Looking to make informed decisions about company policies, initiate new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, or simply improve day-to-day operations? Perhaps it’s no surprise to you that it’s critical to gather feedback from your employees. You’ll promote transparency and trust, increase employee buy-in and create an inclusive and supportive work environment to boot! In this blog, we’ll go over the significance of employee feedback, provide some examples and discuss how to gather and use this essential information.
The importance of gathering employee feedback
Employee feedback is critical for various reasons: it provides insights into employee contentment, permits you to discover areas for growth, and guarantees that employees feel heard and respected. Feedback is almost always useful, but let’s start with three situations when receiving feedback is particularly critical:
1. Making major changes to company policy
You (or your higher ups) have big plans to change a company policy. For example, maybe the CEO wants to go from a regular office setting to a remote or hybrid work arrangement. Although management may already be on-board, how well employees accept the change will determine how successful the transition is in the end.
Prior to implementing the change, gather employee feedback to obtain important details about their expectations, preferences, and concerns. You can then use this input to better match your policy with the needs of your workforce.
For example, you might ask questions like "How do you feel about the possibility of transitioning to a hybrid work model?", and "What challenges do you anticipate if we move to remote work?". Gathering this information at the onset of a project or decision means you can deal with potential challenges before they arise, which will result in a more seamless and efficient transition.
2. Improving manager-employee relationships
Feedback is just as critical on a one-on-one basis as it is for large-scale projects. Managers should regularly solicit feedback from their direct reports to improve their leadership. This can involve getting input on how to best support your team, delegating and task prioritization, communication style, and general management efficacy. This feedback goes both ways, too! Make sure you’re asking the employee what they need but allow them to have open dialogue with you too.
A manager might ask, "How can I better support you in your role?", "Are there any areas where you feel I could improve as a leader?" and “What tools do you need for success?” during a one-on-one meeting. These employee feedback examples exhibit a dedication to constant improvement and convey to employees the importance of their viewpoints.
3. Launching a new DEI initiative
Initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential for developing a modern workplace culture. However, the involvement and support of every employee is necessary for these programs to succeed. Active listening is a vital component to DEI, so it's critical to get input prior to introducing a new DEI program in order to better understand the environment, pinpoint the areas that need work, and determine employee enthusiasm.
You might start with a DEI-specific survey using employee feedback tools such as CultureAmp. Ask employees questions like "What additional resources or support would you like to see in our DEI efforts?" or "Do you feel that our workplace is inclusive and respectful of diverse perspectives?". These answers can give you important insights into how your current DEI efforts are perceived by the employees and what changes they would like to see implemented. You can assess the initiative's effectiveness and make the required changes to guarantee its long-term success by getting input both during and after it has been implemented.
How to effectively gather employee feedback
We know that gathering employee feedback is super important, so let's now examine a couple of efficient techniques to gather and integrating that feedback.
1. Employee feedback surveys
One of the most popular and efficient methods for getting employees' feedback is through surveys. Your mileage may vary and it will depend on the project, but anonymous surveys can encourage staff members to be open and honest without worrying about the consequences of their answers.
What’s important no matter what is developing questions for employee feedback surveys that are pertinent, clear, and succinct. Here are some generic employee feedback questions you might include:
- “How satisfied are you with your current role and responsibilities?"
- “Do you feel your contributions are recognized and valued?"
- “What changes would you suggest to improve our workplace culture?"
You can quickly build and distribute surveys, get replies, and analyze the data with specialized platforms like 15Five, or with tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and others.
2. Interviews and focus groups
While surveys are great for gathering quantitative data, interviews and focus groups provide deeper qualitative insights. Employees can have more in-depth discussions and express their ideas, worries, and suggestions in a more intimate atmosphere during one-on-one interviews. Focus groups, on the other hand, provide a variety of viewpoints on a given topic and promote candid discussion among a small number of employees.
A focus group could be held to get in-depth input, for instance, if you're thinking about changing the benefits package offered by the business. You may ask, "What are the most valuable benefits that you find?" Alternatively "Are there any benefits you feel are missing from our current offerings?" Using this strategy instead of just a survey lets you delve deeper into the demands and preferences of your employees. It’s worth mentioning that it’s more difficult to do these anonymously, so promoting an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable to speak their mind is also critical.
3. Online employee feedback tools
The abundance of digital technologies accessible in the modern era make it simpler than ever to gather, evaluate, and act upon employee feedback. You can do this through a variety of formats, and comprehensive solutions for obtaining employee feedback through surveys, pulse checks, and continuous performance management are provided by platforms such as 15Five and CultureAmp.
For example, CultureAmp enables you to conduct employee engagement surveys, gather input on particular projects, and assess worker attitude over time. Employees can share obstacles, celebrate victories, and give weekly updates through 15Five's continuous feedback loop, which promotes a culture of regular interaction and improvement.
In addition to streamlining the feedback collection process, these technologies offer useful and timely insights that may be applied to promote constructive change inside your company.
4. Regular one-on-one meetings
We’ve talked about this before, but one-on-one meetings between managers and team members provide an essential opportunity to get input in a more relaxed environment. The frequency should be considered case-by-case – some employees don’t require a weekly or daily check-in while others can thrive with that frequency! Employees should feel free to voice their opinions at these meetings, and supervisors should actively listen to them and offer their insights.
During these meetings, managers can ask open-ended questions like:
- "What are your current challenges, and how can I help?"
- "Do you feel you have the resources and support needed to succeed?"
- "Are there any changes you’d like to see in our team or processes?"
In addition to offering insightful feedback, these discussions improve the rapport between managers and the people in their teams, fostering a climate of mutual respect and cooperation.
5. Suggestion boxes and open forums
Suggestion boxes and open forums are useful alternatives for staff members who might choose to offer input in an anonymous manner or outside of official meetings or formal project surveys. A digital suggestion box enables staff members to submit their ideas, grievances, or criticism whenever they choose. If you implement something like this, make sure you also set expectations with your team about when you’ll be addressing items in the suggestion box! Likewise, open forums provide a space for employees to express their opinions and participate in candid conversations, whether they are conducted in person or digitally.
These techniques are very helpful for getting input on a variety of subjects, such as projects or workplace culture. They also show how much the business values employee opinions and is dedicated to continuous growth.
Foolproof your feedback gathering
At PowerToFly, we think that creating a transparent, engaged, and high-performing workplace requires obtaining and acting upon employee feedback. With our consulting services, you can design personalized employee surveys that are suited to the particular requirements of your company and receive professional guidance on how to respond to the input you receive.
Looking for an upskill boost? PowerUp provides tools and sample questionnaires for gathering employee feedback in addition to a Manager Leadership and Development course that covers effective ways to provide and accept feedback.
Provide your company the tools it needs to develop an engaged workforce and culture of continuous improvement. Companies may create a workplace that is more responsive, transparent, and inclusive by giving employee feedback top priority. Getting feedback from employees is an essential first step in any endeavor, be it revamping daily operations, introducing new programs, or making significant policy changes.
