Are employee satisfaction surveys a waste of time?

• July 30, 2010 5:00am

CVENT reporter CM Arnold interviewed Assistant Management Professor Daniel Martin for in her article, “Are Employee Satisfaction Surveys Worth Taking?”

Arnold wrote, “Employee satisfaction surveys, like peer reviews and annual performance appraisals, are more effective when everyone involved is committed to making them succeed. If employees lack confidence in their employers or if employers are cavalier about their employees' concerns, then surveys, reviews and appraisals are about as useful as an air conditioner in Antarctica."

Martin responded, “Being visibly committed to making changes where it is feasible to do so, and saying why where change is not possible at this time. An action-planning process team that includes all stakeholders – managers, supervisors, employees, and unions – must be put in place with a commitment from the organization, to act on their findings. The process will include deciding on the need for further information, e.g., through focus groups, identifying a manageable number of action items, deciding how action will be taken and how progress will be tracked. Though progress may take years, rather than months, accountability is important.”

KL