What to Look for in an Employee Engagement and Feedback Tool
The days of collecting employee survey data on paper-based forms or in a spreadsheet are long gone. Technology has taken over this vital, yet time-consuming task.
While no one would argue that we should go back to paper-based systems, the task of choosing the right employee engagement and feedback tool can be overwhelming. The large number of options, features and benefits are enough to make any HR manager’s head spin.
However it is essential that you make the right choice. Getting the right feedback tool in place can help you improve employee engagement, boost revenue, and help create a competitive edge. So, where do you start? Here are a three things to look for as you determine your needs and start assessing tools.
1. Keep It Simple
One of the biggest mistakes companies make when it comes to measuring employee engagement is having a feedback tool in place that’s simply too complicated for end users. Take care when considering the needs and limitations of your employees. For example, if the majority of your teams working in offices, they may be more comfortable with a particular solution than a team that’s out in the field or on the plant floor without access to PCs. As part of the drive for simplicity, keep in mind that your feedback tool should make completing the survey as painless as possible. You don’t want the experience of participating in the survey to feel like a chore for your employees, or it will negatively impact their perception of the process. Ultimately, you want your employees to be happy to give feedback, rather than dread taking part.
2. Understand What Data You Need to Collect
Not all employee engagement and feedback tools are created equal, so invest time in understanding what data you need to collect. Do you just need basic employee engagement information like annual surveys, or do you need to collect more in-depth data all year long? For example, will you be including 360 degree employee evaluations, leadership reviews, onboarding surveys, or feedback collection from meetings and events?
Whatever feedback tool you select should be able to support the exact functionality you need today and in the future. Maybe you’re not yet ready to gather employee feedback as part of leadership development programs or to get insight into behavioral dynamics right away, but you need to ensure you are able to add those options later as you grow your employee engagement programs.
3. Ensure Data Can Be Turned Into Action
Collecting employee engagement data is just the start, but any tool you’re assessing needs to enable you to bring your data together so it can be actioned. Start by considering how the data is collected and if you can access results in real-time, so your HR team will be able to track efforts and take action as needed.
You’ll also want to look for a feedback tool that enables you to view, share, arrange and compare employee data any way you want to. The dashboard should be easy to access and give you immediate access to your insights and reports. Finally, check how easy it is for your HR team, managers or other key stakeholders to create and launch employee engagement and satisfaction surveys. Can you easily get set up and import employee data? Does the solution offer templates or other options to help you get started quickly?
Take the time to find the right employee engagement and feedback tool, while looking beyond the technology itself, to ensure that the data you collect can be used to help you attract the right talent, match them to the right roles, and give them the support they need to do their best work.
Guide for high employee engagement
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