Perfect Phrases for Writing Employee Surveys

Perfect Phrases for Writing Employee Surveys

by John Kador, Katherine Armstrong
Released March 2010
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071703130

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

THE RIGHT PHRASE FOR EVERY SITUATION . . . EVERY TIME

Generating honest, no-nonsense feedback through well-written surveys is the first step to dramatically increasing employee engagement, commitment, loyalty—and your company’s bottom line.

Perfect Phrases for Writing Employee Surveys provides the tools for crafting precisely phrased surveys to deliver accurate information, so you can adjust your organization’s practices accordingly. Inside are hundreds of words, phrases, and examples that remove the guesswork from an otherwise daunting process. This handy, time-saving guide helps you write surveys that measure:

  • Employee Engagement
  • Leadership and Management
  • Company Values and Ethics
  • Organizational Culture
  • Satisfaction with Work Environment
  • Career Development

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Perfect Phrases™ for Writing Employee Surveys
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction: Leadership Means Listening and Learning
  7. Part One: Preparing for the Survey
    1. Chapter 1: Know What You’re Getting Into
      1. Perfect Phrases for Asking for Help
    2. Chapter 2: Defining Survey Goals
      1. Summarize Your Goals
      2. Perfect Phrases for Defining the Question
      3. Five Good Reasons for Conducting Surveys
      4. Two Bad Reasons to Conduct a Survey
      5. Communicate within the Organization
      6. Perfect Phrases to Communicate Survey Goals
    3. Chapter 3: Setting Expectations
      1. Difficult Conversations
      2. Preparing Employees
      3. From the Field: Presurvey Tips
    4. Chapter 4: Putting It Together
      1. Timing Is Everything
        1. Calendared Surveys
        2. Needs-Driven Surveys
      2. Keep It Short
      3. Sample Sizes
      4. Anonymous Surveys
      5. Asking for Demographic Information
      6. Incentives
      7. Online Surveys
        1. What to Look for in a Vendor
        2. Selecting a Vendor
      8. Time Frame for Responses and Sending Reminders
      9. From the Field: Trone Sends a Reminder
      10. Response Formats
      11. Perfect Phrases for Response Formats
      12. The Questions Asked Really Do Matter
      13. From the Field: Ten Common Mistakes
  8. Part Two: Perfect Phrases
    1. Chapter 5: Setting the Stage
      1. Announcements
        1. Announcing the Survey Process
      2. Perfect Phrases for Announcing an Upcoming Survey
      3. From the Field: Sample E-Mails
      4. From the Field: Sample Introductory Letters
      5. Announcing That the Survey Is Live
      6. Perfect Phrases for Announcing That a Survey Is Live
      7. Introducing and Giving Instructions about the Survey
      8. Perfect Phrases for Survey Instructions
        1. Purpose
        2. Expectations
        3. Anonymity
        4. Instructions
      9. From the Field: Trone Introduces Its Survey
    2. Chapter 6: Employee Satisfaction and Engagement Surveys
      1. Perfect Phrases for Employee Satisfaction Surveys
      2. Determining Most Important Drivers of Satisfaction
        1. General
        2. Sense of Purpose
        3. Feeling Valued
        4. Acting on Sense of Satisfaction
        5. Common Sources of Stress
        6. Confidence in the Future
      3. From the Field: Polaris Employee Satisfaction and Engagement Survey
      4. Perfect Phrases for Employee Engagement and Commitment Surveys
        1. Sense of Pride
        2. Sense of Loyalty
        3. Connection to Organizational Goals
        4. Empowerment and Accomplishment
      5. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Engagement with Core Concepts
      6. From the Field: Trone Employee Survey
      7. From the Field: Laird Technologies’ Employee Satisfaction Survey
    3. Chapter 7: Leadership and Management
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Leadership/Senior Management
        1. Integrity
        2. Setting Direction
        3. Mutual Respect
        4. Competence and Leading the Business
        5. Communication
        6. Action from Survey
        7. Inspiration and Morale Building
      2. From the Field: Laird Technologies’ Survey about Managers
      3. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Supervisors
        1. General
        2. Setting an Example and Ethical Leadership
        3. Communications and Accessibility
        4. Expectations and Objectives
        5. Development
        6. Feedback and Recognition
      4. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items about Supervisors
    4. Chapter 8: Values and Ethics
      1. Perfect Phrases for General Surveys about Values and Ethics
        1. Awareness and Understanding
        2. Values in Action
        3. Personal Alignment
        4. To Customize for Your Organization
      2. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items about Ethics
      3. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Trust and Truthfulness
      4. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Caring
      5. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Fairness
      6. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items about Fairness
      7. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Respect
      8. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Diversity
      9. From the Field: CustomInsight’sSurvey Items about Diversity
      10. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Corporate Social Responsibility/Environment
        1. General Commitment
        2. Human Rights
        3. Health and Safety
        4. Environment
        5. Community Investment: Volunteerism
        6. Community Investment: Philanthropy
        7. Community Investment: Support of Local Area
        8. Stakeholder Engagement
    5. Chapter 9: Aspects of Organizational Culture
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Views of Organizational Culture
      2. Perfect Phrases for Collaboration and Teamwork Surveys
        1. Across the Organization
        2. Within Work Group
        3. On Behalf of Customers/The Bottom Line
        4. Between Department/Divisions
      3. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Risk Taking, Innovation, and Change
      4. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Entrepreneurial/Action-Oriented Cultures
      5. From the Field: Laird Technologies’ Survey on Entrepreneurial Spirit
      6. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Empowerment and Autonomy
      7. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items about Autonomy
      8. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Balance (Work/Family and Work/Life)
      9. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items on Work/Life Balance
      10. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Openness and Communication
      11. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items on Communications
