The core human resource (HR) functions, as identified by the Society for Human Resource Management, are: strategic management, workforce planning and employment, human resource development, employee and labor relations, and risk management. Survey research is often used in each area to conduct a needs assessment, elicit opinions, and quantify numbers. Strategic Management is described as…
‘Engagement is a leading buzzword in today’s corporate environment. Seventy-eight percent of business leaders say it is both an urgent and important priority (Papay and Santille).’ Look at the proof. All core business measures—profitability, productivity, customer satisfaction, quality, retention, and sales—are significantly higher at companies with a concentration of engaged employees. Employee Engagement has been…
If the competition is doing more with less, then employee productivity may be the issue. Low-output workers indicate a serious problem within any organization, forcing companies to adapt innovative techniques to increase employee productivity. A question comes up every year is: does March Madness really drive employers crazy? It all depends on what you believe.…
Do you hate your job? Well, you have plenty of company. According to a poll from the Pew Research Center, American workers are working longer hours for less pay and taking on higher levels of stress. The survey, which included 2,003 Americans, revealed that workers, especially older ones, were less satisfied with their jobs today…
Wouldn’t it be great if a magic crystal ball existed that would reveal to you the secrets of what your customers want as well as the secret to keeping them returning over and over to your business to increase profitability? It does exist. Only there is nothing magic about it – it is scientific. We…
It is a fact that employees leave organizations. Some employees leave the organization voluntarily while others leave involuntarily due to firing, layoffs, or other organizational change. Voluntary reasons for leaving an organization include better opportunities elsewhere, low job satisfaction, unrealistic expectations of the job or the workplace, lack of challenge or feeling of accomplishment on…
What really motivates employees to be productive? Is it money? Recognition? Job satisfaction? Benefits? Opportunities? Employees are recognized as the most crucial asset of today’s organizations by both practitioners and academics. Employee satisfaction is stressed as one of the most important drivers of continuous improvement and satisfied customers in most classical total quality management (TQM)…
Every boss wishes for an office filled with happy, motivated and downright fantastic employees. … Dream on. The fact is there’s usually one bad apple in the bunch, and maybe many more. Bad behavior isn’t just the domain of the stereotypical boss; it’s a place many employees venture as well. The bad boss, as personified…
Most companies like to think they have their finger on the pulse of employees. But the fact is, when it comes to what employees want from their work experience – recognition, respect, trust, fair pay and a flexible schedule – many employers are clueless. There are many common misconceptions employers have about their employees. Shakespeare…
Every human resource professional knows that a company is only as good as its employees. That’s why it’s so important to get their feedback and respond to their needs, their ideas, and their suggestions and fast. If you could read your employees’ minds, you’d have higher employee retention rates, lower absenteeism, improved productivity, better customer…
Change and Communication: You Can’t Have One Without The Other Like most organizations, yours is one with challenging issues that aren’t going to go away on their own. You’re going to have to take real action – something purposeful and programmed to let everyone know you mean change – large scale (like a new corporate…
Have you ever been in a conversation in which you had to ask someone to repeat information or a question, not because you did not hear the person, but because you simply were not paying attention? Have you ever finished reading a page in a book only to realize that you have no idea what…
Increasing job satisfaction is important for its humanitarian value and for its financial benefit (due to its effect on employee behavior). As early as 1918, Edward Thorndike explored the relationship between work and satisfaction in the Journal of Applied Psychology. NBRI typically includes measures of job satisfaction in all our employee surveys. Clear patterns have…
We all know employee engagement when we experience it. It’s the customer service representative who empathetically listens and responds in meaningful ways, the boss who takes time to learn what is important to each employee and tailors their approach to working with that individual accordingly, the employee who creates an innovative response to an assignment…
Office politics can be difficult to define, but one thing is certain: there’s no getting around them. For some, mastering office politics is the key to their careers. Others would like to avoid them altogether. And the impact on employee morale, depending on whom you ask, can range from favorable to fatal. Many organizations use…
Beyond Teambuilding Seminars Managers value teamwork because it results in a more effective and profitable organization. In addition to the typical benefits expected from teamwork, our research shows that workgroups with higher teamwork: care more about the quality of their work, are better at learning from their experiences (acquiring and using information), and are better…
