managing wellbeing survey guide:
A useful guide to running a wellbeing survey 1st Edition: September 2011
Authors:
Dr Robert Kerr Ms Suzanne Boyd Managing wellbeing Ulster Business School University of Ulster Tel: +44 (0)2890368029 Fax: +44 (0)2890368459 Email: rl.kerr@ulster.ac.uk
© managing wellbeing Limited 2011. www.managingwellbeing.com All rights reserved. Please contact authors for permission to reprint.
CONTENTS
Note: Simply click on the heading to go straight to that section.
FOREWARD by Grafton Employment Group ...4
Want to improve employee wellbeing? ...5
Running a wellbeing survey...7
Stage 1: Survey preparation ...8
Stage 2: Launching the survey ...16
Stage 3: Sending survey reminders ...18
Stage 4: Following up after survey completion...19
About us...23
Appendix A: Wellbeing survey checklist...24
Appendix B: Running focus groups...26
FOREWARD by Grafton Employment Group
Wellbeing is a broad concept that takes into consideration the “whole person”, their mental, emotional and physical health. By addressing issues such as the working environment, work‐life balance, healthy living and good communication, you can significantly improve the wellbeing of your workforce. In return, you will see a culture where individual skills are allowed to flourish, as well as some practical business benefits such as increased productivity, motivation and loyalty.
As the economic landscape has changed and organisations have faced financial, resource and time constraints, introducing a new programme can often be challenging. This wellbeing toolkit (and associated resources both on‐ and off‐line) provides business professionals with a “one‐
stop‐shop” and step‐by‐step practical guide to implementing a wellbeing programme that will have immediate benefits for your workforce and your business.
The Grafton Employment Group is delighted to partner with managing wellbeing Ltd. and the University of Ulster to support and promote this initiative. At Grafton, we are taking a proactive approach to workplace wellbeing and this toolkit will serve as an integral tool to build and enhance employee engagement. Grafton business consultants will be working with our client businesses to promote, educate and support the toolkit and its use within their business.
Cathy McCorry
Managing Director, Ireland Grafton Employment Group
Want to improve employee wellbeing?
Running a wellbeing survey is a good place to start!
There are clear financial, legal and ethical reasons for addressing employee wellbeing at work. A good wellbeing survey will enable you to pinpoint aspects of the working environment that are impeding your business success, and help your organisation achieve high impact results such as:
reduced sickness absence
reduced turnover
increased employee engagement
increased productivity
What this guide aims to do
This guide is for anyone interested in auditing employee wellbeing in their organisation. In this guide, we provide useful guidance and support on conducting a wellbeing survey to ensure you get the most out of the process. We will take you through the four key stages of running an effective wellbeing audit: survey preparation, launching the survey, sending reminders to increase response rates and finally following up after the survey closes.
This free guide is provided by managing wellbeing Ltd., a university‐based consultancy with the audacious opinion that improving employee wellbeing doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.
We provide cost‐effective wellbeing surveys that audit employee health and wellbeing, collate opinions and identify risk areas across your workforce. Our surveys provide detailed, actionable reports for both the employee and survey administrator, empowering you and your workforce to improve wellbeing and increase productivity. You can find out more about us and our services at www.managingwellbeing.com.
What is employee wellbeing?
The term “wellbeing” is a broad concept that takes into consideration the “whole person”.
Wellbeing refers to our mental and emotional health, as well as our actual physical health. It is more than the absence of physical illness, as it is a key factor in determining our general quality of life and impacts our ability to feel good and do well.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) defines employee wellbeing as
“creating an environment to promote a state of contentment which allows an employee to flourish and achieve their full potential for the benefit of themselves and their organisation”
(CIPD, 2007, p. 4)1.
Improving employee wellbeing creates a healthier, more engaged workforce. CIPD identifies high levels of wellbeing as a key source of productivity and sustainable, competitive advantage. In addition, a 2008 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (“Building the Case for Wellness”) illustrates how focusing on employee wellbeing can result in improvements in your company’s profile, productivity and profitability.
How do I improve employee wellbeing?
