MAP Action 4 (surveys)
by Miki SaxonAlthough mostly a CEO tool, Surveys can be used by any “boss” who wants to get a better handle on the organization. They are useful for discovering problems, attitudes, product directions, company standing, etc. as perceived by employees and selected outsiders—confirming or refuting what you are being told.
While internal surveys should be anonymous, a code on the form can be used to identify the department (marketing, finance, etc.) or the level (professional, support, etc.) of the respondents. Knowing where the information comes from helps when evaluating it—to clarify the various points of view and to flag possible prejudices.
For example, if reports from manufacturing indicate everything is running smoothly and the opposite information comes in from a majority of the production people then a red flag is raised and it is up to the CEO to investigate.
The true value of the survey comes when the information is used—it must be acted upon in some way. The result of survey-induced actions is to build trust and increase employee buy-in to, and participation in, the survey process—because something happens!
But people are smart! If the results serve no active purpose, then the survey will be seen as useless and time wasting—a turn-off to employees and outsiders alike—or worse, as a “con” run by top managers to create the “look” of an interested and engaged management team.