Common misconceptions about employee surveys in organizations and how decision makers may overcome them. The case for design and customization to context is contrasted with standard surveys with a few examples from professional experience.

1. Employee Surveys – What do
their opinions influence?
Using science to improve
company yield through people

2. 20+ yrs in HR/OD/TM/L&D as a consultant,
coach and assessor of competencies
Extensive experience using research approach to
create high performance learning designs
 Global hands-on experience in leadership
development
 Facilitator of outcomes in top team contexts
SME for SHRM India on Learning and
Development, Faculty at AHRD, Christ University,
Sumedhas Academy for Human Context
Works for start-up and growth phase clients!
Email: josephg@workplacecatalysts.com

3. Survey Expertise
• Quality Climate
• Learning Climate
• OD Behaviors Evaluation
• Strategic
Mission
• Entrepreneurial
Orientation
• Role Strain
• Information Orientation
• Organisation Climate
• Organisation Culture
Service Offerings
• Design of Enquiry
• Survey Administration
• Analyses and Reporting

4. Employeeship is no trifle
Performance = f (Motivation x Competency x Environment)
Motivation = Existential needs x Relatedness needs x Growth needs
Competence = Knowledge x Skills x Attitude x Personality
Environment = Systems x Structures x Processes x Market
Engaging the growth of Organization Capability in parts may not yield in desired outcomes

5. The evidence is there…
High Performance (John Kotter and James Heskett —
Harvard and MIT)
Service-Profit Chain – Employee Engagement (Sears
Case Published in the Harvard Business Review)
 Four Drive Theory: P.R. Lawrence, N. Nohria
(Harvard)
> 60 studies linking workplace practices to workplace
outcomes –

6. Rucci, Kern, and Quinn, “The Employee Customer Profit Chain at Sears,” Harvard Business Review, 1998
*For every 5% increase in engagement leads to a
1.3% increase in customer satisfaction in 90
days. In another 90 days expect to see a .5%
increase in profits.
People-Profit Connection Exists..

7. • Four separate studies conducted between 1987 and 1991
• Purpose of studies to determine whether a relationship exists
between corporate culture and long term economic
performance
• Revenues in those companies studied increased by an average of
682%, expanded their work forces by 282% and grew their
stock prices by 901%.
Culture and Performance Linkages : Kotter and
Heskett
Heskett, J. & Kotter, J. (1992). Corporate Culture and Performance. NY: The Free Press.

8. We often forget intangible links
Performance = measured in $ for company, not impact of effort
Motivation =Mood is sensed via grapevine rather than measured
Competence = Optimism bias – I’m ok, others may need it!
Environment = Systems x Structures x Processes x Market
Organisation Procedures and Communication vis-à-vis Regulatory
frameworks and intensity of competition
Single Loop Thinking, that aims at oversimplification, rather than acknowledging
multiplicity of causes

9. Issues with surveys today
1. The method of survey design and match with
objective is glossed over without scrutiny of
science
2. Social transaction loops like hierarchical approvals
trump knowledge and expertise required to
gainfully use surveys.
Image vs Fitness

10. The Cognitive Limit of Organizations – MIT Media
Labs Reflections, 2011
Leadership is no trifle either.
It needs a diffused base, and
collective responsibility in a
shared sense.
Leaders were heroes.
Leadership is team-sport
and process of stewardship.
Employeeship is no trifle.
Staying employable is a
challenge in a non-reflective,
non-respectful work climate.
1
0

11. Issues with surveys today
1. The method of survey design and match with objective is
glossed over without scrutiny of science
2. Social transaction loops like hierarchical approvals trump
knowledge and expertise required to gainfully use surveys.
3. Information overloads reduce the chances of focus in survey
method and post-survey actions at the workplace.
4. Cognitive numbness is underestimated, especially when
emotional overloads pass by undetected. This affects
choice of variables to be measured.
5. Employees suffer from survey fatigue, and their responses are
not even checked for internal consistency of scale. This reduces
the reliability of social perception measures, far different from
degree of fit phenomena in online data analytics!