Social media provides users with information via blogs, podcasts, and webinars. Users write reviews or create forums, wikis, and videos. Users connect with each other and providers through virtual worlds and social network communities. “Social networking has caused a fundamental and transformational shift in the way that people are connecting, knowledge is being shared and…
There are many costs involved in doing business. One of these costs is employee turnover. When employees leave the organization, they represent investments that are no longer reaping dividends. Turnover involves separation costs including: the costs incurred for exit interviews, and administrative functions related to the employee’s exit. Replacement costs include: the costs of attracting…
Known as multi-source feedback, multi-rater feedback, multi-source assessment, and the full-circle appraisal, 360 degree feedback has taken hold across America in organizations large and small. In fact, research indicates that over 90% of Fortune 1000 companies use some type of multi-source feedback. During World War II, the military used feedback from multiple sources to evaluate…
Nearly everyone sets goals. Many people set goals at the beginning of a new year. These New Year’s resolutions are notoriously short-lived. By the end of January these goals are often abandoned or forgotten. Why is it that few people seem to be able to stick to their New Year’s resolutions and even fewer manage…
Business in this tough economy is littered with business closings, pay cuts, low morale and lay-offs. Budgets have been slashed and benefits or perks taken away. Those left on the job are tasked to do more with less; faces are marked with tension and fear. What will happen next and what can you do about…
Have you ever watched a baby take its first steps? It is quite a sight to see. The baby may wobble back and forth as she or he tries to stand upright and maintain balance. Then a parent coaxes the child to step forward. The child, often while gazing intently at the parent, takes that…
I live in an area of the country that rarely sees snow. As I am writing this it is the early part of winter and the holidays are only a few weeks behind us. For quite some time before Christmas, a chief meteorologist on a major network kept saying “There is absolutely no way we…
You or someone you know goes to work, they get through the day and pickup their check, but they fail to feel connected to their work and to the organization in which they work. Sound familiar? The business diagnosis for this malady is low employee engagement. In fact, worldwide only 31% of employees are engaged…
You might be thinking “I don’t need to read this; my company’s performance is not mediocre.” If so, let me ask you a question, “Will you be satisfied with your company’s performance if it continues to stay exactly where it is at for the next ten years?” If you answered “yes” to that question, stop…
Several years ago my spouse and I built our second new home. It is a process that we greatly enjoy in spite of the fact that it can be more than a little stressful. When building a new home there are a lot of decisions to be made. These decisions include selecting a builder, a…
ADVICE. How do you feel about this word? Have you ever given someone advice only to find that the person did not take it? Recently a friend of mine told me about traveling by car with three other people. The driver became lost in a rural area at night and twice asked the three passengers…
Engaged employees can be described as being fully immersed in and enthusiastic about their work. Engaged employees usually have an emotional attachment to their work and will go above and beyond what is expected of them on the job. This enthusiasm and emotional attachment are characteristics of motivated employees. Employee engagement differs from employee satisfaction,…
In general, NBRI has not seen a decline in employee engagement across our client studies during the recent economic turmoil. Steady and/or increased engagement scores are what we would expect to see during a period when employee priorities are changing from ‘increased compensation’ to ‘stable compensation and job security.’ Most employees recognize that their job…
Organizational psychologists know there is a relationship between employee engagement and organizational effectiveness. Even though the relationship between individual-level employee engagement and individual-level performance is not very strong, organizational performance is not simply the sum of individuals’ performances. There are factors other than those affecting individual-level performances that influence organizational performance. For example, “shared values”…
Most of us do not take our temperature on a regular basis and in fact, some people never take their temperature. Why would we? We just assume that if we are feeling fine that our temperature must be within the normal range. Although we may not feel the need to monitor our temperature, it is…
We hear of companies laying-off employees at the mere anticipation of a market slow-down. Conversely, many employees have become so aggressive in promoting their careers that they “hop” from one company to another at the speed of a video game. The concept of commitment almost seems old fashioned. Ironically, companies want to benefit from low-employee…
From the receptionist at the front door to top executives, people want to be treated fairly. Trap: Understanding fairness can be challenging. An organizational policy can be viewed as fair by some and unfair by others. Fairness is important. When employees are treated unfairly, they: are more negatively affected by their workload have lower productivity…
