Biz tip: Find out how workers really feel

Do you really know, or are you unsure?

Let’s face it. The speed of business has increased. From design to development to market – the time has been reduced by competition and demand.

So if we are going at warp speed to be successful, how do we know how things are within any particular unit? Do you have satisfied employees? Is the rank and file on board with the mission, vision, values? Is there a sense of belonging to something worthwhile? Do they see opportunity for advancement?

The list of questions could go on and on.

My experience has taught me that unless management has made a concerted effort to find out how employees feel, there typically is a disconnect between management and line employees.

It is prudent to “check things out” with employees at all levels.

The TV show “Undercover Boss” is an example of various companies’ CEOs “checking things out” at different levels within a company. I am not suggesting such an elaborate undertaking, but I do recommend continually taking the temperature of a unit, division or company.

There are a myriad of examples on how to get your employees to tell you about their perception of the unit they work in.

The most basic is to identify what you want to find out about. Is it the culture, job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, trust, honesty, integrity, etc.?

Then develop either closed-ended questions (a “yes” or “no” answer) or open-ended questions depending on what you are seeking.

An employee survey can be as basic as talking to staff in casual conversations or as elaborate as a creating a formal questionnaire.

I urge management not to assume everything is going well. 

If you need an incentive over and above just knowing how employees view management, I can tell you there is a great opportunity to uncover many of the misconceptions held by rank and file.

That knowledge gives management an opportunity to “set the record straight” and that, in and of itself, is tremendously useful in establishing a communication link between rank and file and management. Correcting misconceptions and problems lets staff know management is concerned and will take action.