Employee engagement survey
Employees make decisions and take actions that can affect the organization every day. How a company treats its employees and how the employees treat each other can positively influence their actions or, conversely, jeopardise an organization’s performance. According to decades of employee engagement studies, engaged employees contribute to better business results. However, only 13% of employees worldwide report being engaged, satisfied with their work, motivated and thriving at work (Gallup, 2023). Why is that? What drives employee engagement and how can it be measured?
“UNLOCK Employee Experience”
The UNLOCK Employee Engagement Survey (UNLOCK test) measures employee job satisfaction, empowerment and loyalty, as well as the organization’s microclimate and culture. It is a worthwhile test for all organizations seeking growth and a clearer understanding of their employees. The UNLOCK test can be applied in the following areas:
- to measure employee engagement;
- to reduce staff turnover;
- for planning organizational change;
- to increase the attractiveness of the company;
- to create a positive organizational culture.
Components to be measured in the test
The organization’s employee engagement survey reveals the following indicators:
- employee job satisfaction (e.g. compensation, meaning of work, tasks received, intrinsic motivation, work/life balance, etc.);
- employee satisfaction with the social benefits offered by the organization (e.g. company holidays, bonuses, supplemental health insurance, etc.);
- employee empowerment within the organization (e.g. growth and career opportunities, direct leadership, clarity of objectives, leadership within the organization, clarity of boundaries of responsibilities, effectiveness of teamwork and communication, innovation within the organization, etc.);
- employee satisfaction with remote and hybrid work, its conditions, communication and effectiveness;
- employees' perceived psychological safety and organizational microclimate;
- employee loyalty to the organization and eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score);
- Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Score.
The survey’s value to the organization
The UNLOCK Employee engagement survey combines decades of research in management and organizational psychology with practical knowledge about what works in business. The tool provides a comprehensive report on the microclimate of an organization and employees’ attitudes towards their workplace. Microclimate analysis allows a better assessment of the opportunities for success and the risks associated with the changes planned in the company. Regular monitoring of the organization’s microclimate allows you to detect challenges more quickly, react to them in a timely and appropriate manner, and make decisions that meet the actual needs of your employees.
Assessing employee experience and organizational culture provides a better understanding of the microclimate of the organization, as well as the reasons for low employee engagement or high turnover. The information obtained from the surveys empowers companies to develop guidelines for enhancing employee experience and culture, plan for change, and improve employee satisfaction, engagement and loyalty. An empowered, happy and motivated workforce is a key driver of business success. The study can be used to:
- learn how employees feel. One of the benefits of the survey is the clear understanding of the overall employee experience, including the working environment, relationships with the team and line managers; and whether employees feel included in the organization’s culture and values. Addressing issues in these areas will lead to happier employees and better company performance. Employee feedback can indicate whether the company needs to improve career opportunities, how inexperienced staff is treated, etc.;
- receive feedback. Employeeexperience surveys can be used to develop new initiatives. For example, an employee satisfaction survey may reveal that the majority of team members want managers to give feedback more often and in different ways than they do now. Based on these findings, a plan can be developed for how management can measure employee merit;
- help employees feel valued and heard. When an organization asks its employees for their opinions and new ideas, and takes action to address their concerns, they feel empowered. As a result of the survey and the follow-up actions that the organization’s managers take based on the results, employees will see how honest feedback and engagement can lead to change. This can increase employee engagement, productivity and performance.
Additional questions for the survey
With an easy-to-use employee survey tool, managers no longer have to sit at a desk and guess what their employees need. They can simply ask them to answer questions that will help them identify issues and develop action plans to overcome them.
The questions asked should provide an accurate overview of the employees’ experience in the organization. The survey can provide a mix of qualitative and quantitative data by asking open-ended questions, as well as those using a scoring or choice system. The aim of the study is to generate effective feedback that can be used to improve the organization’s performance. What additional questions can be asked?
Questions about the role of the employee in the organization
It’s no secret that most of an employee’s experience in a company consists of their day-to-day duties, interacting with managers and other team members. The test can ask questions that assess the employee’s experience in their role. These may include questions related to management, work environment, personal growth and overall job satisfaction.
Questions on management and leadership
A study performed in the US found that half of American adults have left a job because they were unhappy with their manager. The quality of leadership has a significant impact on employee well-being and overall job satisfaction. A strong employer-employee relationship can improve the employee experience by creating a safe place for employees to provide constructive feedback and respond to their needs and concerns. The survey could include questions that reveal how management affects the employee experience, how well the manager is doing their job, etc. These questions can help assess how employees feel about their team.
Questions about company culture
Company culture encompasses the values, beliefs and atmosphere of an organization. A well-fostered workplace culture encourages employees to engage and feel emotionally connected to their work and the organization. Research shows that as many as 84% of employees who had a clear understanding of their company’s strategy and felt connected to its vision and values were more productive. Employee experience surveys can provide feedback on whether an organization’s values are aligned with how employees perceive them. Ideally, employees should feel connected to the organization and believe they are doing meaningful work. When this is the case, employee engagement increases significantly.
Questions on diversity and inclusion
The Employee Engagement Survey is a very important tool to determine how team members feel about diversity and inclusion in the organization. The surveys are anonymous, so employees have no reason not to be open when expressing their views and feel comfortable expressing their concerns about how the organization treats different people. Employee feedback will help management to identify problems in the workplace and resolve them quickly. Asking these questions and, most importantly, acting on them will improve employee wellbeing, engagement and satisfaction.
Are the results of the survey accurate?
The results are calculated by a computer so they are accurate, but there is always the human factor – the questions are answered by the employees of the organization; it could be that the employee was not honest, open, etc. when answering the questions. Nevertheless, this survey can be an excellent starting point for assessing the microclimate of an organization and drawing appropriate conclusions.