Companies can rely on data to build trust and create a strong workplace culture. The process of surveying, thanking employees for their feedback and doing something with that data shows employees they matter.
When employees feel heard, they are more likely to share feedback and information. This tells leaders what’s going on and where improvements are needed.
Senior leaders and human resources teams should regularly review metrics to track process, including:
• Employee engagement — Measuring employee engagement helps to understand whether employees are bringing their hearts and minds to work every day.
• Diversity — This should be front and center to measure progress. Diversity, equity and inclusion boosts employee trust and commitment, directly impacting recruitment and retention. Inclusion ensures all employees are supported and valued, and all are contributing.
• Goals — Successful companies set goals at all levels and work consistently to achieve them. Tracking individual goal achievement can help identify where an organization has challenges before it becomes a drag on business performance.
• Turnover — Organizations need to retain top talent while managing poorer performers out. Losing the wrong people can come at considerable cost.
• Vacation days used — Even when companies offer generous time off, employees might not use it for many reasons. When employees don’t take vacation, burnout increases, engagement declines and productivity suffers.
• Absenteeism/sick days taken — A sudden increase in sick days taken, especially if vacation days remain unused, could signal it’s time to check in.
Other key metrics to help gauge the effectiveness of human resources programs and initiatives include compensation/award metrics, internal promotions, revenue per employee and time and/or cost of hire.
Another key point: Top Workplaces make sure to avoid a culture of burnout. By using surveys to help gauge how employees are doing emotionally, organizations can spot signs of burnout before it happens and step in with additional support.
Giving employees the option to provide feedback promotes wellness, said Greg Barnett, chief people scientist at Energage. When employees can voice how they feel, there’s a layer of psychological safety. Employees know they’re being seen and heard.
Strong organizations use employee feedback to achieve great cultures that are people-centric.
The biggest thing Energage sees when it comes to organizations that achieve and sustain great cultures is the ability to receive feedback and proactively make changes based on that feedback, Barnett said.
Healthy organizations with great employee cultures are open to making changes based on feedback from workers. Top Workplaces recognize workplace culture has a direct correlation with business performance.
Bob Helbig is media partnerships director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is survey partner for Nevada Top Workplaces.