In order to improve employee wellbeing, you need to assess the current level of wellbeing in your organisation, decide where you want to be and then work out how you are going to get there (your wellbeing strategy).
How do I assess my organisation’s current level of employee wellbeing?
When assessing employee wellbeing in your organisation, there are a number of factors to consider. For example, you could look at employee absence rates, employee turnover, the degree of reliance on occupational support measures, the number of employee grievances, disciplinary rates and employee opinions and attitudes. A wellbeing survey can provide a valuable and accurate assessment of employees’ opinions on their working environment. If deployed effectively, a survey should also produce clear information on ways to improve employee wellbeing. This guide will help you run a wellbeing survey.
1 CIPD, (2007). “What’s happening with well‐being at work?” Accessed online at
<www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DCCE94D7‐781A‐485A‐A702‐6DAAB5EA7B27/0/whthapwbwrk.pdf>
Running a wellbeing survey
There are four key stages to running a wellbeing survey. Each of these stages will be discussed in greater detail throughout the guide.
Stage 1: Survey preparation Page 8
Careful preparation is required for maximising employee engagement with your survey and ensuring it runs smoothly. During the preparation stage you will need to consider whether you have gained the necessary management commitment, how many employees should take the survey, when to run the survey and for how long it should stay open. You will also need to consider the communication methods you will use to announce the survey, as well as ways to encourage employees to engage in the survey process. The guidance provided in this section will ensure that your survey is deployed effectively.
Stage 2: Launching the survey Page 16
With the preparation stage complete, you are now ready to create invitations for your survey.
The guidance provided in this section will enable you to perfect your survey invitations and tackle any potential issues that may arise.
Stage 3: Sending survey reminders Page 18
Sending survey completion reminders is one of the most effective ways to increase response rates. However, it is important to get the tone and frequency right. Carefully planned and managed survey reminders can dramatically improve employee engagement. The guidance provided in this section will enable you to send effective reminders and boost response rates to your survey.
Stage 4: Following up after survey completion Page 19
Okay, the survey has closed and the results are in, so what next? Surprisingly, one of the most difficult stages of the survey process can be after the survey has actually closed. Communicating the results and feedback can often require a certain amount of diplomatic skill. It is important to be honest, yet carefully consider how you will deal with some of the less positive outcomes.
Don’t worry, we have provided useful guidance and support to help you manage the final stage of the survey process – whatever your results may be.
Stage 1: Survey preparation
Survey preparation is critical, as failure to adequately prepare can lead to low levels of employee engagement with your survey. Essential things to consider during the preparation stage include:
securing management commitment
the business case for running a wellbeing survey
the number of employees to take the survey
when and for how long the survey should run
using incentives to boost employee engagement
announcing the survey
Securing management commitment
Many employers are already committed to managing employee wellbeing at work, as they recognise that this brings benefits for the organisation. If you need to get your senior managers on board but are not sure how to do this, you can adapt the information in the following section to present a simple business case on these benefits. You can also access further support and guidance by visiting the websites listed in the “some useful web resources” box on page 9.
Another effective way of securing the backing of senior management is to relate the wellbeing survey to your organisation’s specific goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This will help make the survey more relevant for managers, as they will be able to identify more clearly the potential benefits of improving employee wellbeing. Try to project a picture of some organisational benefits that you would expect to arise as a result of improvements in employee wellbeing. These do not have to be monetary in nature, although many non‐monetary benefits will have a positive financial impact further down the line.
Some useful web resources
The Workplace Well‐being Tool is a FREE online resource designed to help you estimate the cost of poor health and wellbeing in your organisation and build a business case for action, ranging from the simplest changes through to large‐scale projects.
Website: www.businesslink.gov.uk/wwt
The Business Case for Employee Health and Wellbeing is a thorough report prepared for Investors in People containing a wealth of information that can be used to help you prepare a detailed business case for addressing employee wellbeing.
Website: www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/documents/research/the business case for employee health and wellbeing feb 2010.pdf
The PricewaterhouseCoopers (2008) report: Building the Case for Wellness also contains a lot of useful information for building a business case.