    6. Chapter 10: Work Environment
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about the Physical Environment/Workplace
        1. Overall Environment
        2. Clearning and Maintenance
        3. Food and Drink Service
        4. Personal Work Area
        5. Safety and Security
      2. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items about Safety
      3. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Resources and Access to Information
      4. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items about Workplace and Resources
      5. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Scheduling
      6. From the Field: Core Practice’s Survey about Overtime
      7. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Policies and Procedures
      8. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Working with Suppliers
    7. Chapter 11: Business Performance
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about the State of the Business
        1. Long-Term Prospects
        2. Current Performance
        3. Reputation
        4. Competitive Advantage
        5. Personal Connection to Business
      2. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about the Customer Experience
        1. Commitment to Customers
        2. Insight into Customers
        3. Meeting Customer Needs
      3. From the Field: Opinions Incorporated’s Survey Items about Customer Experience
      4. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Quality and Continuous Improvement
        1. Quality
        2. Continuous Improvement
      5. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items about Customer Focus
      6. From the Field: Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Guest Experience Survey
      7. Perfect Phrases to Gain Business Insight from Employees
    8. Chapter 12: Performance, Career Development, and Training
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Objectives and Performance Reviews
        1. Objective Setting
        2. Measurement of Objectives
        3. Performance Reviews
      2. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items about Feedback
      3. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Career Paths and Promotions
      4. From the Field: CustomInsight’s Survey Items about Opportunities for Growth
      5. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Training and Development
        1. Support for Training
        2. Availability of Training
        3. Participation in Training
        4. Role of Supervisor
      6. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Personal Learning and Growth
      7. From the Field: Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Personal Development Survey
    9. Chapter 13: Recognition, Reward, Compensation, and Benefits
      1. Perfect Phrases for Recognition and Reward Surveys
      2. Perfect Phrases for Compensation Surveys
      3. Incentive Programs
      4. Perfect Phrases for Benefits Surveys
        1. Satisfaction with Benefits
        2. Satisfaction and Importance of Benefits
        3. Adding Benefit Plans
    10. Chapter 14: The Human Resources Department
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Level of Service Provided by Human Resources
        1. General
        2. Openness and Communication
        3. Promotions and Staffing
        4. Advocacy
      2. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Job Descriptions and Organizational Effectiveness
        1. Job Descriptions
        2. Organizational Structure and Assignment of Responsibility
      3. Surveys of New Employees
      4. From the Field: New Hire Survey from Financial Services Firm
      5. Perfect Phrases for Exit Surveys
      6. From the Field: Laird Technologies’ Exit Survey
    11. Chapter 15: Information Technology
      1. Perfect Phrases for Information Technology Surveys
        1. Level of Service
        2. Collaboration
        3. Communication
        4. Training
      2. From the Field: Volac’s IT Survey
    12. Chapter 16: Internal Communications
      1. Perfect Phrases for Surveys about Internal Communications
        1. Choice of Communications Vehicles
      2. Perfect Phrases for Testing the Success of Messages
        1. Awareness of Messages
        2. Understanding of Messages
        3. Commitment to Messages
    13. Chapter 17: Alternative Survey Approaches
      1. Open-Ended Questions
      2. Perfect Phrases for Open-Ended Questions
      3. From the Field: Mixing Positive and Negative Survey Items
      4. From the Field: Since Last Year
      5. Degrees of Importance
    14. Chapter 18: Perfect Phrases to Conclude a Survey
      1. Perfect Phrases for Thanking Employees
      2. Perfect Phrases for Communicating Next Steps
      3. From the Field: Core Practice Concludes Survey with a Promise
  9. Part Three: Closing the Loop
    1. Chapter 19: Communicating Results
      1. How Fast?
      2. Perfect Phrases for Initial Report to Employees
        1. If There Are Immediately Striking Responses
      3. To Management First
      4. Perfect Phrases for Recalling the Goals of the Survey
      5. Perfect Phrases for Reporting Sample Size and Participation Level
      6. Perfect Phrases for Putting the Survey in Context
      7. Perfect Phrases for Focusing on Data and Avoiding Editorial Comments
      8. Perfect Phrases for Introducing a Verbatim Comment
      9. Perfect Phrases for Presenting Objective Comparisons
      10. Perfect Phrases for Summarizing Results
      11. Perfect Phrases for Reminding Management That a Survey Is about Listening
      12. Perfect Phrases for Using Positive Language
      13. Then to Employees
        1. Interactive Sessions
        2. The Results Speak for Themselves
      14. From the Field: Trone Presents Survey Findings to Employees
      15. Perfect Phrases for Communicating Survey Results to Employees
        1. Useful Expressions
        2. Example
        3. Sample General Results Memo
        4. Communicating Action Plans
      16. Perfect Phrases for Communicating Action Planning Approach
        1. Announcing a “Quick Hit”
        2. Announcing a More Involved Process
        3. Several Months Later
      17. From the Field: Trone Links New Training Module to Employee Survey
      18. From the Field: Sample Summary Memo
      19. Communicating When Actions Will Not Be Taken
      20. Perfect Phrases for Communicating That Action Will Not Be Taken
        1. When the Suggestion Is Not in the Strategic Interests of the Organization
        2. When the Suggestion Is Too Expensive
        3. When the Suggestion Is Unworkable
      21. What You’ve Gained
      22. From the Field: John Frehse’s Postsurvey Communications Tips
    2. Chapter 20: You’re Now Ready to Get Started
      1. From the Field: Tips for Selecting a Vendor
      2. Perfect Phrases for Collecting Feedback about the Current Survey

Product information

  • Title: Perfect Phrases for Writing Employee Surveys
  • Author(s): John Kador, Katherine Armstrong
  • Release date: March 2010
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9780071703130