Am I really an expert?
I am just an employee. How do I know what matters? Maybe I do and maybe I really do not know the priorities of the organization or what they are trying to accomplish. But, more than anyone else, I am the expert on what makes a difference to me.
I can’t fault an organization for not asking me what to measure but I feel comfortable saying that I do hold an organization responsible for not asking me about my experience working at their company. It does not have to be that complicated or formal. I believe my experience matters, and it is okay to be disappointed when no one asks me. According to Qualtrics most recent global pulse survey results, 77% of employees want to be asked for their feedback more than once per year.
Working is challenging and building an organization of satisfied workers might be a lofty goal. There are so many factors involved with a diverse workforce that expands generations. Kids are raised to speak their minds and some older workers have nothing to lose when expressing their opinions. It is also hard to know for sure if at will employment encourages or discourages employees from speaking up over fear of employers taking action based on feedback. There is no way to know for sure what people will say but the research available does support that employees want to have a voice and you can’t implement effective change if you are afraid to ask the questions. My point is that measurement, engagement, culture, all those things are shaped by the employees and not just leaders and since employees tend to outnumber leaders, it makes sense to ask for feedback.
A new employee has a great deal of insight. They can tell you if your processes are too complicated, not specific enough, or if instructions are hard to find. Even if you hire a seasoned professional who has been in your industry for a long time, they can share their experience about what it is like to be a new hire at your organization. Presumably you hire them for that experience so why not prioritize asking for their input? Alternatively, consider that it might be my first job ever but know that I still have a perspective to share. New hires are an untapped source of competitive intelligence. ASK! If they want to share they will and if they do not then they won’t but either way you’ve got options so do something.
In my experience, most employees will tell you what they think if they believe you will act on their input and data supports that assumption. According to Qualtrics, employees who feel their employer responds very well to their feedback are 12x more likely to publicly advocate for their employer. I strongly believe that employees are fully prepared to be part of the solution if they think things should change. But the responsibility is not solely on the employee to speak up. There is a significant cost to hiring and turnover and if you have made that investment to bring the new person on board then go a little farther and ask them if their experience is meeting their expectations. If yes, what did we do right and if not, how can we fix their experience? What will make them stay?
In my long tenure as an HR professional, we have talked about culture surveys, engagement strategies, stay interviews, all kinds of trends. No matter what you call it, they have an underlying foundation of asking for input with an intent to make changes where needed and strengthen what is working. But if you don’t have money, resources, or time for anything fancy don’t let that get in the way of your listening strategy. Instead, simply take 10 minutes to focus on an individual with your undivided attention. Show them they matter. In the simplest way, just listen with no agenda other than just listening. If you really want to make a difference, do it again next month. It is important to be clear though that this informal strategy may take time to implement changes. Set the expectation that their feedback matters but it may take time. Remember though that if you never do anything or don’t intend to do anything, employees will quickly find out and this effort can backfire.
The positive presumption is that as an organization, you do care. However, if you are not interested, then don’t ask and recognize that people will either leave or “stay and quit”. Neither is good for your organization for so many reasons. The first three to six months for an employee are tough. They do not know how the organization works, how people talk to each other, what the culture is like, where to find the bathroom or how to submit an expense report. This onboarding time frame is important to make personal contact and ask questions.
One last point, this listening concept does not just apply to new hires. When you introduce a new process or new program, ask employees if it is helping make their lives easier. OR if the intent was not about the employee experience and instead more about company strategy or legal requirements then at least ask if the implementation process was clear and how the company can support the change. Don’t forget to acknowledge that internal change also requires communication and follow up.
Involve your employees. They do care and if you catch them early in their career with you or early within your change implementations then they are more likely to share their perspective and help you shape the future you desire.
Part 2: Coming Soon
Prioritizing HR Analytics and measuring what matters. Looking at metrics from the perspective of seasoned data scientists and a new CHRO.