Organizations trying to understand more about the perceptions and performance of employees can greatly benefit from applying evaluation techniques. Independent examination of employees yields a greater understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of an organization’s functioning.
Perception and Satisfaction Research
Employee satisfaction research is a common tool to help organization leaders identify employee concerns as well as key drivers of employees’ appreciation of their positions. Evaluation Insights applies an in-depth approach to assessing employee satisfaction:
- Identify Research Questions: There are many standard topics addressed through employee surveys such as perceptions of management, company policies, and benefits, but it is critical to understand the specific information needs that are driving the research process. Often, organizations are in the midst of transitions and utilize employee research to learn how employees regard a particular issue or perceive their organization’s wellbeing. Evaluation Insights identifies the research goals as a foundation to recommending a survey process.
- Develop Methodology: Informational interviews such as discussions with organization leadership or employee focus groups are utilized to finalize the scope of the employee research and to determine the optimal approach to implementing an employee research process. Surveys are common in employee research, and a survey methodology is developed in consideration of an organization’s size, structure, and scheduling to engage employees as conveniently as possible. Some organizations may apply a sampling strategy to ensure a representative portion of employees respond to the survey while others may use a census approach that encourages responses from all employees. Surveying of different categories of employees and level of management must also be examined in developing a methodology. The best survey administration approach such as via online survey, paper and pencil surveys completed on site, or mailed surveys is also critical to ensuring that the methodology capitalizes on the natural survey opportunities that exist within an organization.
- Create Assessment Tools: Once the research goals and methodology are established, Evaluation Insights works collaboratively with an organization to finalize assessment instruments. Engaging organizations in survey or information interview guide development is important to ensure that the content addresses all informational needs and that the assessment utilizes appropriate language for participating employees. Different assessments may be developed according to the planned methodology and based upon the type of employee respondent. Surveys may be piloted prior to widespread administration to further verify the accuracy of content.
- Data Collection: Evaluation Insights manages data collection and provides regular updates to client organization regarding data collection progress. Working closely with organizations is important to ensuring timely and accurate completion of the research methodology.
- Presentation of Results: Evaluation Insights conducts a complete analysis of all information gathered through the research process and reports results back to client organizations. This includes written reporting, presentations, data files, and any other materials the communicate employee research outcomes. Often, different types of reporting are necessary in order to meet the information needs of different levels of employees within an organization.
