Article by Molly Burke, RMS Research Analyst
Introduction:
A medical specialty center recently partnered with Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) to conduct an employee satisfaction study. The client wanted to learn more about their workforce and overall employee experience. The survey was administered at each of the client’s 5 locations, as well as their administrative building. The employees were informed of the survey in advance which resulted in the survey being very well received. By including all of the company’s locations, the client was provided with key insights into each location’s employee culture.
Objective:
The main objective of this market research study was to understand areas where the company could improve employee culture and expand upon the areas where the employees are most satisfied. Based on the survey results, the client hopes to develop strategies that will enhance their employees’ satisfaction and experiences across the organization.
Methodology:
RMS administered a 15-minute online survey to all employees to assess the client’s overall employee satisfaction. The survey instrument was developed collaboratively with RMS staff and a designated client project team. It consisted of 51 questions of different types, including Likert scale, open-ended, single-choice, and multiple-choice questions. The employee satisfaction survey assessed 6 different domains:
- Direction: the company’s mission, values, and goals.
- Execution: forming plans and carrying them out in the short-term and long-term.
- Connection: whether or not employees feel like they are part of the organization’s direction/execution, as well as employees’ interpersonal relationships.
- Supervisors: how direct and indirect managers lead and coach employees.
- Work: the day-to-day work activities, as well as proper training, and work/life balance.
- Pay and Benefits: how fairly employees feel they are compensated.
The survey was “open” for approximately 3 weeks. It was sent to the client’s employees via an email database provided by the client. After the survey was “closed,” the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and was then reported to the client in the aggregate.
Results:
The survey yielded a high response rate indicating very strong statistical reliability. Employees at all locations rated the company with a favorable mean satisfaction score of 3.8 out of 5 indicating most employees are satisfied to be working there. The lowest overall satisfaction score was 3.3 at one location compared to the highest overall satisfaction score of 4.2 at another site.
The data analysis revealed that, overall, employees are satisfied with their work and the employee culture, but there is room for improvement in specific categories such as pay and benefits. Any open-ended questions were thoroughly analyzed and then coded into positive, negative, or neutral comments, which provided the client with quantifiable employee feelings of overall positivity towards their workplace culture.
The survey also included a section that asked employees’ thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacted their work culture and atmosphere. Overall, employees rated the impact of COVID-19 as 3.5 out of 5.0 with a high of 4.5 and a low of 3.1 indicating the pandemic did not significantly impact their work. In fact, most individuals (55%) believed the workplace culture stayed the same throughout the pandemic, while some felt it got worse (29%) and others felt it improved (17%).
Impact
Through the data analysis of this employee satisfaction survey, RMS provided the client with key insights and actionable steps to be taken to help improve their employee culture and maintain a strong workforce. After analyzing the survey results, the client was provided with a detailed report which outlined the analysis of each question and delivered seven key recommendations to help them achieve their stated goals. RMS provided these recommendations to encourage the client to take action on items as appropriate and leverage the data from this study to work towards an even more positive workplace culture. In addition, the survey responses were broken down and categorized by the client’s 5 locations and administrative building. This provided the client with different actionable steps that could be taken at each of their locations to further advance a positive, healthy work environment for all their employees.
Relational RMS Blogs:
How to Overcome Common Barriers to Employee Satisfaction Surveys
Satisfaction Surveys for the Win
8 Benefits of Using an Employee Survey
About the Author – Molly Burke
Molly supports the design, administration, and analysis of RMS Research Analytics Division projects works to ensure that all reporting follows RMS guidelines for quality and leverages her industry knowledge to enhance recommendations, particularly for RMS healthcare clients.
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About RMS
Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) is a full-service market research firm in Central New York. Formed in 2002, RMS helps organizations that are looking to know more about their customers and/or potential customers. They conduct surveys, focus groups, mystery shopping, studies and analysis. Each project is customized and gets personal attention by the best in the business. RMS has a reputation for getting results and offers an independent means to conduct telephone, on-line and mail surveying, In-depth interviews, intercept interviews, and participant recruitment as well as focus group hosting through QualiSight, its onsite call center and focus group facility. Taking advantage of the region’s reputation for being a great market study barometer, RMS recruits and moderates for focus groups, community forums and town meetings.
