Most enterprises keep an open door policy for employee participation. Employees are encouraged to voice their concerns and feedback in the working place. Even so, workers are often afraid of being frank owing to the fear of repercussions.
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Evidently, firms usually benefit from listening to their staff, especially if they’re on the front line and have direct interaction with customers. When your employees choose not to bare their heart, or communicate their thoughts just with their peers, your company can fail in chance to learn about new ways to serve customers or improve business operations.
That’s why to know exactly how to get feedback from employees is of utmost importance. In this regard, leadership can encourage their employee participation by:
1. Take a walk
Walking meetings give a non-stressful atmosphere. Getting out of the office, your employees aren’t distracted by their to-do-lists, and feel more comfortable to talk about the business and their thoughts. When you hear the same opinions consistently, make a change!
2. Develop a company-wide policy that rewards employees for making recommendations or voicing their opinions
This policy should cover clear guidelines on whom the worker should go to; what to do if that person doesn’t take action; safeguard to guarantee that there will be none of repercussion. Also, include a recognition program tailored to reward workers for their recommendations (especially those that save the corporate money, improve the quality of work-life, and/ or increase profits). Still, for no mistake made, the policy should be sure to focus on the inner incentives – polishing the values that encompass the workplace’s energetic make-up.
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3. Create a work environment that sharing is the norm
This could cover brainstorming sessions by week, a daily sharing hour, in-house communications centered on employee suggestions, or lunch and learn.
4. Develop a corporate intranet site for staff to share their ideas
Encourage staff to contribute to the site. Allow the posts to be made anonymously at the option of the worker. Create a think tank that ideas can be developed on a synergistic level.
5. Make it a habit of interacting with staff on a casual basis
Rotate breakfasting or lunching with employees that represent every department within the firm. Make sure that everyone, no matter what position they hold in the company, is included. Just ask questions and effectively listen to what they say. Ensure that everyone has a positive experience speaking with you. Also, encourage other managers to do the same.
6. Assign feedback coaches
Another way to get candid feedback from employees is to allow them to choose who they give their feedback to (also, feedback coaches).
When it comes time to give or take feedback, you can encourage staff to choose from a list of designated feedback coaches. Those coaches are familiar with dealing with employee feedback and, most importantly, take some fear out of the review process and encourage honestly, constructive feedback on management issues and business solutions.
7. Conduct the exit interview
When someone leaves your company, you can conduct a casual exit interview before they leave. That way, you can get insights into why they are leaving and what you could have done better to keep them. Capture all the feedback and consider how they can help improve your current organization. It is, sometimes, a tough read though, it will help in the long run to assist you in addressing issues.
Note that exit interviews are the last impression that a worker has of your company, so make sure it’s professional, respectful and leaves him/ her feeling valued for the work he/ she contributed. Give him/ her a chance to communicate what he/ she liked and what can be improved upon. You can learn a lot for that feedback.
8. Conduct the stay interview
In the stay interview, you ask your current workers why they continue to work for your company. The result of this interview gives you knowledge about what the company can improve and how you can secure your remaining, valued workers. You also learn what your company or department is doing well when workers identify what they like about their current work and employer. The stay interview is an opportunity to develop trust with employees and a chance to evaluate the degree of employee satisfaction and engagement in a department or company.
To make stay interviews effective, please note that you need be committed to making positive changes before conducting the stay interview. When you make changes, you need inform the employees that the changes result from their suggestions and responses in the stay interviews. Employees won’t automatically make that connection.
9. Use the feedback
The worst thing for a firm is to solicit employee feedback, but then do nothing to it. Indeed, it is important to let people know that they have been heard and their feedback contribute to the operational improvements.
Companies are recommended to divide feedback into 2 categories: the broad issues that need addressing on a corporate or high management level, and the narrow issues that can be tackled at a departmental or division level. Matching the results to your organization’s hierarchy is significant to differentiate between the employee engagement in the workplace.
What policies do you have to help your employees voice their workplace opinions? Please share in the comment below.
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