Back Pain Remains the Leading Cause of Disability Worldwide
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
A new study published in The Lancet Rheumatology medical journal revealed that low back pain remains the leading cause of disability globally. In 2020, 619 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain. That figure is expected to jump to 843 million by 2050. Furthermore, the economic toll on the United States alone amounted to $2.2 billion.
The study identified the following main risk factors that account for almost 40% of cases:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Work-related ergonomics
Low back pain was higher among females than males in all age groups. The peak impacted age was 85 years, and researchers noticed that most countries lack specific recommendations on how to care for an older person with low back pain.
Fifteen percent of the U.S. workforce report 10.5 lost workdays per year from chronic low back pain.
Employer Takeaways
Researchers estimate that low back pain is the root cause of 264 million lost workdays for Americans. If not addressed, researchers noted that low back pain could also result in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions, invasive medical procedures and significant disability.
Various aspects of work can lead to back pain, including sitting at a desk all day, engaging in repeated movements (e.g., twisting and rotating the spine) and lifting or moving heavy objects. To try to get ahead of work-related back pain, employers can consider the following strategies to reduce back pain in the workplace:
- Examine the workplace and look for ways to reduce the chance of injury. For instance, the way materials, parts and products are transported may be able to be adjusted to relieve the burden on employees. Also, consider altering the layout of workstations to be more ergonomic.
- Promote healthy lifestyles, including physical activity and weight management.
- Provide training to management and workers regarding the risks of workplace injuries and ways to avoid injuries.
- Develop company policies that support a workplace culture of good health, safety and injury management (e.g., ergonomics, workplace safety, disability management and return to work).
As low back pain remains the leading cause of disability, employers have an opportunity to develop policies and encourage proper workplace ergonomics in an effort to reduce injuries and disability claims.
Contact us for additional workplace economics guidance.
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Improving Your Self-Discipline
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Self-discipline is an important skill that can help you reach personal and professional goals. Developing self-discipline is like strengthening a muscle, as it can be improved with practice. This skill can make difficult tasks seem more manageable and help you achieve your long-term goals.
Understanding Self-discipline
The term “self-discipline” describes your ability to focus on a task or goal to accomplish something. Self-disciplined individuals are generally consistent, responsible, persistent and ambitious. They may have a strong work ethic and can successfully finish tasks that must be completed, even when they find it difficult to do so.
In the workplace, self-discipline can take many forms. Generally, self-disciplined workers will complete both exciting and uninteresting tasks on time. They are also likely to have a productive mindset that enables them to meet goals and reach milestones.
Improving Self-discipline
Like any skill, self-discipline can be refined with practice, and you may only sometimes be successful. Persevering even when you fail is crucial to reaching your long-term goals.
Here are some tips for improving self-discipline:
- Start small. Choose an area of your life that could benefit from greater self-discipline and begin with a simple task, like being on time daily. Practice discipline in this area until it becomes a habit.
- Challenge your mindset. Your thought patterns may be holding you back. Try confronting your notions of what you can and cannot achieve to accomplish more.
- Find ways to focus. Try dividing a large task into several smaller assignments if you’re having trouble completing it. Take breaks when needed to increase motivation and boost energy.
- Schedule time for high-priority tasks. Although multitasking may be necessary throughout the day, creating time to focus on certain essential duties can help you avoid potential distractions and maximize your attention span.
- Avoid distractions. You may be tempted to look at your phone or chat with a co-worker when completing a tedious task, but resisting these temptations can improve your self-control, strengthening your self-discipline in the long run.
- Set achievable goals. Motivate yourself by setting goals that can be accomplished and working toward them. Use your successes to encourage yourself to keep practicing.
Conclusion
Self-discipline can make the difference between knowing your goals and achieving them. Setting small, achievable goals and staying focused when working on tedious or repetitive tasks can help you become more disciplined. This can help you accomplish your personal and work-related goals in the long run.
