Short, frequent employee polling is on the rise to check in, gather feedback and catch problems earlier, according to The Wall Street Journal. The shift to instant feedback and data-driven management is driving employers to check in monthly, weekly and even daily with employee "pulse surveys."
Surveys ask employees about their happiness, company feedback or even what theme the holiday party should be. Questions range from "Money or recognition, which do you prefer?" to "What challenges are you are facing?" to "Prince or Michael Jackson?".
Data suggests most companies still conduct annual employee surveys, yet employees and managers have grown weary of long questionnaires, according to WSJ. Hospitals, especially large health systems, could benefit from taking the employees' pulse more frequently. The following four thoughts explore how hospitals should conduct employee surveys:
- What type of questions should be asked? It is important to vary survey questions to maintain engagement with the surveys. Survey questions can solicit feedback or provide data. For example, Sears asks its employees to rate their mood at the end of every shift. Results are beginning to show a slight correlation between sales and customer satisfaction when employees are in better moods, according to WSJ.
Additionally, maintaining a range of lighthearted to serious questions can spur conversation. At first, it may seem like a waste of time to ask busy hospital employees whether Prince or Michael Jackson is king, but including lighthearted questions can boost camaraderie, according to the report. “Without some kind of variation it can get a little bit like homework for some people,” executive Rochelle DiRi told WSJ. Questions are rotated regularly at the New York-based product-development company, Quirky, where Ms. DiRi works.
- Should the surveys be kept anonymous? It depends on the hospital culture, and more importantly, the questions asked. The co-founder and vice president of Vodori, a Chicago digital marketing agency, told WSJ his firm polls employees a few times a week. Despite the lack of anonymity, his employees provide honest feedback, he said. However, keeping polls anonymous allows employees at hospitals to openly voice concerns and opinions without risk.
- What results should employees expect to see from the surveys? Hospitals should discuss results openly at meetings so nurses, physicians and other employees feel their voices are being heard. A survey functions as a conversation starter,Eean Crawford, PhD, told WSJ. Dr. Crawfordstudies employee engagement at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business. Employees may become disenchanted with frequent surveys if they do not subsequently see frequent action. Health systems that may be slow to change should maintain an open conversation about employee feedback.
- How frequently should hospital employees be surveyed? Some firms poll employees as frequently as once a day. However, at busy hospitals where employees may not be on the computer all day, it may be better to use surveys weekly or monthly and keep questions to a minimum. Asking a barrage of questions may fatigue employees, according to Dr. Crawford.
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