Listening Strategy
The idea of an effective listening strategy continues to gain momentum in organizations because employee opinions and attitudes can be used to make better business decisions. Many employers, though, are moving toward shorter, more focused surveys for employee feedback and doing away with their annual surveys. However, according to Willis Tower Watson, annual comprehensive employee opinion surveys serve as the foundation of your listening strategy.
Benefits of Annual Surveys
- Inclusiveness and Widespread Improvement: An annual survey includes all employees and allows each employee to feel involved in improving the organization. Having more extensive data and insights from all employees also allows you to discover the biggest drivers of engagement and productivity within you organization.
- Covers a Broader Range: An annual survey is typically lengthy and is able to cover a variety of areas. A larger question set widens the range of understanding about the company culture and what change employees want to see.
- Increased momentum: A larger, all inclusive survey generates tremendous organizational momentum for change because employees have higher expectations for action than they do for short 10 question surveys. The time put in to creating and distributing such a large-scale survey creates a sense of importance and desire for change.
Shorter and faster surveys such as pulse surveys, “always on” surveys, and online chats are beneficial for focused feedback and are a great compliment to your listening strategy. However, they should not be used to replace comprehensive annual surveys. These large-scale surveys serve as the root of your listening strategy and are the best way to understand company culture and employee engagement. Click here to learn more!