Contact your manager for further guidance on self-discipline practices at work.
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Pay Equity Audits
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
It’s becoming clear that pay transparency is not a passing trend. Pay transparency is the practice of an employer openly communicating pay-related information through established methods to current and prospective employees. In 2021, Colorado was the first jurisdiction to enact pay transparency laws. Since then, more states and localities have enacted such laws; by the start of 2023, a fifth of all U.S. workers were covered under pay transparency laws. The nationwide normalization of pay transparency is leading employers to prioritize pay equity. Additionally, the recent dramatic increase in equal pay litigation, sometimes resulting in multimillion-dollar settlements, has more employers addressing pay equity issues.
Despite this increased focus, many employers may not know where to begin when implementing pay equity measures. For most employers, utilizing pay equity audits is the likely answer. These audits can be a powerful tool for employers to evaluate and ensure they comply with federal, state and local pay equity laws.
This article provides a broad overview of pay equity and discusses the importance of pay equity audits.
What Is Pay Equity?
Pay equity is the practice of compensating employees the same when they perform the same or similar job duties while accounting for factors such as experience, job performance and tenure. This practice takes into account all forms of compensation, such as salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations, reimbursement for travel expenses and other benefits.
Employees’ right to be free from discrimination in their compensation is protected under several federal laws, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For example, the EPA requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work in the same establishment. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially similar. It is job content, not job titles, that determines whether jobs are substantially similar. Specifically, the EPA provides that employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility and that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment.
Why Is Pay Equity Important?
Ensuring employees are paid equitably can help increase organizational efficiency, productivity and profitability. Employers who prioritize pay equity may experience the following benefits:
- Improved workforce productivity and morale
- Increased organizational commitment
- Reduced employee turnover
- Increased attraction of key talent
- Decreased risks of discrimination or pay inequity lawsuits
- Greater compliance with equal pay laws and regulations
What Is a Pay Equity Audit?
A pay equity audit is the process of analyzing compensation data of employees doing similar work within an organization. It can be an effective tool for providing employers with information to identify pay disparities among workers. Performing pay equity audits can help employers determine if any pay discrepancies are based on legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons, such as seniority or education. If pay discrepancies cannot be explained by nondiscriminatory reasons, the audit allows employers to correct them.
The purpose of pay equity audits goes beyond just identifying whether pay disparities exist but helps explain why they exist. This can include reviewing specific pay decisions and policies. Such audits can help employers evaluate and improve their compensation practices, address pay gaps and limit potential legal risks. In some states, conducting a self-audit of pay practices can protect employers against legal claims based on pay inequities.
Benefits of Pay Equity Audits
Pay equity audits can help organizations identify and correct pay discrepancies, reducing potential legal risks. They can also increase employee morale and productivity. Ensuring employees are paid equitably for their work helps strengthen an organization’s culture. Employee morale, turnover and retention rates, and performance often improve when workers feel valued. Paying employees the same when they perform the same or similar jobs is a key component of helping workers feel valued, which can lead to generally more committed and productive employees. In turn, this helps drive organizational productivity and profitability.
Additionally, pay equity audits can help employers develop better workplace policies and procedures related to compensation. This can include establishing consistent starting pay ranges, factors for merit increases and promotions, as well as other incentives. Audit results can also inform an employer’s training efforts to ensure fair pay decisions are made throughout the organization.
Risks of Pay Equity Audits
While an organization’s intentions behind conducting pay equity audits are often noble—determining whether pay disparities are lawful and, if not, correcting them—audit results can be extremely damaging if disclosed. Inadvertent disclosure of audit results or analysis can harm an organization’s reputation and expose it to lawsuits or other legal action.
To protect against these potential risks, many employers utilize the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine when conducting pay equity audits. Employers can do this by engaging legal counsel to initiate and lead the audit. Employers can also determine how best to communicate pay equity audit results to their employees and incorporate those results into organizational pay practices.
