Dear Natalie,
“We want to make sure that staff across our organisation are clear and well-informed regarding internal HR policies and procedures. We are thinking of conducting an online survey to see if this is the case but would like some tips on how to make this activity a success.”
Jo Causon:
In today’s information-driven climate, individuals are bombarded with online polls and questionnaires, many of which are promptly deleted as spam or considered a waste of time.
With this in mind, it's important to understand how a survey would fit with other internal communications and requests for feedback. Is it necessary to do a separate survey, or could it be placed within an overall staff satisfaction survey requesting feedback about all departments?...
And is a survey the best way to engage with staff on these issues or could you look at alternative ways of getting information?
If an online questionnaire is the best way forward, it's important to advise your workforce on the reasons behind the survey and what you plan to do with the results. To maximise the response rate, make sure the survey has a variety of questions and is not too long - it should take no more than 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
Multiple choice questions are quicker and easier to answer but open questions such as: ‘What are your views on the appraisal process?’ are often more revealing. Make sure the final survey incorporates both types of questions without going over the recommended time limit.
If, however, it is decided that an online survey is going to put people off responding, there are a number of other options to consider. Focus or discussion groups can provide an engaging way to get more in-depth understanding around particular problems. Throughout the process, it is important to keep a clear view on what you are trying to achieve and make sure that the discussions in the meetings are recorded effectively.
When the results of the survey or discussion groups are in, they first need to be evaluated and interpreted. They then must be translated into a clear and realistic plan of action, with dedicated areas of responsibility and deadlines for completion.
Even if you are not able to address all the issues, a proactive response to the findings, giving reasons for dealing with particular issues, will boost employee confidence in their senior management team and encourage higher levels of staff collaboration in the future.
