Outsourced Exit Interviews, Stay Surveys, Leadership Assessments and so much more.
Survey design is often overlooked when employers are seeking to collect data from employees, but it can make or break the success of an employer listening strategy. If the survey design is under-researched, the data collected can–at best–be incomplete or–at worst–be inaccurate. While well-researched measures and assessments can help diagnose particular issues, they rarely help human resource professionals create a path for change. Recently, HSD Metrics worked with a team of University of Louisville researchers to re-create a survey design model that has become the foundation for all of our measures of engagement (ExitRight®, SurveyRight®, StartOffRight®, StayRight®, 360Right®). Our goal was to find a model that helps employers dissect the complexity and dynamic nature of employee engagement. We started with an accepted and well-researched theoretical foundation based on Abraham Maslow’s work in the 1940s. Maslow initially believed that individuals must satisfy lower-level deficit or physical needs before progressing to meet higher-level growth needs. Similarly, we believe that employers need to satisfy the basic needs employees expect (pay, benefits, resources) before employees become “engaged” (I belong, I see myself working here for a long time). For example, if there are 15 computers and 20 developers (a lack of resources), there will certainly be five developers questioning whether this organization is a good fit. Using these principles, we provided the research team 10 years of data with a representative data set of over 13,000 respondents. Using an exploratory factor analysis method, we determined that there are varying levels of employee engagement. These levels have become the cornerstone of our data because they help human resource professionals move from data collection to action. Level 1 factors are the physical, tangible, measurable aspects of work life. Do I get paid enough? Do I get paid on time? Do I have the resources I need to do my job? Do I feel safe at work? Do I have a friend at work? Are the policies palatable? Do I have good benefits? Employee perception always impacts data collection (e.g., the employer may be paying above market but employees still perceive low pay), but for the most part Level 1 factors can be seen, measured and proven (we have had 14 safety violations and two accidents so employees don’t feel safe). Level 2 factors are meaning-based and rely much more on employee perceptions. Four indicators emerged that most impact employee perception of the work experience: Belonging and Influence (are the people I work with my kind of people and do they accept me?), Line of Sight (do I see myself progressing in this organization?), Leadership Acumen (can the leaders lead and do I believe in them?), and Organizational Integrity (do I want to align my persona brand to this organization’s brand?). Taken together, Level 1 and Level 2 factors help change agents build an accurate narrative of the employee experience so they can build a comprehensive, precise change plan for the future. For example, Pay is a constant when analyzing results from employee engagement surveys, but Pay is rarely the key to long-term improvements to the employee experience. Often, Level 1 factors such as Pay, Training and Advancement behave the same way and determine how employees’ perceive the company’s investment in them. If associates also respond negatively to a particular Level 2 question, employers can better understand how the Level 1 factors are impacting outcomes such as turnover and employee tenure (and why). Moreover, Level 1 factors are typically easier to identify, can be changed quickly but do not tend to lead to lasting change. If an organization gives everyone a 10% raise, the employer may see immediate improvements in employee engagement, but the impact may not endure. Level 2 factors are more difficult to change, but often endure over time. Employers focused on improving Supervisor Effectiveness will see a longer ROI but will also experience a more lasting, foundational impact. For example, when team members trust supervisors, messages from senior management become easier to disseminate even when they include news about Level 1 factors (e.g., changes in benefits)
Many employers are focused on collecting data because solid, accurate data can be difficult to come by, particularly for human resource professionals. But the journey from data collection to action is long and complex. Ultimately, the key to a successful data collection program is the impact the data has on the organization. Thus, employers who want data need to be prepared to pass through several phases to see the return on investment of time and dollars. Those phases include data collection, analysis, report creation, report distribution and post-survey action. Understandably, many employers have trouble thinking beyond data collection, but each phase is important for business leaders who want to improve the employee experience. As with any change effort, the data itself will not create change.
strong>Keys to success include:
Below is an example of an effective report that is automatically sent to leaders. Note that it is very short increasing the chance that the business leader will make time to read it. It is also clean and easy to read. The recipient can also interact with the data in a very manageable way using a custom cut of their business unit’s data.
