The Importance of Employee Surveys, according to Hays
(PRWEB UK) 3 December 2013 -- The business world has known for years that the insight from employee surveys is invaluable and can directly impact on financial results. So why aren’t more organisations using this information? The latest Hays Journal explores how more organisations should recognise the importance of taking action following annual employee surveys.
Employee surveys are widespread, although frequently they are only noted for their cost rather than their positive output. Many do not provide data that is used to inform business decisions and appear to managers and staff alike as a mere box-ticking exercise, which is counterproductive and disengaging for everyone involved. Of course, even with a well-led campaign behind it, data will only be reliable and honest if everyone trusts the survey process and its confidentiality.
Barney Ely, Director of Hays Human Resources, comments, “At Hays we carry out a global annual employee survey, TALKback, and actively encourage all employees to take part fully. During the survey timeline we constantly communicate with employees highlighting the importance of taking the survey and how the results will be used. The results are shared with the teams and actions are taken to resolve any issues.”
The reality is that data can tell a company’s leaders much more than whether staff are happy in their work. Used effectively, employee surveys can be used by a company to tap into the knowledge, experience and opinions of its staff in the same way that it would survey and target customers. Both types of survey generate insight that should inform strategic decisions in areas from product development to mergers and acquisitions.
Ely continues, “Businesses that don’t use employee survey data strategically are missing an opportunity to attract and retain high performing employees. These surveys get under the skin of how staff attitudes affect retention, customer satisfaction and ultimately business performance but many organisations fail to get what they need from the surveys. Many managers do not act on the data they collect, or fail to respond, because they see the results as personal criticism. That’s where the strong leadership is critical. If a company is performing well financially, the survey data must be recognised as a way of identifying problem areas and training needs before they become too serious.”
To access the Hays Journal please visit: http://www.hays-journal.com.
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About Hays
Note to Editors
Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2013 the Group employed 7,840 staff operating from 239 offices in 33 countries across 20 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2013:
– the Group reported net fees of £719 million and operating profit (pre-exceptional items) of £125.5 million;
– the Group placed around 53,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 182,000 people into temporary assignments;
– 29% of Group net fees were generated in Asia Pacific, 40% in Continental Europe & RoW (CERoW) and 31% in the United Kingdom & Ireland;
– the temporary placement business represented 59% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 41% of net fees;
– Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the USA
For further press information please contact:
Deepa Bose
Hays
T. 020 7200 3760
E. deepa.bose(at)hays(dot)com
Deepa Bose, HAYS, http://www.hays.co.uk, +44 2072003760 Ext: 44, [email protected]
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