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/hwwb‐dwp‐wellness‐report‐public.pdf
Check out our ‘managing wellbeing resources’ PDF for some more useful resources!
The business case for running a wellbeing survey
“It is no exaggeration to say that good health is good business”
(Source: Lord McKenzie, Parliamentary Under Secretary (Lords), Department for Work and Pensions.)
The negative impact that poor levels of employee wellbeing can have on organisations has been widely acknowledged. In particular, organisations with unfit and unhappy workforces experience higher levels of absenteeism, turnover and ill‐health retirement. In Ireland, for example, stress accounts for approximately 20% of all working days lost due to work‐related ill health2.
2 Bevan et al., (2009). “Fit For Work? Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Irish Labour Market”. Accessed online at
<www.fitforworkeurope.eu/Website‐Documents/ffw_Ireland311009.pdf>
The situation is similar in the UK, where an estimated 13.5 million working days were lost to stress, anxiety, or depression‐related absence between 2007 and 20083. The financial cost of work‐related mental ill health has been estimated at a substantial £28 billion pounds to the UK economy, representing approximately a quarter of the UK’s total sick bill4. Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately “1 in 6 of the workforce is affected by depression, anxiety or other mental health condition at any one time”5.
However, absenteeism is not the only issue to consider; in general, failing to address and manage employee wellbeing may lead to:
high levels of absenteeism
increased staff turnover
low productivity
poor morale
increased frequency of accidents
difficulty in retaining and recruiting good managers
By developing policies and programmes to manage employee wellbeing, you can prevent or reduce the impact of these problems and bring about significant business benefits. An ever‐
growing body of evidence supports the stance that wellness interventions have a positive impact on intermediate and bottom line benefits.
For example, a recent study published by PricewaterhouseCoopers6 found that employee wellbeing programmes can provide organisations with a host of benefits. The intermediate benefits identified were considerable, and included:
reduced sickness absence
reduced staff turnover
reduced accidents and injuries
increased employee satisfaction
an enhanced company profile
increased productivity
3 Labour Force Survey 2008, as cited by HSE (2009).
4 Triggle, N., (2009). “Tackle work stress, bosses told”. BBC news article. Accessed online at
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8343074.stm>
5 The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, (2007). Mental health at work: Developing the business case. Policy Paper 8.
London: SCMH.
6 PricewaterhouseCoopers, (2008). “Building the Case for Wellness”. Accessed online at <www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/hwwb‐
dwp‐wellness‐report‐public.pdf>
PricewaterhouseCoopers also found that substantial bottom line benefits can be achieved by organisations investing in wellbeing programmes, with impressive benefit‐to‐cost ratios being reported by all organisations selected for the study. Clearly, organisations have much to gain by tackling employee wellbeing at work.
By conducting a wellbeing survey in your organisation, you will be able to take the first steps needed to effectively manage the health and wellbeing of your workforce. After all, if you want to manage something, you first have to measure it.
How many employees do I need to survey?
Ideally, all of your employees should have a say in a staff survey. However, if this is not practical for your organisation, you can survey a sample of the workforce instead. The following recommendations will help you determine how many employees you need to survey and the method required to select your sample of employees.
Recommended minimum sample size
The minimum sample sizes in the table below have been calculated to ensure that your survey findings will be representative of the views of all staff in your organisation. You can of course administer your survey to more employees than the recommended minimum number; indeed, the advantage of using a larger sample size is that it enables more of your staff to give their opinions.
Total number of workers Administer the survey to:
500 or fewer All Workers
501‐1000 250 workers
1001‐2000 325 workers
2001‐3000 350 workers
Over 3000 400 workers
How to select a sample of workers
If you are selecting a sample of workers to survey, it is important that these are selected at random from a list of all your workers. By surveying employees selected through random sampling, you will obtain a best estimate of what represents the views of the whole of your workforce.
Tip: Use Software to Help
The quickest and easiest way to select a random sample of workers is to use a spreadsheet software package. Free spreadsheet software is available at www.openoffice.org
1. Export your list of workers (or copy and paste it) into a spreadsheet program, if it is not already in one.
2. In an adjacent blank column, create a list of random numbers using the functions of the spreadsheet package or other means.
