I can not begin to count the number of meetings, webinars, and conferences I attend that discuss employee morale. The real issue here though is employee voice. But what in the world is employee voice, and why should I care?
Be The Best
Our perpetual quest to crown ourselves the best employer in the market, or the coveted yet completely unattainable Employer of Choice is often driven from the concept of employee voice. But what does that mean? Haven't we all ready created cultures in our organizations that foster communication, and the sharing of ideas, issues and concerns?
Survey and Learn the Truth
Using employee surveys can be a good start, but the goals of these engagement surveys are often misunderstood. Sometimes being the best company means you are actually the worst. The outcome should be a renewed commitment to communicate, communicate, communicate. Does it really make a difference in the life of an employee if your survey score moves from 3.5 to 4.0? Answer? No way. But the announcement to the employees that they all feel great sure is satsifying, right?
Scott Adams
Create the Opportunity for Voice
Creating a positive employee relations environment can take on many forms, from recognition systems and effective leadership training, to grievance processes and establishing an onsite employee ombudsman. Talking about the culture of an organization is one thing, hardwiring employee voice is very different. The good news? The results can be terrific for employees. So don't be afraid to lead!
What About You
Do you believe your own press releases; or, have you challenged other leaders in your organization to make a difference? How are you ensuring your employees have a voice? I'd love to hear from you.
No Excuses.
An organization's culture often starts at the top and is influenced by the level of honesty and integrity displayed by management and leadership. I agree communication is important. Communication can also be harmful. Communication that isn't transparent and accurate insults the employee and destroys trust and commitment. To have a high level of employee satisfaction, the employee must believe in the organization, the management, and the mission. The employee must feel trusted with the truth as a part of the team.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insights Susan. I completely agree - if leadership does not set the example, employees will have great difficulty following. All the more reason for us to hold ourselves accountable.
ReplyDeleteLearning to survey is an important tool to have. You can learn a lot about people from asking the right questions. When I was younger me and my friends used to call the people, who always ask "for a moment of your time", survey monkey. But now I know that they were just doing a job to pay the bills.
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