In the summer of 1976, ABC television premiered a game show that became an international hit still watched today. It was called Family Feud and it challenged opposing families to guess the most popular answers to survey questions.
Although it was all in good fun, those surveys revealed a lot about American perceptions and culture. We came to realize that just as there are common ties that bind us, we don’t always know what other people are thinking.
Perhaps that’s why workplace surveys are so beneficial to businesses. They can help managers better understand their workforce and, ultimately, prevent or resolve workplace feuds – which are no fun at all and have real financial consequences.
Issues like lost productivity, absenteeism and turn-over are all problems that get executive attention when they hit the bottom line. But the root causes of those problems are not always visible to management, who may not be aware of the daily details of every job.
When designed correctly, workplace surveys can help leaders understand what is and isn’t working within an organization and provide insights into processes, performance issues, management styles, and overall job satisfaction. They can also help uncover a breadth of issues brewing beneath the surface, already triggering a ripple effect or silently ready to erupt.
I saw a great example of this recently while working with a manufacturing company that was having problems with its corporate operations team. Although the team consisted of qualified, experienced individuals, there seemed to be conflicts between team members that were impeding business performance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t initially clear what the specific issues were or how to resolve them.
By conducting a confidential survey with each team member and analyzing the overall results, we were able to identify differences in style, interpersonal communications and an understanding of professional conduct.
The survey itself increased morale because the team appreciated that the issue was now getting attention. And, the company took action based on the results.
Based on our recommendations, they brought their employee assistance program (EAP) in to deliver tailored seminars on topics that surfaced during the survey. In addition, the team and the president of the company worked together to develop a code of conduct and rules of cooperation for the entire organization – things like, taking emotionally charged issues behind closed doors and defining a better work environment.
Because they collaborated as a team, the effort was seen as a team investment with real commitment from every individual. Now, they are working together as a more powerful, productive entity within a more appealing environment.
In this situation, as with many other organizations, the company sought help from an organizational development consultant because they knew they had a challenge with a particular team – and we recommended the survey to better understand the core issues feeding the problem. But a number of companies use workplace surveys to proactively monitor perceptions, the pulse of the company and promote continuous improvement.
So, when is the most strategic time to conduct a workplace survey?
Survey says: proactively understanding your workplace is a smart move. But, if you’re already faced with a problem, they can help you identify the root cause, find resolutions and avoid further feuds.
Maureen Dorgan-Clemens is vice-president of organizational consulting services at Perspectives Ltd. She has more than 24 years experience consulting with organizations around management development, team development, conflict management, performance coaching and leadership training, and EAPs. Find out more about Maureen on LinkedIn.
Recent articles: “House” Training—How To Handle a Disruptive Professional, Training Magazine
Tags: absenteesim, EAP, Employee Assistance Program, family feud, feud, management, managers, productivity, survey says, turn-over, workplace, workplace culture, workplace survey
August 19th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Surveys are a good way to get a sense of what is going on within a company and also within a particular work group.
It is my feeling that timing is everything. Usually the “survey givers” are brought in when there is some problem identified so that having an outsider there to evaluate can be welcomed but also can be seen as someone that will upset the apple cart. I think it is really important to set up the survey as part of a larger response. If possible, the group that conducts the survey (HR, EAP, etc.) must be seen as neutral and committed to the group for the long haul. There can be a cynicism about surveys and I have found that it is usually related to skepticism about changing work culture and remaining committed beyond a few weeks of presentations and presenting survey results.
If a group knows you will see it out for as long as it takes and commit to follow up, your chances for long term improvement significantly improve.