Takeaway
Conducting pay equity audits can be an effective way to ensure employees are paid equitably for the work they do. However, these audits are often only the first step for addressing pay equity issues in the workplace.
For more workplace resources, contact RISQ Consulting today.
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Financial Safety Nets for Employees
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Money is a top stressor for employees, and a looming recession has reinforced that fact. Employers are uniquely poised to help support employees with much-desired financial guidance and resources. When employees experience less financial stress, employers may see greater employee productivity and morale and lower absenteeism. Those positive feelings can also translate into a strong employee retention rate and help employers attract top talent. Economic recovery will take some time, but voluntary benefits could help decrease employees’ financial stress.
More employers are looking for ways to help employees save for unexpected financial emergencies. This article explores ways that employers can offer financial safety nets for employees.
Employer Considerations
The reality is that many Americans worry about covering living expenses and unexpected expenses. In fact, 57% of U.S. adults are unable to afford a $1,000 emergency expense, according to Bankrate’s Annual Emergency Fund Report. Lacking sufficient funds to pay for a major medical emergency or other urgent needs can jeopardize an employee’s food and housing security for several years.
A financial safety net will mean different things to employees, depending on their age and personal financial goals. The following common employee benefits can offer valuable financial protection:
- Life insurance—Employer-sponsored coverage can be offered in a variety of ways. Employers may offer a term policy, permanent coverage or both. Though life insurance is an important asset for future financial security, many employees don’t realize its importance. Teaching employees about the value of life insurance may increase loyalty to the organization as they better appreciate this benefit.
- Disability insurance—Disability insurance has become an increasingly valuable part of a comprehensive employee benefits package and can fill gaps in financial protection offered by other programs, such as Social Security. While employees appreciate the peace of mind they receive as their income replacement benefits are being paid, employers can use the resources offered by insurers to manage time and productivity losses and find the most effective ways to return employees to work.
- Retirement accounts—Whether employees are close to retirement or have decades left in the workforce, saving for retirement is a key component of their financial security. Offering a 401(k) account or other retirement benefits as part of employee benefits packages can increase employee loyalty, especially if employers offer a contribution match. Good retirement benefits are also a great recruitment and retention tool. However, benefits are only helpful if employees are aware of and understand them.
- Financial planning or coaching—Employee assistance programs support workers facing various challenges, including financial ones, by offering resources and counseling. Employees with access to financial education and tools are more likely to increase their savings and make progress toward their financial goals. Furthermore, employees with a plan or access to help are less likely to feel stressed or overwhelmed by their financial situations.
- Emergency savings fund—An emergency savings fund helps offer peace of mind and resources employees may use instead of their retirement savings or other accounts. Employers can offer guidance for starting an emergency savings fund regardless of how much employees may have for an initial investment. Many employees may believe they don’t have enough money to build one, but employer-provided education and guidance can help them understand that even a small amount of cash can help start an emergency savings fund. An alternative approach for employers may be to offer an employer-sponsored emergency savings account alongside traditional benefits. Although an emergency savings account is a top benefit wish of many employees, very few employers offer them. Still, by helping employees build emergency savings funds, employers can boost their workers’ confidence in navigating finances and increase happiness in the workplace.
- Student loan debt assistance—Student loan debt weighs heavy on many employees in the United States, but some employers are trying to help by offering student loan debt assistance. Employers can offer various forms of support beyond loan repayments, such as student loan payment counseling, third-party low-interest or interest-free educational loans, debt consolidation, and refinancing services.
Summary
Ultimately, having a financial safety net can translate into peace of mind for employees. As more employers consider ways to help employees save for unexpected financial emergencies, they can offer employee benefits that help workers achieve their financial goals and save more of their hard-earned money for both expected and unexpected expenses.
Contact RISQ Consulting for additional resources.
