A recent Gallup poll found that only 34 percent of employees are engaged in their jobs. 53 percent of employees are not engaged, doing the bare minimum to simply remain employed. And 13 percent are actively disengaged. Those employees would rather be almost anywhere else than at work. While there are likely many reasons for this lack of employee engagement, and they no doubt vary among employees, one of the most common is a feeling that their employers care little to nothing about what they think or what is important to them. The focus always seems to be on production and rarely on the people that are producing. In some workplaces even a sincere “good morning” is lacking, much less a genuine effort to solicit the employees’ concerns. The purpose of this article is to suggest some proven methods that employers have successfully utilized over the years to obtain employee feedback on issues of concern to them. Such feedback is critical if the company has any hope of truly being in tune with its workforce. The methods outlined here are really nothing more than common sense, things all of us have heard for years. The goal is to create more engaged employees that willingly support the company’s values and mission. The question is how to get there.
Managers and supervisors, as part of a respectful relationship with the employees they supervise, are in a position to obtain direct feedback on a one-on-one basis in their daily interactions if they make a sincere effort. However, employees must feel comfortable that they can speak honestly and directly without fear of repercussions. Letting them know that candid feedback is welcomed may help open the dialogue. Assurance of non-retaliation by anyone, including other employees, for what they share is sometimes needed. In addition, the reaction to the feedback they share can be critical. And it is important to remember that such conversations are not the time to defend or argue. It is a time to listen respectfully and make an effort to understand the employee’s perspective on whatever issue they choose to discuss.