We often think of communication in terms of the message and even the medium but we often do not define communication in terms of the listening and responding that is necessary to make it successful. Employers who can master the dissemination of survey results in a healthy manner will create a more positive employee experience. Thus, when approaching data collection, take time to consider how the results will be shared.
Human resource professionals are often the catalyst for improving employee engagement in organizations. One of the challenges for HR professionals is the constant need for them to roll up their sleeves and focus on day-to-day operations. As it relates to employee feedback, HR professionals are often trying to collect data, build surveys, create reports…all of the things that take time away from the high impact work of changing outcomes. There are a number of administrative hurdles that need to be overcome before the functional teams can see a payoff. Data collection can be time-consuming, particularly for respondents without access to email. If data collection can be overcome, the team next has to figure out how to analyze the data that has been collected. Often, factors are overlooked in the survey design phase even with the best of templates, which challenges the analysis phase and limit reliability and validity. Report development is the next obstacle to overcome. All leaders need data how they want it, when they want it. Once these leaders buy into the report types, the HR team then needs to focus on getting the data to the businesses so that they can collectively impact change in the organization. It takes a lot of time and investment to get to this point, which could be why HR leaders have so little time to be strategic. Software tools can help HR professionals move from administration to consultation by offloading the administrative work and get data in the hands of the business leaders. Once leaders have an opportunity to review the data, it creates a fertile ground for HR leaders to impact change. We call this being addicted to the data. One of the obstacles to success with data is that it exists but it is underutilized. The best way to overcome that issue and ensure leaders are paying attention to the data is to offer high impact dashboards, automate the notifications and provide business leaders with engaging visualizations on a regular basis. The data needs to be relevant to the business leaders and presented in a similar way as the rest of the data they receive. Functional leaders receive data in dashboard format, so HR professionals need a system that can automate data distribution, which saves time and sets the team up for success. Best practices for data distribution include flexibility (giving leaders the chance to provide input to how and when they receive the data), prioritization (aligning data to success indicators in the organization) and assimilation (how does this report fit into the total amount of critical data I receive in a day?). For example, monthly push reports with 3-4 key visualizations embedded in an email or attached as a PDF can be a valuable way to engage leaders in the data. The email may include access to an interactive dashboard with which the business leader can engage if they need additional information. This process gets the business leader “hooked” or addicted to the data. The leader is now ready to understand more about what is happening in their organization and how to fix it. HR professionals can use software tools to get their business leaders “addicted to the data,” which is a precursor to action. This strategic distribution of high impact, simple data presented in a simple way is how HR professionals can get their business leaders addicted to the data which will lead to a change in outcomes. Through this process, the HR team becomes a strategic partner–vital to strategy and a trusted business advisor to business leaders in the organization. Click here to learn more about the HSD Metrics Interactive Dashboard
Now that people are staying at organizations longer, it’s important to keep a pulse on their engagement. You don’t need to launch a massive project, but instead can identify your primary goal and start learning. Here are some listening strategies to consider: Candidate/Hiring Manager surveys go to the origin of your search for talent and help you understand the recruiting process better. It is critical to ensure candidates are being brought in and educated about the organization and the role they will perform. The better your recruiting efforts are, the more you can influence satisfaction and longevity of your newly hired employees. New Hire/Onboarding/90-day surveys help you understand how well the new employee is being integrated into your organization, your culture, the technical aspect of the job, tools, and resources, etc. Many of our clients avoid high turnover by instituting steps in their onboarding process to contribute to engagement early on their new employee journey. Training-Specific surveys ensure that new employees are being equipped with