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Getting Buy-in on HR Initiatives
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
While today’s HR professionals are tasked with many organizational goals ranging from improving employee engagement to attracting and retaining talent, such initiatives take time, resources and continuous effort. As such, building and maintaining successful HR initiatives can be challenging without support from the overall organization and leadership. HR professionals need stakeholders to listen, understand, and support their views before any initiative can get off the ground.
This article explores strategies for HR professionals to obtain organizational buy-in on their initiatives.
Winning Over Stakeholders
To start, buy-in is the encouragement or support of one’s ideas. Getting buy-in does not mean 100% agreement with a plan or initiative, but it’s receiving the support of key team members or stakeholders—even if they don’t wholly agree. HR professionals will spearhead a myriad of initiatives for an organization. Common initiatives are related to talent and learning and development efforts, or it could be more specific, such as integrating new technology or artificial intelligence. Before an initiative kicks off, others in the organization must approve it or give their blessing. Support may also require a financial investment (e.g., expenses and labor costs) depending on the initiative.
Regardless of the nature of the initiative, there are general strategies HR professionals should consider when trying to pursue a new idea but may be facing roadblocks within the organization. Take into account the following tips:
- Lead with a clear vision. A well-defined vision demonstrates confidence in the proposed idea. Developing a clear vision involves:
- Identifying the problem
- Providing examples of the proposed solution
- Leaning on data and metrics to substantiate the solution
- Considering potential risks associated with the plan
- Align with business goals. An initiative is more likely to gain support if aligned with business goals, core values and other companywide efforts.
- Establish credibility. With a proven track record, leaders and key stakeholders are more likely to support HR professionals and their new initiatives.
- Know the audience. Everyone has different perspectives and opinions, so knowing the stakeholders is essential. A successful pitch will address an important issue to that person or deliver on success for the organization. Strong interpersonal skills help HR professionals build relationships before the next big idea. Still, they can also help them navigate these conversations better by knowing what piques the interest of certain individuals.
- Leverage metrics and data. Harness the power of HR data to help prove the need for an initiative and perhaps ways that others have experienced success. Facts and figures don’t lie, so HR professionals can use data to prove their points.
- Calculate the return on investment (ROI). ROI is often the ultimate measurement tool and the key piece of information stakeholders are interested in. Many organizational leaders understand and relate to ROI, and including this information can help validate the proposed initiative.
- Practice the pitch. Before meeting with stakeholders, practicing the pitch to become more comfortable presenting the idea and supporting information is essential.
- Expect common questions. While it’s important to be prepared for the actual pitch, it’s just as critical to be ready for stakeholder questions. Make a list of expected questions and answers to be properly practiced beforehand. It’ll help show confidence in the plan by not faltering on a question.
Being open to feedback or inviting others to expand on the idea is critical. This collaboration could strengthen the idea, demonstrate a willingness to compromise and build stronger interpersonal skills.
Summary
HR professionals are critical in driving significant impact and transformation within organizations. There are countless options for implementing HR initiatives, but securing stakeholder support is vital for them to either go anywhere or, hopefully, be successful. By selecting the appropriate workplace initiatives and striving to get buy-in from leadership, HR professionals can help bolster their influence and achieve notable results for the organization.
Contact RISQ Consulting for more HR resources.
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Nonprofit Sector Trends to Watch
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Nonprofit organizations operate to fulfill their missions, benefit the community and serve the public. They are essential for maintaining a thriving society and contribute greatly to health care, higher education, environmental stewardship, human services, religious services, arts and culture, and other vital services.
However, in the months and years ahead, the nonprofit sector could face several challenges posed by industry trends, including economic uncertainty, labor shortages and heightened cybersecurity risks. These factors may lead to a drop in fundraising and rising operational costs.
As such, it’s important for nonprofit organizations to closely monitor these sector concerns and adjust their risk management practices as needed. This article provides more information on nonprofit sector trends to watch.
