Employee Morale: How Progressive Companies Gain Valuable Insight by Measuring Employee Engagement…

Introduction

In today’s rapidly changing workplace, organizations of all sizes must find ways to attract and retain toptalent, increase productivity, and enhance customer service. One key factor that can impact all of theseareas is employee morale. Companies that prioritize employee engagement and satisfaction tend to havehigher productivity, lower turnover rates, and better customer service. Progressive companies have longutilized employee engagement surveys and other methods to measure employee morale to achieve thesebenefits. By gaining valuable insights into employee satisfaction and well-being, these companies canidentify areas for improvement and take steps to create a more positive and supportive workenvironment. In this article, we will explore the benefits of measuring employee morale, the differentmethods used to measure it, and how progressive companies are leveraging this information to gain acompetitive advantage in the modern workplace.

Common Ways in Which Companies Measure Engagement

• Employee engagement surveys: Employee engagement surveys are commonly used to measureemployee morale. These surveys typically ask employees to rate their satisfaction with various aspectsof their job and workplace, such as their supervisor, workload, and compensation. Research has foundthat these surveys can provide valuable insights into employee morale and help organizations identifyimprovement areas.
• Absenteeism and turnover rates: High rates of absenteeism and turnover can be an indication of lowemployee morale. Research has found that tracking these metrics can help organizations identifypotential issues with employee morale and take steps to address them.
• Performance metrics: Research has found that there is a positive correlation between employee moraleand job performance. By tracking performance metrics such as productivity, quality of work, andcustomer satisfaction, organizations can gain insights into employee morale and identify potential areasfor improvement.
• Employee feedback and suggestions: Asking employees for feedback and suggestions can be avaluable way to gauge employee morale. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, orone-on-one meetings with employees. Research has found that employees who feel that their opinionsare valued and that they have a voice in decision-making tend to have higher morale.
• Social media monitoring: Social media can provide valuable insights into employee morale. Bymonitoring social media platforms such as Twitter and Glassdoor, organizations can gain insights intowhat employees are saying about their workplace and identify potential areas for improvement.

We would encourage companies that have the resources to build a comprehensive employeeengagement monitoring program to do so while remembering that a comprehensive monitoring programis only the beginning. Companies must do something with the data that is collected. Several years ago Iworked for a company that did a great job getting employee surveys out about every other year. Theyalso did a great job getting the results to the leaders in the organization who could do something aboutit. What they didn’t do well was create an effective response to the data that was collected, nor did theycreate an expectation that the leaders within the organization should be held accountable for action orinaction around the results of the surveys. Over the years, the level of cynicism about the surveys grew, asdid the negative feedback. Some of my peers even called it the “employee disengagement survey.” Ouch!That was in a large corporation with virtually unlimited resources to build whatever program they wantedaround engagement. Considering the money they didn’t bother to spend to fix the issues the surveysuncovered, I find it likely that, by doing nothing, they ultimately chose the most expensive route of all. It’sinteresting to note, that well-informed, well-trained and well-rounded leaders are the best antidote todisengaged employees.

Fostering Engagement: Where Small Businesses Have aDistinct Advantage

When it comes to small businesses, it is clear they can’t compete on this level with large corporateentities in terms of detailed and expensive systems and programs. With limited resources, they may facechallenges in measuring employee engagement, but there are several clear and compelling advantagesthey can leverage to foster a more engaged workforce. Here are seven virtually free advantages smallbusinesses may have when it comes to employee engagement:

1. Access to the Owner: Employees of small businesses often have incredible access to the owner,hopefully, a well-informed, well-trained and well-rounded leader. They may often work side by side withthe owner daily. This gives the owner countless daily opportunities to positively impact employeeengagement.
2. Direct Communication: Forget the extra memos and the extra meetings! I don’t know a small businessowner who isn’t direct and up-front with their employees, constantly giving feedback and generallyletting their employees know where they stand. If anything, we have done significantly more work inhoning communication skills with our small business clients to be more effective by being morepositive. Nonetheless, having strong and direct communication from a business owner, especially thatwhich doesn’t spew out in overly negative ways, generally leads to more engaged employees.
3. Quicker Decisions: Leave the red tape at home. Generally speaking, small business owners can say“yay” or “nay” very quickly and without levels and levels of approval required. This helps to solve issuesquickly and doesn’t leave your employees wondering. After a decision, hopefully, with the appropriateamount of debate and robust discussion, employees can get right back to work, often heading in theright direction!
4. Stronger Sense of Community: That’s right! Small businesses often have a tighter-knit community andculture than larger corporations. This can create a stronger sense of connection and loyalty amongemployees, which can increase engagement and job satisfaction. Smart small business owners work onculture and community every day!
5. Greater Flexibility: Small businesses may have greater flexibility in terms of work arrangements, such astelecommuting or flexible scheduling. This can help to accommodate employees’ individual needs andpreferences, leading to higher levels of engagement and loyalty.
6. Opportunity for Growth: Small businesses may offer more opportunities for employees to take on newresponsibilities, develop new skills, and advance in their careers. This can help to increase engagementand job satisfaction, as employees feel that their work is valued and that they are making meaningfulcontributions to the organization. The best part is that small business owners can do this often withoutdamaging their employee’s psyches with endless interviews to get that promotion. A simple,well-written and mutually agreed-upon plan is a great way to help your employees advance.
7. Stronger Alignment with Company Values: Small businesses may have a clearer and more authentic setof values that are more directly aligned with the owner’s vision and mission. This can create a strongersense of purpose and meaning for employees, which can increase engagement and job satisfaction.

By leveraging these advantages, small business owners can create a more engaged and productiveworkforce, despite limited resources. By fostering a positive work environment, valuing employees’contributions, and providing opportunities for growth and development, small businesses can create acompetitive advantage in the modern workplace.