Employee Engagement, Satisfaction, and Organizational Effectiveness

Employee Satisfaction, Engagement, and Organizational Culture

Vance (2006) states that employees who are committed to their organization and absorbed in their work offer corporations critical competitive advantages, including decreased workforce turnover and increased productivity. Commitment and engagement can clearly bring about valuable business outcomes for a firm. But what does the term engagement actually mean? Employee engagement implies that workers are proud of their company and satisfied with the role they have been given within it. Employee satisfaction may further refer to how far individuals believe in and enjoy their jobs, as well as how far they feel that management values their contributions and efforts. As employee engagement increases, so does the likelihood that workers will make special efforts for the company's benefit and deliver superior job performance. Moreover, an engaged workforce tends to remain with the company — that is, employee retention increases with higher levels of employee engagement (Vance, 2006, p. 1).

Organizations desiring an engaged and satisfied workforce may administer surveys to identify everyday problems or issues their employees face in the workplace, in addition to learning which aspects of the organization employees appreciate. Companies may also address issues related to compensation, performance management, promotions, recruitment, and training or development workshops. Survey data analysis enables corporate executives and managers to understand how they and the organization are perceived by employees, and whether major changes or improvements are needed. Such organizational studies may be conducted in various ways; for instance, other departments may be invited to participate in the survey analysis phase, and all analysts must remain objective throughout the process.

Designing, Deploying, and Analyzing Employee Surveys

Administering employee surveys and subsequently taking action based on their outcomes demonstrates to the workforce how committed the company is to their well-being. Individuals are pleased when their voices are heard and when meaningful changes they propose are implemented (Vance, 2006, p. 7). However, employees must take care not to use surveys as an opportunity to criticize management or express negative attitudes toward it. Similarly, corporate managers must ensure they do not use surveys as a vehicle for retaliation if they dislike any recommendations or remarks made by employees.

Employee surveys should be concise and narrowly focused, and should be administered more frequently than traditional performance appraisal instruments. Survey respondents — that is, the workforce — can, in many cases, complete them online rather than on paper. Modern survey statements and questions are designed to clearly link employee attitudes with corporate goals. Survey designers must take care not to ask an excessive number of questions, keeping the instrument simple and manageable. Survey analysis should not be carried out by the same department responsible for administering the survey. Completed surveys should be forwarded to other organizational departments capable of performing objective analyses. Furthermore, the department responsible for survey administration must acknowledge and respond promptly to queries raised during the analysis stage, and must communicate outcomes to employees in a timely manner.

Designing, Deploying, and Analyzing Workshop and Training Evaluations

Trainings and workshops represent activities organized for the purpose of transferring or modifying skills, attitudes, and knowledge through structured learning experiences. Corporate employees may need to attend workshops in order to maintain their competence levels and respond effectively to demands arising from changing industry conditions and the introduction of new technologies and approaches (Management Sciences for Health, 2012). Teams and individual participants must make the most of learning opportunities that workshops provide, as these are crucial for organizational longevity and success.

When designing, implementing, and assessing workshop evaluations, the first step should be determining whether a workshop is actually needed. This involves observing employees' day-to-day work, conducting employee interviews, examining job descriptions and performance appraisal reports, and identifying any performance gaps. The second step entails outlining the learning objectives of the workshop. Learning goals derived from a needs assessment should describe the measurable, observable actions every participant will be capable of demonstrating as a result of attending the workshop or training session, thereby helping participants understand what is expected of them. The final step involves devising and implementing the training program, taking into account employees' educational backgrounds, experience levels, and the resources and time available for training. As noted above, workshops and training sessions are vital components of professional development, and all employees should ensure they participate (Management Sciences for Health, 2012).

Interviews, Surveys, and Evaluations for Organizational Effectiveness

Vance (2006) states that many firms use workforce surveys to evaluate the extent of employee engagement and to study the relationship between engagement and key business outcomes. Survey findings can help explain which investments in employee engagement programs are bearing fruit, which are not, and how organizations may adjust their engagement-related investment decisions and HR practices (p. 19).

Organizations can generally evaluate the engagement levels of their workforce through opinion polls that pose questions related to the following organizational factors: workers' pride in their organization; employee satisfaction with their job and company; opportunities available for performing well on challenging tasks; positive feedback and recognition received from management for contributions to the firm; personal support received from one's immediate supervisor or senior leadership team; the degree to which workers understand the connection between their role and the corporate mission; the extent to which they go above and beyond at work; future growth prospects within the company; and whether they intend to remain with the organization (Vance, 2006, p. 10). Each of these factors can help identify the positive and negative elements contributing to successful organizational operations.

For example, the insurance company Towers Perrin conducted a survey in which some employees stated they were ready to contribute significantly more than generally expected of them to ensure their organization's continued success. Others indicated awareness of how their individual roles connect to overall organizational objectives, direction, and goals. Some employees even reported feeling inspired by their organization to give their best effort.

References

Management Sciences for Health. (2012). Designing and implementing training programs. Retrieved February 5, 2016, from World Health Organization: www.apps.who.int/medicinedocs/

Vance, R. J. (2006). Employee engagement and commitment. Virginia: Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).