | | or put it on an accessible server from |
| start in improving ineffective | | | | which people can download it. If your |
| communication between people? A good | | | | survey respondents are not comfortable |
| first step in fixing communication | | | | with technology, then be wary of online |
| problems in any organization is to | | | | options and provide plenty of employee |
| survey employees. Even if there are no | | | | support if you decide to go down that |
| obvious problems, surveys can help get | | | | road.Inducements and RemindersSurvey |
| an organization to the next level of | | | | participation rates are typically ten |
| performance.What are the benefits you | | | | percent or less. You can dramatically |
| would expect to see in conducting a | | | | improve on this completion rate by |
| communication survey and acting on the | | | | conducting some simple follow up. As you |
| results? Well, you could experience | | | | get closer to the survey cut-off date |
| some of the following:*improved employee | | | | (of course, you will have publicized |
| satisfaction | | | | that date with your survey), send out an |
| *lower turnover | | | | email reminder or have someone call the |
| *reduced absenteeism | | | | respondents personally. Advertising a |
| *less political infighting | | | | prize to go to the first to complete the |
| *greater levels of manager-worker trust | | | | surveys will also increase the |
| *reduced defect rates | | | | participation rate.Distribute |
| *higher customer satisfactionA well-run | | | | resultsOnce the results are in and |
| survey can give your organization these | | | | analyzed, distribute your findings first |
| benefits. However, a poorly conducted | | | | to your client managers and then to |
| survey can have the opposite effect. | | | | employees. Withholding results from |
| Surveys badly planned, rolled out and | | | | employees will only breed cynicism and |
| followed up can actually increase | | | | distrust and make your next survey all |
| employee cynicism and resistance to | | | | that more difficult to get a |
| change. It may also worsen employee | | | | satisfactory response rate.Break down |
| turnover and absenteeism. And this | | | | your results into meaningful groups, |
| impacts on customer satisfaction and | | | | such as by department or by region. The |
| your bottom line.Communication Survey | | | | reporting groupings need to be small |
| TipsSo, what do you need to consider | | | | enough that people can identify with the |
| before rolling out your survey? Here are | | | | group enough for a meaningful action |
| seven useful tips to get you heading in | | | | plan to be developed.Be prepared for |
| the right direction.Question | | | | some kickback from defensive managers. |
| typesInclude in your survey questions | | | | Frank employee feedback is both |
| requiring limited tick-the-box | | | | confronting and jarring, especially for |
| responses, such as Yes/No and Strongly | | | | those managers not used to it. Use your |
| Agree/Agree/Disagree/Strongly Disagree. | | | | best facilitation skills to deliver the |
| Including these questions will allow you | | | | key messages. If you are in a |
| to perform quantitative analyses that | | | | politically charged environment, use a |
| you can use to compare results between | | | | professional facilitator to perform this |
| different demographics and to use as a | | | | sensitive task.Follow up and RewardsA |
| benchmark for future surveys.However, | | | | survey conducted with no plan for action |
| just as importantly, allow provision for | | | | is not only a waste of resources but |
| free form comments. Everything that | | | | will leave employees asking why they |
| people will want to say will not fit | | | | bothered to feedback to managers how |
| into your pre-packaged boxes. A good | | | | they felt. Work with each manager to |
| idea is to run Focus Groups with a | | | | construct an action plan that they agree |
| random sample of survey respondents | | | | with. Remember, it is the manager that |
| after the survey forms have been | | | | will be implementing the plan, not you. |
| collected and analyzed. These discussion | | | | Get back with each manager three or six |
| groups are invaluable in performing a | | | | months later to review how they are |
| sanity check on your results so far and | | | | progressing with their plan and report |
| in teasing out issues that have surfaced | | | | the results to the organization. As you |
| in the written survey.AnonymityGuarantee | | | | see communication practices improve |
| absolute anonymity for the people | | | | across the organization, make sure that |
| completing the survey and make this | | | | managers get rewarded.By following the |
| clear in the survey instructions. Some | | | | above tips, you're sure to get the most |
| employees will either not complete the | | | | benefit from your employee communication |
| survey or give sanitized answers if they | | | | survey. The key is to leave room for |
| believe that their identity will be | | | | free form comments on the survey form |
| disclosed with their answers and | | | | whilst guaranteeing that participants |
| comments.Sample sizeShould you survey | | | | will not be identified in the results. |
| the whole organization/department or a | | | | Make the survey accessible and follow up |
| select group? Preferably, survey all | | | | to ensure that a sufficient number of |
| employees as this gives everyone a sense | | | | people respond. You can maximize your |
| of being listened to. If the | | | | response rate by offering rewards. After |
| organization/department is excessively | | | | analyzing the results, distribute to all |
| large or budget is tight, draw a random | | | | employees. A survey report ignored is a |
| sample from each of the demographic | | | | survey wasted, so develop an action plan |
| groups that you will be reporting on.If | | | | and follow up with managers.2006 © |
| your selection is not random, the survey | | | | Business Performance Pty Ltd. All rights |
| results will not be representative and | | | | reserved.Vicki Heath is the Director of |
| you will lose credibility with your | | | | Business Performance Pty Ltd, a company |
| client managers and employees. If a | | | | providing practical online information |
| demographic group comprises 50 people or | | | | and resources in a range of business |
| less, you will need to survey 100 | | | | areas, including employee surveys. Her |
| percent of the people within that | | | | company's guides, tools and templates |
| group.Mode of deliveryIf the people | | | | assist organizations engage and develop |
| completing the survey are small in | | | | people, manage organizational change and |
| number and at the one location, then | | | | improve project delivery.Available tools |
| hardcopy distribution will not be a | | | | include a ready-to-go Organization |
| problem. As the number of respondents | | | | Communication Assessment Survey. This |
| increase and the locations become more | | | | survey in the familiar Microsoft Word |
| dispersed, give more consideration to | | | | format is customizable and is packaged |
| the need for electronic distribution. | | | | with a comprehensive Consultant Guide. |