Question

The HR director of a 6,000-employee hospital is meeting with the hospital's CEO about potentially conducting an employee engagement survey. The hospital has never conducted an engagement survey. The hospital's turnover is low, and it pays competitive wages and benefits. It is nonunion except for about 200 employees in its food service department. There is a sense that a baseline assessment of employee work environment perceptions and the employees' commitment to serving patients is needed.

While there is anecdotal evidence that employees are relatively satisfied with the work environment and committed to serving patients, employees have complained through the organizational hotline about lack of management support in some areas. Since other hospitals in the market have experienced union organizing activity, there is concern about possible unionization. While the CEO is interested in the survey, there is fear that it will raise employee expectations that the organization cannot meet, increasing employee dissatisfaction.
The HR director is planning a follow-up meeting with the administrator and an external consultant. The goal is to share with the CEO best employer practices in conducting engagement surveys, the positive benefits of using surveys to improve morale, and appropriate engagement strategies and practices to support managers in improving performance and productivity.
What is the best course of action for the HR director in proactively addressing employee concerns with the engagement survey?

A. Meet with the union representative and legal counsel to share insights and get their perspectives.
B. Analyze new employee complaints to determine recurring trends and patterns indicating the need for the survey.
C. Advise the CEO about employee insights gained from complaints that support or negate the need for the survey.
D. Explore employees' interest in participating in stay interviews to give insight to the organization.

Answer 1

The HR director should focus on confidentiality, communication, and managerial support when conducting an engagement survey to proactively address employee concerns and improve work environment perceptions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best course of action for the HR director in proactively addressing employee concerns with the engagement survey is to carefully balance the need for gathering accurate information with the potential impact on employee morale. The HR director can lean on best employer practices including:

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By addressing recurring trends found in employee complaints and using those insights to shape the survey, the HR director can point out to the CEO the underlying issues that need to be addressed. Furthermore, incorporating stay interviews as an additional tool can provide deeper insight into the employees' perspective, complementing the survey results. This proactive approach demonstrates the commitment of the hospital to improving the work environment and employee engagement.