Employee surveys are one of the most eye-opening yet underutilized studies among organizations. There are many studies that reference the impact that employee satisfaction has on customer satisfaction. In fact, most human resource consultants would argue you should start with fixing the culture inside of your organization before pursuing an external research focus. Even though valuable feedback can be obtained from employees in a confidential and anonymous setting, businesses and owners fear getting graded from within.

Organizations have to be open and willing to receive criticism and feedback from all employees. The data will be invaluable to identifying your organization’s strengths and weaknesses and it will clearly identify what corrective actions need to take place to take your team to the next level.

how to conduct an employee survey in 12 steps

Thinking about receiving feedback from your staff through market research? Here is how to conduct an employee survey in 12 steps:

  • Identify key objectives and topics: What do you want to learn? What are your expectations? How will you use the results?
  • Identify your budget: Is this something you’ll do informally? Will you assign a team to manage? Will you look to outsource?
  • Look into hiring a third-party expert: Strongly recommended to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of the process.
  • Decide on a methodology: What is your staff profile? Can you conduct it online? On paper? Completed in-office or at home?
  • Decide on how the results will be used: Refer back to your objectives; the questions you ask are impacted by end-goals.
  • Write a script: Focus on scaled questions for comparison and statistical purposes, offer at least one open-end for comments.
  • Test the survey with stakeholders: Work with a close-knit stakeholder team to test wording, comprehension, and timing.
  • Launch fieldwork: Use a pre-awareness letter or email to detail your efforts before sending the survey online or by paper.
  • Tabulate and analyze results: Give employees ample time to respond and have a strategy for data entry for paper surveys.
  • Produce a report: Detail scores by each question, create themes of findings, and summarize greatest strengths and weaknesses.
  • Debrief with employees: You have many options here – full company retreat, departmental debriefs, supervisor debriefs, etc.
  • Determine next steps: Detail a plan of action and next steps for employees to address the results and implement change(s).

Research & Marketing Strategies (RMS) is an employee surveying company located in New York State. If you are interested in receiving a proposal from RMS, contact our Business Development Director Sandy Baker at SandyB@RMSresults.com or call 1-866-567-5422.