Gathering Honest Employee Feedback: What Are Some Effective Methods?

Dear All,

I have started taking feedback from all the employees individually, considering the below-mentioned points:
a. Are they happy working in this company, their feelings
b. How is your manager?
c. Are you enjoying your work?
d. and so on

I have received some good responses and honest opinions, but not from everyone.
What is another way to gather honest opinions?
Can somebody suggest one?

Regards,
Jennifer Isaac

Dear Jennifer,

I hope you are in good health!

The points you have mentioned in your post are parts of the Employee Satisfaction Survey. 90% of the feedback given through such surveys is based on immediate or past experiences (from about 3 months ago). Therefore, sometimes it is believed that HR is getting a quite "realistic" picture of the organization and the health of employees. Please take caution when evaluating these feedbacks.

Another method is a continuous process, i.e., having daily or weekly discussions with employees. This can be arranged on weekends through small gatherings. We typically spend Rs. 300 per week for around 50 people. This method has helped us greatly in obtaining a realistic picture of the organization and the interpersonal relationships between employees and their superiors.

I hope this information is useful.

Regards,
Shailendra

Hi Shailendra,

How are you? How do you evaluate these feedbacks? And what do you do every week by spending Rs. 300/-? Can you be a little clearer?

Regards,

Jennifer Isaac

Hi Jennifer,
I agree with the earlier comment of what you're carrying out being a “Employee Satisfaction Survey”. However no matter how you approach the employees they might not fully reveal the exact situation on times when they're approached personally. This maybe due to their fear of revealing certain incidents, what their Manager might think of them and so on.
However, when you give out these questions in a questionnaire format and ask the employees to stay anonymous and state their views they really open up because they have no fear since identification is almost impossible. And this can motivate the employees.
At the same time if you do not provide any solutions for the problems or troubles that they are facing this will create de-motivation. Hence Employee Satisfaction Surveys should be carried out tactically and creatively.
Regards,
Ashra

Dear Jennifer,

We do have social gatherings where we start with general entertainment, and then we share common problems faced by individuals. Sometimes, we ask questions to people on the same platform (e.g., How to retain quality employees?), and all their suggestions are jotted down first. It gives an indication that management is listening to them.

Then, HR and top management people come together to discuss feasible suggestions, and implementation is carried out. It gives an indication that management not only listens but also acts on employees' ideas. Those individuals also receive recognition at the annual or mid-term conference, which is held on an all-India basis.

For such weekly social gatherings, we provide simple snacks, soft drinks, etc., which cost us around Rs. 300 for 50 people.

Regarding the previous comments by ASHRA on getting anonymous feedback, in my experience, it doesn't solve any problems but rather creates more confusion in the minds of HR and ultimately affects further implementations, if any.

Hope this information is useful.

Regards,

Shailendra