Dive Brief:
- Most U.S. workers (61%) in a recent Emplify survey said their employers conduct surveys, but more than 1 in 4 said there’s no follow-up on the feedback they provide. The company's 2020 Employee Engagement Trends, a report on the psychological state of the U.S. workforce and the most and least engaged departments and industries, was released Jan. 21.
- Employee loyalty is declining, even among long-tenured workers, 63% of whom said they’re open to job opportunities elsewhere, the report noted. Stress remains a key issue, too, with more than 60% of respondents saying they’re burned out.
- In other findings, a third of respondents said they meet with their manager once a month or less, and 10% hardly ever meet one-on-one with their boss.
Dive Insight:
Engagement surveys can provide HR crucial insight into employee desires. A Peakon survey, for an example, asked employees what they would change about work, if they could; the majority said a pay raise, followed by improved communication.
The mere effort also can demonstrate empathy, boosting workers' trust and loyalty. A report from Limeade found that retention skyrockets when employers show workers they care. Sixty percent of workers in the report who said they felt cared for planned to stay on board for the next three years, compared to the 7% of those who said they didn't feel cared for. And an overwhelming number of respondents (94%) cited feeling included was what engaged them.
But as Emplify's research shows, a failure to act on survey findings can have a devastating effect. Experts say HR pros need not feel overwhelmed; instead, start simple. Survey results from another Peakon study, for example, showed that managers who greet team members each morning with a simple "hello" can encourage conversations that allow employees to express their thoughts and ideas and make them feel heard.