12. Why Companys Survey The Workplace
Drive High Performance
Leading Indicators
Workplace-of-Preference
Engagement & Retention
Program Evaluation
Policy & Initiatives
Warning Indicators
Ethics & Safety
Attack
Wiley, J. (2010). Strategic Employee Surveys: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Driving Organization Success San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
complex
simpler

13. Cognitive Strain
• Icebergs hide, not reveal
No matter how ‘smart’ the
CEO, the organisation will
be ‘smarter’ if not more
powerful than the
individual.
The need for reliable,
actionable employee
opinion becomes key to
their involvement and
commitment.
Problems and
opportunities
NOT known to
top management
Problems and
opportunities
known to top
management
Managers
Supervisors
Employees
Top management
13

14. Mutual
Goals
A Survey Measurement Model
Success Drivers
High
Performance
Workplace
Engagement
Key
Indicators
Strategic Direction
• Compelling Future
• Sustainable Growth
Climate
• Generate Creative Ideas
• Employee Involvement
Service
Quality
-------------------
Customer
Retention
-------------------
Productivity
-------------------
Team
Performance
-------------------
Talent
Management
-------------------
Growth
Measurable through Survey
Measurable by
Performance
Systems
Performance Improvement
• Performance Standards
• Improvement Orientation
Learning & Development
• Learning Organization
• Growth & Development
Supervisory Effectiveness
• Concern for Task
• Concern for People
Job Satisfaction
• Improved Word of Mouth
• Loyalty & Owner Mindset
Engagement/Passion
Service to Others
• Customer Orientation
• Excellent Service Delivery
Teamwork
• Coworker Cooperation
• Power of We
Service
PRACTICES
Stewardship
BEHAVIORS
Leadership
• Confidence & Trust
• Inspiring Followership
Recognition & Rewards
• Reinforcement for Value
• Getting Ahead
BEHAVIORS
=+
© Workplace Stars

15. Mechanics of Conventional Surveys
• Respondents asked to rate positively worded
statements on a 5-point scale:
• Option of “Can’t Say” in case employees felt a
statement didn’t apply to them at all

16. Typical Engagement Score Trends in relatively
Stable Business Environments
Survey
2007
3.34
Survey 2008
3.54
Survey 2011
3.77
Survey
2013
3.98
1. Is this an aspirational employer?
2. This company has been attracting and
retaining star talent?
3. Has this company improved its business
performance?
Call us to check out our responses!!
Treating Survey Perception scores as if it
were Physical Reality, not a social
phenomenon!

17. Exploit or Explore?
Where do my colleagues spend
their time?
• Relentlessly experimenting
with innovative alternatives
different from what we do
now
• Exploring fresh paths by
disengaging from
pleasantness of past
accomplishments
• Simultaneously
embracing both steady
state improvements to
contain costs and radical
innovation to do what we
not done before
• Incremental
improvements in
operations and offerings
• Relentlessly refining
ongoing operations and
offerings of the immediate
term
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Biz(15) CDBiz (6) CDTech (21) Ops (7) Platform (7) Product (5) Crayon (61)
Innovation Strategy Experience
Innovation Strategy Experience
EXPLORATION
EXPLOITATION
Even Spread
s
c
a
l
e
Spread
What
precedents?
What next
Decision??
17

18. N Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
>= 4.0 24 3.31 0.65 0.13
< 4.0 37 3.71 0.81 0.13
Lower Upper
Equal
variances
assumed
.737 .394 -2.052 59 .045 -.40476 .19724 -.79945 -.01008
Equal
variances
not
assumed
-2.148 56.077 .036 -.40476 .18843 -.78223 -.02730
OrgClimate
Sig. (2-
tailed)
Mean
Difference
Std. Error
Difference
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Independent Samples Test
Levene's Test for
Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
F Sig. t df
Group Statistics
masteryyears15
OrgClimate
Explore Differences
E.g. Those who thought that it takes > 4 years to achieve mastery in
their profession saw Organization Climate less favorably than those who
thought mastery takes < 4 years.
IMPLICATION
(at 95% CI): There
may be a
maturation curve in
terms of
experience and
exposure.