the right knowledge and tools to perform their jobs. This is a clear milestone for disengagement if the training does not set them up for success. Six-Month Check-in surveys take another pulse at employees’ experience. By then, the employee has had a chance to take your organization in as a whole and can provide you with more educated feedback on their experience, as well as their engagement level. It is important to understand the new employee journey closely up to one year after joining. Pulse surveys are launched at any time when you want all employees (or a target group or team) to answer a specific question. These can have recurrent surveys to measure the topic over a year, for example, with surveys every month or quarterly; or they can be a one-off survey to take a ‘pulse’ at a given time. 360° surveys provide valuable feedback to the employee being evaluated. This type of survey is particularly used to evaluate supervisors, employees you are thinking of promoting, employees on a development plan, or in general employees in leadership positions. Engagement/Stay surveys are the foundational pieces of HR People Strategy. When done with a thorough and holistic approach, you are able to measure engagement from all sides of the employee’s life at your organization. Finally, let’s not forget Exit surveys, as they provide valuable information often given candidly by the exiting employee. This feedback could be seen as an opportunity currently latent in your organization, but not being expressed by active employees for reasons unknown to you. These dormant feelings end up causing organizations high turnover, and much can be learned and done with this data. Is it time to tap into the insights of your employee feedback data? We’d like to help. If you’re a current client, contact your CSM. If you are not yet a client, email us at info@hsdmetrics.com.
Covington, KY– February 2, 2023 HSD Metrics and TiER1 Impact have joined forces to provide a comprehensive suite of data and consulting services to clients looking to improve employee experience, recruitment, engagement, and retention. TiER1 Impact, parent company of TiER1 Performance and XPLANE, has invested a 40% share in HSD Metrics. HSD Metrics is celebrating 30 years in business this year. They started as an innovator for outsourcing the employee exit interview process. They have evolved to offer a comprehensive suite of interactive human resource metrics and analytics including new employee onboarding tools, 360-degree feedback, and employee engagement data; as well as insights from their benchmarking database. The organization has grown to approximately 40 people. “We are the world leader in outsourcing the exit interview process,” shares Dan Cahill, CEO of HSD Metrics. “As we evolve into our next phase of growth, it is important we have a world-class partner to help clients with the data we collect. TiER1’s client-centric approach is the perfect complement to our high touch service model.” TiER1 Impact aims to build on healthy, people-centric practices, helping firms preserve the high-trust cultures that make them attractive while also providing tools, practices, coaching, and resources to further grow and scale. “HSD Metrics has a long history of client partnerships and trust while providing valuable employee data to organizations,” said Greg Harmeyer, CEO of TiER1 Impact. “We believe a combined data and consulting service partnership will positively impact the ability of their clients to improve their employee experience and retention while accelerating the innovation and strategic vision that the HSD team is poised for this year.” Employee engagement and retention outlooks continue to be a top concern of leaders within large organizations. “In the past, HSD Metrics has been integral in providing the data that helped organizations identify opportunity areas. This partnership allows us to support clients with the interventions needed to improve their metrics in the future,” shares Cahill. About HSD Metrics: HSD Metrics provides an employee survey management software platform that transforms Human Resources teams into strategic partners that continuously impact business goals without increasing their administrative burden. Their expertise spans over 30 years and more than 4 million respondents with 300+ organizations across the globe. Learn more at hsdmetrics.com. About TiER1 Impact: TiER1 Impact PBC, Inc. is an employee-owned, professional services development company that aims to invest in, develop, and grow purpose-driven, people-centric professional services firms that have a long-term outlook and an interest in helping clients build healthy, high-performing organizations. With more than 300 employees, TiER1 Impact’s portfolio of companies also includes TiER1 Performance and XPLANE. Learn more at tier1impact.com.
Candid data from exit interviews enables organizations to identify why employees are leaving and how to stop it.
Reacting to clients’ needs for accurate, rapid, cost-effective solutions, HSD Metrics continuously innovates its reporting features and technology.