Economic/Recession Concerns
Numerous nonprofit organizations—especially those in the health and human services sector—experienced an increased demand for their services during the COVID-19 pandemic and may have seen an accompanying surge in federal funding and private donations. However, federal support and other funding streams appear to be tapering off due to concerns about an impending recession and high inflation.
Many economists and business analysts agree that a recession is likely to happen within the next year. As a result, many organizations will be challenged with changing consumer behaviors, increased costs, labor market changes and increased reputational risk. For nonprofit organizations specifically, economic downturns often result in a decline in private contributions from individual, corporate and foundation donors, decreased funding from the government and reduced endowments.
Data from the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that the recent significant reduction in donations may signal serious financial trouble for nonprofit organizations as the recession hits. According to the report, donor numbers fell 7% in the first half of 2022 compared to the first half of 2021, with the number of people making contributions of $100 or less dropping more than 17%. In fact, nonprofits are experiencing compounding donor loss each quarter, and the most significant concern these organizations face is an uncertain economic year.
Since U.S. nonprofit organizations are valuable contributors to society and the economy in general, it’s important they focus on innovative solutions and effective risk management to ensure short-term survival as the economic downturn leads to a loss of funding. Best practices include diversifying funding sources, aligning with partners across the nonprofit sector to maximize the pool of potential donors and developing a communication strategy to reach target audiences.
Labor Shortages
The nonprofit sector has the third-largest workforce in the United States, employing over 12 million people. However, employment fell by 1.6 million during the pandemic and decreased even more during the Great Resignation—an unprecedented mass exit from the workforce spurred by the pandemic. As a result, a tight labor market and a shrinking pool of workers have increased talent competition, leaving many nonprofit organizations understaffed. Since these organizations may struggle to offer competitive salaries and benefits, they often lose employees and candidates to better-paying jobs elsewhere. Even volunteerism remains below pre-pandemic levels—dropping 7% between 2019 and 2021, according to a U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps survey—as people continue to worry about their health, vaccine protocols and sanitation practices.
Inadequate staffing at some nonprofit organizations may lead to delays or a complete loss of needed services, causing the communities they serve to suffer. A survey from the National Council of Nonprofits found that 26% of nonprofit organizations have a waitlist more than a month long, and 21% don’t even have a waitlist because they are currently unable to accept new clients. In addition to issues with providing services, inadequate staffing can lead to financial instability, damaged reputations, data breaches, insufficiently trained staff and board member liability issues.
To attract and retain staff, some nonprofits have started to offer better pay and benefits as well as improved workplace advancement opportunities and flexibility. Many nonprofits are also making an effort to increase the diversity of leadership and staff, which can have a positive impact on employee and client relationships and help attract and retain top talent. Nonprofit insurance coverage—including general liability insurance, commercial property insurance and business income insurance—can also help organizations ensure the continued protection of people and assets while they fulfill their missions.
Heightened Cybersecurity Risks
Cybersecurity risks are becoming increasingly severe, targeted and frequent across all sectors. However, nonprofits are particularly at risk since many organizations don’t have the funding to implement adequate cybersecurity protocols. In addition, nonprofits often collect and store highly valuable information about their clients, donors and employees, making them a prime target for cybercriminals. The shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic also significantly increased exposure to data breaches and cyberattacks for several reasons, including expanded attack surfaces, less oversight by security staff and unsecured hardware and networks.
Unfortunately, the way many nonprofit organizations conduct business makes them vulnerable to cyberattacks. For example, while technology has made it easier to accept donations online, it has also made it easier for cybercriminals to steal from them, especially if the website is unsecured. Technology has also allowed for simpler communication processes, but clicking a bad link, downloading a file or opening a malicious PDF can result in a cybersecurity incident with potentially devastating consequences. And while volunteers may have good intentions for volunteering their time, there may be cybercriminals who slip through quick onboarding processes and leave organizations at risk of a cyberattack.
