Employee survey – measuring the mood

1 August 2017

The preparations are still in full swing, but the really important phase will happen at the end of the year: this is when the more than 10,000 employees at TÜV NORD should give their honest opinion about the organisation as a whole, the strategy, their supervisors and managers and working conditions. This is a good reason for #explore to talk to Jens Ballendowitsch from market research company GfK about employee questionnaires, uncertain times and the different communication needs of different generations.

 

#explore: Why does an organisation need an employee survey?
Jens Ballendowitsch: The question “why” still always fascinates me, although I have been working in this field for quite a long time. Nobody would ask why companies carry out customer surveys. No enterprise can exist without knowing the opinions and needs of its customers. And on the other hand, how can an organisation be successful if it is blind and deaf to the views of the people who work there? For in the end it is the employees who produce the assets, products and services.

#explore: Do you have to convince organisations of the importance of employee surveys?
Jens Ballendowitsch: Not really. Nowadays most companies carry out employee surveys as a matter of course. The real work to convince them of the importance of the surveys was done in the 1980s and 1990s. In my view, medium-size and large enterprises no longer have any doubt about the value of employee surveys. On the contrary, the advantages are now self-evident and I think will become even more so in future.

#explore: How should a company ideally handle the feedback?
Jens Ballendowitsch: The most important thing is to make the results transparent. Nothing else makes sense. For example, during the presentation of the results, an employee who didn’t understand the strategy and hasn’t discussed it with anyone can see that many other colleagues may feel the same way. This information helps the company by enabling it to develop measures to communicate the strategy more clearly.

#explore: How much time elapses between developing the questionnaire and analyzing the results?
Jens Ballendowitsch: That always depends on the size of the company. At TÜV NORD, we began planning at the end of 2016, and the results will be available in early 2018. But the employee survey isn’t over yet. You can’t really say it’s finished until the next survey begins. After all, the change process is continuous and fluid.

#explore: Why do regular employee surveys make sense?
Jens Ballendowitsch: Quite simply—to be able to compare the results. This is the only way for companies to see whether their measures are bearing fruit and whether employees are satisfied in the long term. After all, a survey isn’t just about uncovering weaknesses—quite the opposite. It also brings the positive aspects to light, which fosters pride, unity, and a solid foundation for the future.

#explore: Why is that?
Jens Ballendowitsch: We live and work in an era marked by uncertainty, change, unpredictability, and a lack of structure as a result of digitalization. Everything is moving faster and faster; companies disappear, and new ones emerge. We are no longer in a phase as stable as it perhaps was 20 or 30 years ago, when everything was relatively predictable.

#explore: What does that mean specifically?
Jens Ballendowitsch: Companies must face these new challenges and adapt. After all, their customers are changing too—not least because of the many opportunities offered by the internet, for example. For a company to be able to react flexibly, the conditions must be created so that every single employee can adjust to the changes. A comprehensive employee survey can provide insight into whether, for example, the team understands and supports the company’s potentially revised strategy.

#explore: Are these surveys well-received by employees?
Jens Ballendowitsch: Generally speaking, the participation rate for employee surveys in Germany ranges between 60 and 70 percent. Many employees simply expect a survey, as it provides an opportunity to give structured feedback. Especially among the tech-savvy younger generation, a quick look at social media is enough: On Facebook, Xing, LinkedIn, or Kununu, you can see what people think about their employers. This reflects a strong willingness to provide feedback.

#explore: How should a company ideally handle the feedback?
Jens Ballendowitsch: The most important thing is to make the results transparent. Anything else is pointless. For example, during the presentation of the results, an employee who didn’t understand the strategy and hadn’t discussed it with anyone can see that many other colleagues may feel the same way. This information helps the company by enabling it to develop measures to communicate the strategy more clearly.

#explore: How long does it take from the development of the questionnaire to the analysis of the results?
Jens Ballendowitsch: That always depends on the size of the company. At TÜV NORD, we began planning at the end of 2016, and the results will be available in early 2018. But the employee survey won’t be over by then. You can’t really say it’s finished until the next survey begins. After all, the change process is continuous and fluid.

#explore: Why do regular employee surveys make sense?
Jens Ballendowitsch: Quite simply—to be able to compare the results. This is the only way for companies to see whether their measures are bearing fruit and whether employees are satisfied in the long term. After all, a survey isn’t just about uncovering weaknesses—quite the opposite. It also brings the positive aspects to light, which fosters pride, unity, and a solid foundation for the future.