3. Sort the whole list on these random numbers and take the cases ordered sequentially from the top or the bottom as your sample.
Timing
It is important to identify what is happening in the “world” of your employees at the time you want to launch the survey. It is recommended that you:
Allow surveys to be completed during work time – this has been shown to improve response rates.
Check with others in your organisation who might also be giving a survey. Avoid
“doubling” survey chores for your employees.
Generally be aware of the time of year you want to give the survey. Where possible, try to pick a time that you know your employees are not loaded with other deadlines that may impact their willingness to participate.
For how long should the survey be open?
We recommend keeping a survey open for approximately three weeks, allowing enough time for employees to access the survey without rushing them, while at the same time not giving them too much time to put off taking the survey.
Employee engagement
In order to engage staff in your survey, you must make them feel involved from the start. To get employees and their representatives on board, you should:
Involve employee representatives (e.g. trade union and health and safety representatives) at the beginning of the process.
Involve employees and their representatives in any groups you set up to take the work forward.
If you decide to confine your efforts to a limited section of your organisation, consider how best to inform other employees.
Be sure to keep managers, staff representatives, trade unions and employees fully consulted and informed throughout the survey process so that the end results do not come as a shock.
Providing incentives
Providing an incentive for employees to complete your survey can certainly increase survey response rates. Incentives need not be substantial to attract respondents – small rewards are often just as effective as large ones. If it is possible for your organisation to offer an incentive, one effective option to consider is making a small donation to charity for each survey that is completed and returned.
Announcing the survey
It is highly recommended that you let employees know about the upcoming survey with a pre‐
survey announcement. In preparing pre‐survey announcements, you should:
Identify the different communication methods you will use to tell employees that an important survey is coming soon. Try to use as many diverse methods of communication as possible to ensure maximum employee awareness (e.g. posters, debriefings, intranet, e‐zines, newsletters, e‐mail, pay‐slip notes and/or verbal announcements).
Identify the critical statements you will make in the pre‐survey announcement ‐ remember that you want staff to be highly motivated to participate. However you choose to word your pre‐survey announcement, it is important that you explain to employees the reasons for the survey, including:
how and when employees will receive a questionnaire
how and when employees will receive feedback on the survey’s results
how actions will be taken in response to the survey’s findings
The following page provides an example of a pre‐survey announcement.
Pre‐survey announcement template
[Company name]’s Employee Wellbeing Survey Committed to Managing Wellbeing in the Workplace
September 2011
[Company name] is carrying out a survey on employee wellbeing in our organisation. The survey questionnaire provides an opportunity for all employees to have a say on their experiences of work, with the aim of improving any areas which the survey highlights as potential sources of dissatisfaction, whilst building on the things we do well.
The survey will run between <date> and <date>. All employees will be emailed a survey invitation, which will direct them to the wellbeing survey website for completion of the questionnaire. The questionnaire is simple and straightforward, and will take approximately 20 minutes for you to complete. The survey is completed anonymously and all individual responses will be kept strictly confidential.
Once the survey is over, the organisation‐wide results will be published in our monthly newsletter. In addition, [Company name] will be consulting employees directly through special focus groups and panels to discuss the results of the survey. These focus groups and panels will enable us to work with employees to explore problems and begin the process of developing solutions.
Your participation is greatly appreciated! If you have any questions regarding this survey or require further information, please contact:
<FULL NAME and CONTACT DETAILS>
We thank you for your support and look forward to your participation in the wellbeing survey.
Stage 2: Launching the survey
A critical aspect of any staff survey is the content of the invitation sent to staff. Get that wrong, and the many hours of work spent preparing the questionnaire can go to waste.
Survey invitations
7The invitation message is what your respondents will see first. Upon their initial glance of the invitation in their inbox, recipients could send it directly to SPAM if care is not taken in the layout and wording. Staff survey invitations need to include important information such as the reasons for the survey, the confidentiality of results, what management intends to do with the data, and why it is important for staff to participate. Some points to consider:
Make the survey invitation from names that are easy to recognise. You can do this by including a name that's well‐known in your organisation (e.g. CEO).
