7 Meaningful Questions to Gauge Employee Happiness 1. Name one process that, were it eliminated, would make you more productive. This is a straightforward bureaucracy-buster. You know that if several employees cite the same process, youve hit on a source of serious frustration. 2. How transparent is management? Its not to imply that you have to tell your employees everything. What youre trying to assess is whether employees feel surprised or blindsided by your decisions--or if youre inconsistent on big-picture topics. 3. Please rate the quality of the snacks in the kitchen. This may seem frivolous, but it matters. 4. Can you list for me the factors that could contribute to your doing the best work of your life? This question comes from Dr. John Sullivan, an HR thought leader and former chief talent officer for Agilent Technologies. Sullivan notes that this --the best work of your life question--is the No. 1 retention factor for top performers. 5. Can you highlight any recent recognition and acknowledgment that you have received that increased your commitment and loyalty? This question also comes from Sullivan, courtesy of a superb article on TLNT. The aim is to identify actions that make employees feel appreciated. 6. How would you assess your opportunities to grow and advance? Theres plenty of evidence that a lack of advancement opportunities--or better advancement opportunities, elsewhere--are why employees leave. Two-time founder Jason Lemkin stresses that finding a growth path for all employees is one of his five biggest lessons learned, when it comes to retention. Likewise, in a recent LinkedIn survey of more than 7,500 employees whod recently left their jobs, respondents cited greater opportunities for advancement as the number one reason they took new gigs. 7. How confident are you in the leadership of this organization? In the same LinkedIn survey, the number two reason respondents chose their new jobs was better leadership from senior management. Beyond the retention benefits, learning if employees lack faith in your leadership can only improve your performance as CEO. And if you get depressed reading such employee feedback, dont worry: Youre not alone. Paul Spiegelman, founder and former CEO of BerylHealth, admits hes felt the same way. The secret? Make something happen. And then watch as employees improve their responses, once its clear that you actually act on their feedback. Asking for feedback is only one third of the battle, he writes. If you ask, you better be accountable and be prepared to assign resources to the project.
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 10:33:43 +0000
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