Since nonprofit organizations tend to operate on a limited budget, investing in robust cybersecurity measures or recovering from a data breach may be more difficult than it is for other organizations. However, many cyberattacks can be prevented by locking down the digital donation system, securing email communications, and obtaining a criminal background check on all staff and volunteers.
Conclusion
Overall, there are several trends currently impacting the nonprofit sector. By staying on top of these developments and taking steps to mitigate their associated exposures, nonprofit organizations can effectively position themselves to maintain long-term growth and operational success.
For additional, industry-specific risk management guidance, contact us today.
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Mental Health in the Workplace, Part 2
By Alison Nelson, Employee Benefits Account Manager
In case you couldn’t tell from this article I wrote last year, mental health is something I am very passionate about. I aspire to contribute to the destigmatization of mental health, especially in the workplace, in whatever capacity I can. When I recently read this article stating that only 19% of employees used their mental health benefits in 2022, I was saddened, but not shocked by that statistic. The article goes on to say:
“A new report by One Medical and Workplace Intelligence, which surveyed 800 employees and 800 human resources (HR) professionals, found that, not only did over nine in 10 (91%) employees tell surveyors mental health was negatively impacting their productivity, but the usage of benefit offerings already in place by employees was extremely low. Less than a fifth (19%) of employees said they used their mental health care benefits in 2022.”
Why don’t employees utilize their mental health benefits? According to Business Wire, it may be because employees undervalue their mental health and tend to reserve benefits for more urgent needs. In other words, people tend to prioritize their physical health over their mental health. I hypothesize that this is, in part, due to the differentiation between physical healthcare and mental healthcare. They are often discussed as two completely different disciplines, but, in truth, mental health IS health.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, “one in three people with a long-term physical health condition also has a mental health problem, most often depression or anxiety.” Physical health and mental health are two sides of the same coin and should be treated as such. If an employee can call out sick when they have the flu, they should also be able to call out sick due to an anxiety attack.
Employees should be able to take mental health days, and one way an employer can encourage that is by implementing a separate mental health policy. Having a separate bucket of mental health days can help encourage employees to recharge without forcing them to choose between taking a day or powering through a panic attack, just in case they spike a fever and need a sick day down the road.
This survey conducted by Breeze in 2022 indicates a number of interesting things, but most notably:
- 63% of employees have taken a mental health day in the last year
- Nearly half of all people who took a mental health day fibbed to their employer on why they needed the day off out of fear of being judged
- 50% of employees left their jobs in 2021 for mental health reasons, including 68% of millennials and 81% of Gen-Z
Adding a mental health policy to your business’ employee offerings is a great way to support employees and show that you care about their entire wellbeing. There is also the additional benefit that employees who take mental health days are less stressed, which results in long-term productivity. No one should feel embarrassed about taking a mental health day. Having a specific policy in place for mental health is a step in the right direction to end the stigma. Here is a great article that lists some other ways employers can implement a mental health policy to support employees and end the stigma. Remember, mental health IS health.
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The 4 Es (no, 5 Es) to Organizational Success
By Andrew Kupperman, Employer Services and Workforce Technology Consultant
If you’ve watched an organizational effectiveness related webinar in the last 5 or 6 years, you’ve undoubtedly come across one of the terms I wanted to talk about in this blog post. But the one thing that’s likely lacking in whatever webinar you watched, is how these terms relate to each other to provide a bigger picture in how you can truly lead an effective organization. My goal in this blog post is to better define these terms and help you understand how they relate and flow between one another.
Engagement
The first term, which has become a nauseating buzz word in business, is engagement. Even before the struggles of the pandemic organizations across the globe have been trying to wrap their arms around how to engage their workforce, because they’ve been told relentlessly by business support vendors, if your employees are not engaged, they will leave. There has been a myriad of solutions presented to “engage” the workforce – gamification, innovative technology, new benefits, etc.