Personalise the invitation if possible (e.g. print the sender’s signature).
Make the introductory statement short and clear.
Place the hyperlink to the survey with blank lines above and below (if using email).
Give an estimate of survey completion time (be honest!).
Keep the invitation short and use text only.
Promise anonymity and confidentiality (where applicable).
Provide a deadline for completion of the survey.
Essential information on accessing the survey and closing dates should also be included. The next page provides an example of a survey invitation to help you get started.
Troubleshooting
Once you have launched your online survey, it is possible that some employees will contact you for “tech” assistance. You will need to respond quickly and help them with the steps they need to complete your survey. Make sure that employees have been provided with contact information in case they experience any technical difficulties, such as a name, telephone number and email address.
7 NB: the recommendations for survey invitations and reminders are broadly applicable to both email and paper‐based invitations.
Survey invitation template
Dear First name,
As you are a valued staff member here at [company name], we would like to ensure that you are satisfied with your working environment. To this end, [company name] wishes to invite you to participate in the first of what we hope will be an annual employee wellbeing survey.
The purpose of this survey is to obtain your opinions about what it is like to work in our organisation. The survey consists of a number of questions and will take approximately 20 minutes for you to complete. Please take the time to answer these questions carefully and honestly, as it is only with your help that we can create a happier and safer workplace for all staff. [Company name] is committed to working towards improving any areas which the survey highlights as potential sources of dissatisfaction, whilst building on the things we do well.
The survey is completed anonymously, and all individual responses will be kept strictly confidential. No individual results will be provided either to me or to the company.
Whilst completion of the employee wellbeing survey is not compulsory, we do encourage all of you to participate ‐ we want all of your voices heard! In addition, for each survey that is successfully completed and returned, [company name] will make a small donation to <charity of your choice>.
Please click on the link that follows and complete the questionnaire by no later than Wednesday 21st September at 5:00 PM.
***SURVEY LINK***
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further queries or should you require any assistance in completing the survey.
Thank you in advance for participating and helping [company name] continue to grow.
Regards,
Full Name HR Manager
Stage 3: Sending survey reminders
Sending reminders
Sending survey completion reminders is one of the most effective ways to increase response rates! It is therefore essential that reminders are carefully planned and managed to obtain the maximum benefits. Some points to consider:
Send at least two reminders to any employee who has not completed the survey, and consider sending up to five reminders spaced throughout the survey window.
Send a first reminder just after you see a significant decline in survey return responses.
Send a second reminder after you see another decline.
Sending two or three reminders is considered to be best practice.
As with invitations, it is essential to pay attention to the layout and wording of your reminders:
Change the reminder’s subject line so that it is not identical to the invitation (or previous reminders).
Create a sense of urgency within the subject line and body of the reminder.
Remind employees of the purpose of the survey.
Remind employees of the value of the survey.
Give an estimate of survey completion time.
Remind employees that their responses will be anonymous (where applicable).
Although sending survey reminders is one of the most effective ways to boost response rates, it is important not to send too many – if you send reminders too often, contacts may feel harassed and will simply ignore them. If employees have completed your survey, it is essential that these respondents are removed from the list of recipients when sending reminders.
Stage 4: Following up after survey completion
I’ve got my results – what should I do next?
The results of your survey should now be reviewed. In particular, it is important for your organisation to identify potential risk areas and hotspots if these have been highlighted by the survey. Report the findings of the survey to your employees, then work with them to bridge the gap between your organisation’s current performance and its desired performance in the future.
Reporting the survey’s findings
The survey’s findings should be reported to staff as soon as possible – if nothing happens as a follow‐up to the survey, your organisation will likely experience reduced employee morale and loyalty as a result. It is important to remember that the survey merely represents an opportunity for further dialogue with your employees; let your staff know that you are taking appropriate action by listing the steps you will take to address the survey’s findings. Employees will appreciate your efforts – whatever the results of the survey may be.
