In recent years, organisational culture surveys have become all the rage. Globally, more than 1Billion USD is spent every year on employee engagement and culture surveys administered by 3rd party suppliers. But are these surveys providing value? Based on my interactions with c-suite leaders and employees, the answer is a redounding no.
Many reasons are given for this. Firstly, a survey is typically done over 10 days once a year. Given this short window, it is highly unlikely that the data is an accurate indication of the culture and engagement within an organisation. For example, a survey done soon after bonuses will likely reflect different sentiments to one done during a period of uncertainty. An individual’s response may be skewed based on a recent conflict with their boss, or a personal challenge they are navigating.
Secondly, a number can never accurately reflect a narrative. It is near impossible to look at a set of bar graphs and understand the complexity of an organisation’s culture. More work always needs to be done to uncover the narrative that is driving the numbers. This means that complex decisions should never be made based on data alone.
Then there are the concerns around anonymity. Most surveys ask for some sort of demographic information, including race, gender, age, tenure and department. Combine this with the fact that a survey is being filled in on a personal machine, and most employees simply do not trust that their answers cannot be tracked back to them. In organisations that lack psychological safety this problem is heightened, and data is seldom if ever a true representation of employee sentiments.
But perhaps the major factor pointing toward surveys being a waste of time is survey fatigue. Having been in this space for two decades I have lost count of the number of ‘eye rolls’ I have seen when HR communicates the rollout of yet another survey. This is largely because nothing is ever done about what is measured, rendering it another pointless tick box exercise.
So why is so much time and money spent on these things if they are a complete non-starter? Well, the fact remains that data is incredibly valuable and without numbers, we have no starting point on what to pay attention to. In addition, surveys are often the only opportunity employees have to make their voices heard. In the end, it’s not the what that counts it’s the how. If they are treated as a once event they can do more harm than good. If they are done well, they can have huge impact.
So, how can a survey be done to ensure maximum impact?
- Preparation is key. The survey journey must begin several weeks before the link is sent out. People need information and time to prepare themselves. Communication should answer questions like, what is the intention of the survey? How will anonymity be ensured? How will we be notified of the results? What will be done with the results?
- Clarify how demographic information will be used, what constitutes a data set, what type of data will be represented, what the employees can expect and the associated timelines. Surveys require a foundation of trust which can only be laid through communication and conversation.
- Create a collaborative space for key stakeholders to input into the questions and do the work to ensure that the terminology being used is specific to the organisation’s context.
- Provide a mechanism for employees to reach out and ask questions during the survey window. Ideally, the survey should be run by an external supplier who a respondent can reach out to. This ensures that staff feel safe and supported.
- Once the window is closed and the data has been analysed, communicate the data warts- and-all. This should ideally be done in a face-to-face roadshow to allow time for questions and doubts to surface. At the same time, a set of next steps must be communicated, focusing on some quick wins.
However, the reality is that the low scoring elements of a culture survey generally come back to a lack of collaboration, mistrust in leadership, fear of retribution, structure challenges, inefficient communication channels and pay. These challenges will need further investigation, and this should be done in focus groups. Clarity around what is producing these numbers will ensure an effective culture strategy based on addressing what is affecting employees the most.
Once the strategy is clear, communicate it and invite key stakeholders to collaborate on its execution. Upon initiation of the strategy, isolate the data points that link to the strategy and determine a date in the future where just that area will be measured again to assess impact.
So, in summary, communicate, measure, communicate, deliver quick wins, communicate the strategy, implement, adjust, communicate, repeat. If culture surveys are handled as a step on a journey and not as a once off, they can deliver significant value to organisations.
Travis Gale is the Founder and Managing Director of Appletree Group, a company dedicated to helping organisations shape and sustain strong, healthy cultures.
Image: Vitaly Gariev