But one thing most organizations fail to think on and realize as part of this process is what engagement really means to an organization. Engagement is something that is subjective, and defined by the organization, not employees. Most organizations liken engagement to the sense that an employee is keyed into the work they’re doing, and maybe even going above and beyond the duties and tasks laid out in their job description. I’ve also seen some organizations define an engaged employee as one who kind of acts like a robot, but I also know most organizations don’t intend it to be characterized that way.
Experience
Moving on to the next E, one of the reasons why organizations might struggle with engagement is because they fail to understand the experience they create for their workforce, which can shape how engaged (remember, as defined by the organization) an employee may end up being. Often organizations think providing a new platform or benefit is the way to shape a better experience, but experience is so much more than the tools and benefits you provide your workforce. Experience also includes (but not exclusive to) things like culture, leadership, relationship with a direct supervisor, interaction with other team members, and training. Everything someone encounters during (or even outside) the hours of work can shape an employee’s experience. Even something like texting an employee after hours plays into their experience. Not knowing the experiences employees have while working for an organization puts the organization at a disadvantage in understanding what an ideal engaged employee looks and feels like.
Expectations
This brings me to the next E, expectations. Most organizations want their employees to have a good experience while they are working for them. Good employee experiences lead to good client experiences, which leads to organizational growth and positive branding. Setting clear and visible expectations is the critical link between engagement and experience. In doing so, you are providing a roadmap for the employee to understand what their experience is going to look like, as well as how expect an employee to engage in the work that is being done at the organization.
Clear expectations also help when something goes wrong, which despite all efforts to set clear expectations, will happen from time to time. Expectations can let the employee know if something goes wrong or wasn’t supposed to happen, that there is way for the employee or the organization to recognize what went wrong (policies and procedures 😊), and how the employee and organization are going to engage in correcting it. This creates trust between an employee and the organization and will hopefully lead to mitigating the employee falling out of engagement, or even worse, making the decision to leave the organization.
Empowerment
So far we’ve learned that setting clear expectations can lead to better experiences, which results in more engaged workforce. This type of environment can foster the next E, empowerment. Truly engaged employees who are trusted and reciprocate that trust are imbued with a sense of empowerment to do better. Through clear expectations and good experiences, psychological safety is created within an organization where employees aren’t afraid to speak up when they see something that can be done a different and better way. Who wouldn’t want to work for an organization where you are empowered to make the work you and your coworkers are engaged with continuously better? An entire workforce of truly empowered workers sounds like a team of superheroes for an organization.
Employees
To the tile of this blog’s point, I’ve talked about the 4 Es, but really there are 5. The last E is employees. Remember, employees are not just engaged robots. The experiences you provide them impacts their entire lives. They are there to help the organization, so setting clear expectations will let them know how they can do that. And lastly, everyone should have a sense of empowerment in whatever they do, to make it a little bit better. This will truly create an effective organization.
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Developing and Conducting Employee Surveys
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Developing and conducting employee surveys can help employers understand vital aspects of their organizations, such as worker satisfaction and company culture, as well as learn more about the employees who work there. It’s important to take note of how employees view their organizations because it can provide information on how to make the workplace more enjoyable, thus strengthening retention rates, improving morale and increasing productivity.
Routinely conducting employee surveys can help provide organizations with up-to-date feedback from their workers. These surveys can be conducted anonymously to encourage employees to communicate their experiences and opinions without fear of repercussion. This article provides more information on the benefits of employee surveys, outlines different types of such surveys and offers best practices for developing them.
Benefits of Employee Surveys
Employee surveys can provide employers with valuable workforce feedback they may not be able to receive otherwise. Organizations can experience several benefits from developing and conducting these surveys, including the following:
- Greater employee honesty—One of the top benefits of employee surveys is that they can empower workers to voice their opinions openly and honestly. While this is possible through one-on-one discussions and small groups, employees are more likely to share their true opinions when they can do so anonymously, especially if what they’re sharing reflects negatively on their organizations or the overall workforce experience.