The findings of your survey should be presented to the board, the workforce, and their representatives. However, bear in mind that a survey can only provide a broad overview of an organisation’s working environment. If there are areas that require attention, these can form a starting point for discussions with focus groups and a useful guide for future actions.
I’ve got some negative results ‐ what should I do?
Don’t panic – almost every wellbeing survey will collect a few negative responses in addition to positive ones. It is important to view the negative responses as an opportunity to learn and develop as an organisation. Any negative responses that are significant should be addressed in the discussion going forward through focus groups and other follow‐up activities. Treat the responses seriously and begin exploring ways of resolving the situation. As long as you are seen to accept employee opinion, your employees will feel the organisation is already on the path to recovery.
Focus groups and action plans
Once you have reported the results of the survey it is advisable to involve employees and their representatives in discussions, as they are often the best placed to suggest improvements. A good way to consult employees is through focus groups. A focus group or “test panel” is a group of individuals having a common interest, brought together to gain information about a specific issue. The number of groups will depend on the size and structure of your organisation, the available resources and, most importantly, the results of your survey.
Focus groups can provide an excellent opportunity to explore the survey results in greater depth, as more time can be set aside for such discussions than may be available within standard team meetings. They also allow you to explore common issues across groups with shared interests that might not normally come together as members of teams.
The overall aim of each focus group is to explore problems and begin the process of developing solutions. A key output from the focus group would be a proposed or preliminary action plan, containing suggestions and recommendations for action at different levels of the organisation.
Appendix B provides further information on using focus groups.
An action plan is a simple list of all of the tasks that need to be carried out to achieve an objective. It differs from a “To Do List” in that it focuses on the practical achievement of a single goal. The next page provides an example of an action plan template.
Action plan template
And finally…
Remember you are not alone on your journey to improve employee wellbeing ‐ there are plenty of organisations out there willing to help and support you (check out our “managing wellbeing resources” guide for a list of a few). We have built and managed surveys for numerous private and public sector clients and have learnt a thing or two in the process. Some of this valuable information is included within this guide, the rest we would be more than happy to share with you. Areas we can offer additional support include:
establishing the business case for action
identifying and securing commitment from key stakeholders
communicating survey goals and wellbeing brand values
engaging employees with the survey process
increasing survey response rates
analysing survey results
communicating survey results to various stakeholders
setting up and facilitating focus groups
analysing and communicating focus group results
establishing action plans
wellbeing strategy development
If you feel you would benefit from any of the support listed above, contact us ‐ we would love to hear from you.
Managing wellbeing Ltd. also provides wellbeing surveys that audit employee health and wellbeing, collate opinions, and identify risk areas across your workforce. We use verified indicators to get a comprehensive understanding of your employees' emotional and physical wellbeing. These cost‐effective surveys provide detailed, actionable reports for both the employee and survey administrator, empowering you and your workforce to improve wellbeing and increase productivity.
To contact us or find out more, please go to www.managingwellbeing.com.
About us
managing wellbeing
Managing wellbeing Ltd. is a university‐based consultancy with the audacious opinion that improving employee wellbeing doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. We can help your organisation improve employee wellbeing in the following ways:
1. Subscribe to our “managing wellbeing network” and you can access loads of free guides, toolkits and useful resources today. It’s all free!
2. We can help you audit your employee wellbeing, identifying risk areas and opportunities for improvement. We provide clear guidance and advice to allow focused action to be taken by both the employee and survey administrator.
3. We can help you develop and run your wellbeing strategy as well as target specific aspects of employee wellbeing (e.g. nutrition, exercise, mental health).
You can find out more about us at www.managingwellbeing.com.
The Grafton Employment Group
Known locally worldwide, the Grafton Employment Group offers its clients and candidates bespoke permanent, temporary, managed service and vendor‐managed recruitment solutions across all industry sectors. The group encompasses a portfolio of brands including Grafton Recruitment, BluePrint Specialist Appointments, SpenglerFox, Maryb.ie and Grafton ESP.
Although established in Ireland, the Grafton Employment Group has a footprint worldwide to include 70 offices in 16 countries.