People work with others to achieve common goals. Whether an organization is for profit, or non-profit – we typically accomplish more through the interaction with and assistance from other people. The quality of human relationships (and coworker relationships) allows some teams to be amazingly productive with only a few people and a marginal infrastructure –…
When people choose your organization as their preferred place to work, your organization saves money through employee retention, and makes money through increased productivity – as well as becomes more effective as the best of your job applicants choose to work for you. Due to these practical and financial consequences, being an Employer of Choice…
The American worker is brimming with self-assurance and there are a host of good reasons. Opportunities continue to grow as technological advancements and a global economy open new doors. The most recent Employee Confidence Index released by a major recruiting and staffing agency showed that the majority of U.S. workers remained confident in their personal…
In the past few years, the nation has been in the grip of a financial crisis that has shaken once mighty Wall Street institutions to the core, while Americans on Main Street nervously bite their nails. “People are waking up from a gigantic hangover, trying to figure out what’s next,” John Schloegel, vice president of…
The economy can certainly be a reason why employees feel jittery on the job. Gasoline prices are leaving Americans light-headed, food prices are causing cases of sticker shock, home prices are falling, and a credit crisis is rattling Wall Street. “I’m not sure you can keep employees ‘happy’ when things are crumbling around them, but…
Every two years athletes from all over the world gather to compete in either the summer or winter Olympic Games. They all come with the same goal in mind—to beat the competition and win a medal, preferably a gold one. As spectators watch the games in person or on television, they are seeing the result…
Innovation can take many forms. An organization develops a new product or service. A new business model offers customers a new brand experience. A new strategic partnership is formed, resulting in new customer segments and new distribution or communication channels. More than ever before, organizations view innovation as a strategic priority, giving them a competitive…
Research often drives mission-critical decisions, so I hope you have taken care to get the previous steps correct before moving onto data analysis. If you came across this article in the series without reading the others, I would suggest you go back and do so. If your survey questions are poorly worded or your data…
Conducting a survey can seem like a very daunting process, but it is not as complex as you might think. Don’t take that the wrong way. Conducting a survey is a science. It follows the old computer adage, garbage in – garbage out. If you do not conduct your survey in a strict scientific manner…
Survey Research can be broken down into 5 steps. How difficult the individual steps are depends on the size and scope of your project. Try to take each step individually. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed and “stuck in the mud”. The posts to follow will each address one of these steps. The five…
Step One – Creating the Survey Should you do this by yourself or hire a professional firm to help? Most should seriously consider working with a survey research firm for something so critical. A relatively small investment to make sure that your research is successful may pay for itself many times over. Only you know…
From the 3 previous “How To” white papers you should understand the basics of creating a survey. You should have objectives for your research and a list of questions that you want to ask. This type of research often drives mission critical decisions so it is important to get the previous steps right. Now let’s…
Take Action If you’ve conducted your survey yourself, and conducted it correctly, it has been a long process, hopefully made easier by this series of “How To” articles. Don’t take your foot off of the gas now! After analyzing your survey data, do something about it! You now know the root cause(s) of your issues(s). Brainstorm on…
I live in an area of the country that compared to some regions, experiences fairly mild winters. Our winters are mild, not nonexistent. We experience below freezing temperatures and lawns, trees, and other outdoor plants go dormant. I happen to love roses and enjoy the long blooming season here. My roses usually begin blooming in…
The zeal to accumulate data that can be used to help executives manage their businesses is at an all time high. Technological progress, corporate governance needs, relationship management endeavors, enhanced competitiveness, and more have led investors, managers, and employees to seek more data about their organizations. As a result, HR professionals have been intimately involved…
It is well known that high employee engagement contributes significantly to high customer satisfaction, which drives intent to return, and therefore, financial results. High employee engagement expresses itself as enthusiasm in one’s work, which directly impacts the experience of the customer. Likewise, high customer satisfaction expresses itself as enthusiasm toward a particular organization, its products…
In any labor market, companies compete to find and keep the best employees, using pay, benefits, promotions, and training. But these well-intentioned efforts often miss the mark. The front-line manager is the key to attracting and retaining employees. No matter how generous the pay or how renowned the training, employee survey research shows the company…