- More big-picture thinking—When left unprompted, employees can get lost in day-to-day tasks without thinking of the larger picture, including how their daily activities contribute to organizational success. Employee surveys ask open-ended questions that can spark workers to speak about themselves in relation to the missions and goals of their organizations. This can add value because employees can then see how they contribute to large-scale company initiatives.
- Increased employee retention—Employee surveys can help improve worker retention because they can point out issues before they become larger problems for entire teams or companies as a whole. These surveys can help signal early warning signs for employers that their employees are dissatisfied or are considering leaving their roles.
- Expanded resolution capabilities—Employee surveys can be the next step in resolving issues within certain teams or organizational departments. They can help employers receive feedback about what issues employees may have with their organizations. These surveys are especially useful when employers are considering where they are and what they want to accomplish going forward.
No employee survey is perfect. For example, some employees may not participate, which can skew survey data. Employee surveys also have downfalls such as not being able to survey everyone, not providing clear results and not being capable of causing immediate change. It’s crucial for organizations to take these factors into account when looking at post-survey data pools and drawing conclusions.
Types of Employee Surveys
There are several different types of employee surveys, which can be adapted to best meet an organization’s unique needs. Key survey types include:
- Annual review surveys—These surveys are conducted to evaluate employees’ performance levels.
- Company culture surveys—Such surveys are conducted to measure how companies’ behaviors match their intended values.
- Employee engagement surveys—These surveys are conducted to measure whether employees feel valued, including by those in leadership roles.
- Employee satisfaction surveys—Such surveys are conducted to measure how employees feel in terms of job satisfaction characteristics, such as compensation, benefits and other work-related issues.
No one survey is alike; therefore, it’s best for employers to determine to the specific reasons they’re conducting employee surveys and for whom before selecting a survey type. Once an organization knows the type of employee survey it wants to conduct, it’s time to develop the survey.
Developing Employee Surveys
There are a number of things for organizations to keep in mind when developing employee surveys, including the following:
- Questions—The most essential part of an employee survey is the questions being asked. A survey should be composed of a core set of questions that can be compared over time (if it’s a survey conducted on a cyclical basis). In addition, questions should help create actionable feedback. Other questions within a survey can be based off timely topics or events. It can also be beneficial to leave room for open-ended feedback or remarks at the end of a survey to provide room for employees to voice additional concerns, opinions or feedback.
- Format—An employee survey’s format is important because it can skew workers’ responses; therefore, employers must carefully consider the right format for their surveys. This can be multiple choice, open-ended or a mix of both types of questions depending on the data being collected.
- Timing—It’s imperative for organizations to know when to conduct employee surveys. Something for employers to consider in terms of timing is the workplace events occurring in their organizations at the time. For example, employers may not want to survey employees about job satisfaction during the busiest part of the year when stress levels are at their highest.
- Length—Organizations can determine an appropriate length for their employee surveys based on how often these surveys occur. For example, annual review surveys should probably be longer, as workers are only sharing their feedback once a year. On the other hand, surveys sent out more frequently (e.g., quarterly employee engagement surveys) should be shorter.
Once an organization creates an employee survey, it’s ready to be conducted. When conducting a survey, an employer should clearly communicate the survey’s purpose to employees, encourage participation, emphasize anonymity and share results with the workforce after the data has been sorted. Regardless of the type of survey being conducted, it’s critical for an employer to implement improvements after conducting a survey. Making adjustments for the next survey can ensure the survey is pulling the most valuable information from surveyed employees, making this feedback increasingly useful.
Summary
Overall, developing and conducting employee surveys can provide feedback for employers to gain important insights and help implement workplace improvements. By using these surveys, employers can create spaces for employees to voice their opinions, which can help them feel more satisfied and engaged at work. In turn, this can aid employers in their attraction and retention efforts. For more information on employee surveys, contact RISQ Consulting.
- Published in Blog
