Struggling with Gallup's "What is Expected of Me at Work?" Question? Let's Brainstorm Action Plans Together

Can anyone help me in making action plans on the first basic question of Gallup 12 questions?

What is Expected of Me at Work?

I understand that an action plan would be different for different companies, but in general, what can be a common action plan?

Thanks

Gallup has already suggested underlying meanings for each question in the Q12. I would like you to search the web for the same as this would be of great help in analyzing all the questions.

Regarding the current question, you must be aware that the Q12 is measured on a 5-point scale (Strongly Agree - Strongly Disagree). Hence, if the maximum percentage of the sample falls under the disagree scale, then the organization needs to find ways to bring clarity with respect to work by developing roles and responsibilities pertaining to each of the designations/departments, etc., and categorize them. Most importantly, the management must ensure all employees align with the mission, vision, and objectives of the organization.

At the end of the day, if an employee is unclear about what they need to do, then all the energy they put into their work would be wasted. It's similar to placing the ladder on the wrong wall, which would lead you to a wrong destination even more quickly.

Hope this explanation helps!

Regards,
Rakesh

Thank you, Rakesh, for this quick response. However, please guide me on how management can align each employee with the vision, mission, and values of the organization. If you could provide an example, it would be helpful for me.

After researching internet sites, I have concluded that while emphasis should be placed on disengaged employees, it is also important not to ignore the engaged and moderately engaged employees.

Secondly, we need to first design the roles for each department and employee in the form of Key Result Areas (KRAs) perhaps.

The first basic question pertains to accountability. How can we create action plans for that? Should we set stretched targets?

Please let me know if I am moving in the right direction.

Regards

Framing Survey Questions for Employee Engagement

Coming to the question in a survey engagement like "What is expected of me at work?" – it might be better framed as "Are the work expectations and objectives well defined?" As Rakesh explained, this should be answered on a 5-point scale (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree) with a blank space for comments. Preferably, this should be conducted by a third party to maintain confidentiality.

Aligning Employee Goals with Organizational Vision and Values

Regarding your query to Rakesh on how to align employees' goals with the vision and values of the organization, consider this: If the vision of a company is to exceed customer expectations, a Sales Manager's Key Result Area (KRA) would include meeting sales targets along with achieving a Customer Satisfaction Rating (CSR) of a certain percentage.

- Customer Service: Ensure customers receive consignments within the stipulated time frame as per the commitment given in the Purchase Order (P.O.) through internal and external coordination.
- Production, Procurement, QA & Dispatch: Ensure timely production within the price range (considering raw material price fluctuations), timely supply of raw materials within price margins, timely inspection by QA, and timely dispatch of finished goods in agreed-upon packaging to meet the specifications provided in the P.O.

If these parameters are well defined and linked to each other, processes can ensure a joint team effort to meet or exceed customer expectations through well-defined KPIs and KRAs. CSR needs to be conducted preferably by a third party to determine the CSR percentage.

The Role of Engagement Surveys

The engagement survey can help your company determine how committed employees are and how this commitment influences their work effort. One software firm I know uses engagement items such as "being proud to work for the company" or "motivated to go beyond what is expected" to measure employee engagement. It is found that highly engaged employees are 1.3 times more likely to be high performers than those with lower engagement and five times less likely to leave the company voluntarily.

It is recommended that the engagement survey should cover the following areas:

1. Satisfaction with the job or organization.
2. Commitment to the work, supervisor, or organization.
3. Willingness to encourage a friend to join the company and be an advocate of the firm.

A few sample statements in a survey might be: "I am satisfied with this company as a great place to work," "I can feel the high energy and excitement," or "My boss inspires the best in people." The resulting data helps HR identify any obstacles that might hinder satisfaction or reveal issues that require attention.

Please don't start the survey unless your organization is committed to acting on the data and maintaining open communication regarding change initiatives. It is a highly effective way to understand how your employees view their work and the company.

Best wishes,

Rajat Joshi

Thanks a lot, Rajat. Like others, you too have helped me in my work in this field. I am really grateful to you all. Please keep posting more suggestions on this subject. This will help me as I am working on this project, and it is an ongoing process.

Regards

I want to add one thing here. I feel that every function should have accountability as well. Responsibility, empowerment, and accountability should all be considered. Your comments are invited on this. How can we make the above actionable?