19. Sample Factor Analysis
Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4 Factor 5 Factor 6
My manager builds trust
within our team
I belong to a team that
supports each other to
achieve team goals
I am very satisfied with our
Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) Programs
I feel that my
Manager cares
about me as a
person
Our org helps
employees grow
personally and
professionally
My manager encourages
teamwork within the
group
We trust each other enough
to overcome individual
differences to serve our
customers better
our ensures that our working
environment is safe and hazard
free
In my role, I have
the opportunity to
do what I do best
I receive praise and
recognition for my
good work
In the last six months, my
Manager has talked to me
about my growth and
development
To improve our service, we
consistently seek to better
understand the needs of our
customer
I have friends at work
I believe that I am
constantly being
challenged to
improve my level of
performance in my
area of work
I am involved in
various activities/
initiatives in my unit
The Reward and
Recognition programs at
our acknowledge and
encourage outstanding
contributions
My fellow employees are
committed to delivering
quality in everything they do
Our org is committed to honest
and ethical practices
My manager responds
promptly to important
problems
My manager makes sure I
have the tools and
resources needed to do
my work
Manager dependent
Inclusion
Drive to Bond Safe and Dependable Employer
Individual Attention
/ Recognition
Personal Growth /
Advancement
Social Relationship Space Self-Approval and Job-Involvement Space

20. Factor Analysis in Computation Terms
Total Variance Explained
Component
Initial Eigenvalues
Extraction Sums of
Squared Loadings
Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
Total
% of
Vari
anc
e
Cumu
lative
%
Total
% of
Varian
ce
Cumulati
ve %
Total
% of
Variance
Cumulative %
1 18.33 42.62 42.62 18.33 42.62 42.62 5.49 12.76 12.76
Generic Employee
engagement
2 2.46 5.72 48.34 2.46 5.72 48.34 5.29 12.30 25.06
Manager dependent
Inclusion
3 1.69 3.92 52.26 1.69 3.92 52.26 4.87 11.32 36.38 Drive to Bond
4 1.44 3.36 55.62 1.44 3.36 55.62 3.90 9.06 45.45
Safe and Dependable
Employer
5 1.34 3.11 58.72 1.34 3.11 58.72 3.63 8.44 53.89
Individual Attention /
Recognition
6 1.05 2.45 61.18 1.05 2.45 61.18 3.13 7.29 61.18
Career Development /
Advancement
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. Only cases for Sample A are used in this analysis phase
Every sample
represents a theme,
even if the
variables stay
constant.

21. Key Assumptions
1. High performance and workplace engagement are complementary
goals, and both are necessary for maximizing success
2. Achieving high performance and workplace engagement involves
different practices and behaviors
3. High Performance is strengthened through support for customer
orientation, quality emphasis, training and employee involvement
4. Workplace engagement is strengthened as leaders build confidence
and trust among employees, display recognition and respect, support
growth and development, and match work assignments to abilities and
interests
5. High Performance + Workplace Engagement creates a synergistic
effect, unleashing energy to further drive overall performance

22. Predictors of Success – A Hybrid Approach
Tracks employee
views of product
and service
quality
High
Performance
Predicts
manager & staff
commitment
and effort
Workplace
Engagement
R
E
S
U
L
T
S
Lead indicators of enterprise results, illuminate a
clear path forward for enhanced success
G
O
A
L
S

23. What a High-Performance Culture Looks Like
Corporate culture at its most basic level is the sum of a
company’s behaviors and practices. A healthy culture (like
clean air) is essential to a healthy enterprise.
High-performance cultures are shaped around the following
three components:
1. Compelling mission
2. Shared values
3. Mutual accountability

24. Implication of Employee Surveys
 High Performance (Performance Excellence )
oGaining traction among clients looking beyond employee
engagement
oFollow-up focuses on practices and behaviors which are
directly actionable
oCorrelates with performance, especially customer satisfaction
measurements
 Workplace Engagement (Manager and Employee)
oRepresents path chosen by most Workplace Catalysts clients
oFollow-up focuses on workplace engagement ― “drivers”
oCorrelates with financial performance

25. Summary
1. It is easy to get lost in an information deluge and defeat the
process and purpose of employee surveys. Workplace
Catalysts will ease your cognitive strain in this respect.
2. Its not the technology of survey hosting, as much as the
technique in surveys that makes for value. Oversimplification
can defeat the value of simplicity in survey experience.
3. Each sample is unique, and antecedents and consequences of
employee opinion are context dependent.
4. Experience and expertise are both critical to your survey
mission. We’ll work with you through design right until analysis
and reporting.
5. Performance Excellence and Workplace Engagement bear
intangible roots; even if financial outcomes are generally
tangible in nature.

26. Thank You
Write for more details to
josephg@workplacecatalysts.com