HSD Metrics® provides a variety of surveys that can be customized for use in exit interviews with former employees or for gathering feedback from new hires, for example. Gathering information is not helpful unless you can use it, however. Unfortunately, most replies have a negative connotation. The positive side is that this criticism can be channeled into improvements for your company.
Below, HSD Metrics shares four negative online survey responses from the education industry and how these commons concerns can be addressed in any industry.
“The job duties changed constantly during my tenure in the position. There were unrealistic expectations for the type of position I was being paid to perform. As a teacher specialist, I had the workload of a coordinator. As such, I was doing a level of work that I was not being compensated for.”
This is a great example of the importance of the job description and expectations conversation that occurs at the beginning of the hiring process, as well as new hire surveys. The need for a new employee is there, but clearly writing out the details on a new hire’s responsibilities, level of experience, and job duties is the most important next step in the process. Details outlined in this job description act as agreed-upon terms between you and your new employee. If the agreement is not respected, employees will often feel overworked and undervalued. The result is an unproductive employee or one who leaves the company.
“I do find it difficult to understand why we, as teachers, must pay for our own required continuous education. In most careers, the employer pays for any continuing education required to maintain certification of any sort in full.”
Professional development is an important job benefit and may be the most important benefit for some employees. What professional development opportunities do you offer your employees? Do you know what training, continuing education classes or courses, seminars and conferences commonly interest your employees and will help keep them up to date in their fields? Evaluate what recurring or professional development elements mean most to them and will be most effective and see how you can start offering it to them as an additional benefit or incentive. Showing that you care about your employees’ professional growth shows them that you are invested in them and want to see them continue to develop within the company.
“This was a small reason but not the major one: micromanaging by the principal and not feeling like I was treated like an adult or a professional. I didn’t think I needed such high structure and monitoring.”
No one enjoys working in misery, especially when the cause of your misery is a boss or direct supervisor. Gaining insight into leadership styles, whether it is a manager within your company or yourself, can be helpful. Knowing the issues gives you and your company the opportunity to proactively address them and make changes. Survey results can help you spot the difference between a simple case of miscommunication and a recurring problem that requires more aggressive action. In this particular case, for example, the response may lead you to find out why the leader feels the need to micromanage and see if the reins can be loosened a little. If the added supervision is necessary, explain to the concerned employee how to improve the situation.
“There was so little [recognition, appreciation, and respect] from our administration. I felt totally unappreciated or valued, except from my co-workers, because we were like family to one another.”
Recognition and appreciation go a long way toward building the morale of a work environment, motivation and work performance. Some employees need more recognition than others, and that is OK. Getting to know a person’s work style will let you know if they enjoy a $5 gift card and thank you note or if a company-wide announcement is the form of appreciation they are looking for. Respect is something different. All employees deserve to feel respected, so dive into the reasoning behind their concerns. This can also tie into the leadership style we mentioned before. Whatever the case, recognition, appreciation and respect are all elements employees want, and receiving the appropriate levels of praise and respect could be the key to getting them to stay longer.
There is no secret sauce to retaining and hiring the perfect employees, but the insights from HSD Metrics’ online survey such as ExitRight® or the SurveyRight™ New Hire Feedback gives you just the information you need to start improving. Contact HSD Metrics to see how you can get the insights you are looking for as well as a plan for solutions to the negatives that are shared with you.
