Some employers believe they know everything about the company, but we believe your employees would disagree. And it’s not entirely your fault. As businesses scale from small start-ups to large enterprises, the lines of communication between management and the rest of the workforce begin to blur, making it all the more challenging to remain in tune with all parts of your organization.
You don’t know what you don’t know, but what if what you didn’t know secretly was hurting your business? Now, all of a sudden, you have to know.
Don’t wait until it’s too late! Your employees harbor secrets regarding problems you probably never knew existed, and if you’re not asking, they’re not telling. Assuming you know how your employees feel can get you into trouble; instead, just ask them!
Unsure where to start? Here are the top 10 questions you should be asking your employees.
- How do you feel about coming to work every morning?
- Do you feel inspired by your manager?
- How likely are you to recommend your place of work to a friend?
- Are you given the proper tools to succeed at your job?
- Do you believe you have the opportunity to contribute ideas on decisions that affect you?
- Do you trust the information you are given?
- Would you say you understand how the work you do contributes to the bigger picture?
- Do you value what you do, and if not, what needs to change?
- Are you given enough opportunities to develop your career?
- How confident are you that some type of action will be taken as a result of this survey?
One of the most dynamic ways in which businesses can evolve is by leveraging survey results in order to make better, more informed decisions. This involves understanding what your employees really want. While most employers understand the importance of surveying employees, few successfully tap into that priceless resource. Dedicate the time to hear what your employees have to say and you’ll find your organization in a much better position to grow and succeed.
While all of the above questions cover a lot of ground, No. 10 must be addressed in order to get the most out of any following employee surveys. Our next and final post in this three-part series will cover what to do with the survey data you collected. (Spoiler alert: Don’t throw it away!)