Our range of employment solutions can be tailored to fit both the smallest and largest organisations, from SMEs through to public sector bodies, large multinational companies (MNCs) and locally‐acclaimed organisations. We can offer simple local solutions through to sophisticated multi‐geographical recruitment outsourcing programmes, cutting across geographical boundaries to deliver cost‐effective and innovative employment solutions to our clients and candidates alike.
The group is also committed to playing an active role in the communities in which it operates with active CSR initiatives.
You can find out more about us at www.grafton‐group.com
Appendix A: Wellbeing survey checklist
Senior management commitment
Do you have the backing of senior management?
Number of employees to survey
Are you going to survey the entire workforce or a sample of the workforce?
If selecting a sample, follow the recommendations on pages 10 and 11.
Timing
Pick a time that is convenient for your employees.
Allow surveys to be completed during work time.
For how long should the survey be open?
Keep the survey open for approximately 3 weeks.
Employee engagement
Involve employee representatives at the beginning of the process.
Involve employees in any groups you set up to take the work forward.
Employee engagement: incentives
Are you able to offer employees an incentive?
If offering an incentive, do you know what kind of incentive would be most appropriate?
Announcing the survey
What communication methods will you use?
Have you identified the critical statements that you will make?
Survey invitations
Make the survey invitation from names easy to recognise.
Personalise the invitation if possible.
Make the introductory statement short and clear.
Place the survey hyperlink with sufficient space above and below (if using email).
Make sure the hyperlink fits on one line.
Give an estimate of survey completion time.
Keep the invitation short and use text only.
Promise confidentiality (where applicable).
Provide a deadline for completion of the survey.
Troubleshooting
Have you put someone in place to offer technical assistance?
Survey reminders
Send between 2 and 5 reminders to staff that have yet to complete the survey.
Send the first reminder just after you see a significant decline in return responses.
Send the second reminder after you see another decline.
Sending 2 or 3 reminders is considered to be best practice.
Change the reminder’s subject line so it is not identical to the invitation/past reminders.
Create a sense of urgency within the subject line and body of the reminder.
Remind employees of the purpose of the survey.
Remind employees of the value of the survey.
Give an estimate of survey completion time.
Remind employees that their responses will be anonymous (where applicable).
Do not send reminders too frequently – employees will feel harassed if you do!
Remove respondents from the list of recipients when sending reminders.
Reporting the survey’s findings
Present the survey’s findings to the board, the workforce, and their representatives.
Focus groups and action plans
Establish focus groups to explore the survey results in more depth.
Encourage groups to propose solutions for problems highlighted by the survey.
Have focus groups produce preliminary action plans to guide future actions.
Appendix B: Running focus groups
What size should a focus group be?
Ideally, a focus group should have between 7 and 12 participants. Groups of over 12 are generally too big to allow everyone to participate effectively, whilst groups with fewer than 4 generally do not have wide enough experience.
What is the role of the moderator?
All focus groups should be conducted by a moderator. A moderator is responsible for guiding the discussion as well as being objective and unbiased on the topic being discussed. In general, a moderator should:
Try to be unobtrusive and non‐directive.
Ask a small number of general questions to stimulate discussion.
Give participants a ‘free rein’ in the discussion.
Intervene if the discussion wanders ‘off track’ or if there is a long silence.
Respond to potentially interesting points that are not picked up by the participants.
Beginning the focus group
In introducing the focus group, the moderator should:
Thank people for coming.
Introduce himself or herself.
Explain the purpose of the focus group.
Outline the format and procedure of the focus group.
Briefly discuss ethical issues.
Asking questions
The sequence and balance of questions are crucial for any focus group. The rules of thumb for focus groups are as follows:
Use general questions early in the focus group session.
Use more specific and more focused questions later in the session, after the general questions.
Use positive questions before negative questions; ask “what’s good about working here?” before asking about the downside.
Use uncued questions before cued questions (cued questions are questions where you present the group with a range of choices or ask them for their reactions to a number of options).
Closing the focus group
In closing the focus group, the moderator should:
Thank people for participating.
Explain what will happen to the information gathered during the focus group.
Arrange any further meetings.
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