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.
The CEO moves forward with the engagement survey. What is the first step the HR director should take with the food service workers' union?

A. Form a union and non-union employee participation committee to discuss conducting the engagement survey and seek their input in managing the project.
B. Initiate formal discussions with the labor union representatives about including food service workers in the survey and then seek labor council input.
C. Do not engage the union in the engagement survey discussion because to do so could be in violation of applicable labor laws.
D. Engage the union, with hospital's labor counsel, in an exploratory discussion to discuss the possible participation of bargaining unit employees in the survey.

Answer 1

The HR director should engage the union, with the hospital's labor counsel, in an exploratory discussion regarding the inclusion of food service workers in the employee engagement survey to ensure fairness and legal compliance.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the CEO of a hospital decides to move forward with an employee engagement survey, the first step the HR director should take with the food service workers' union is D. Engage the union, with the hospital's labor counsel, in an exploratory discussion to discuss the possible participation of bargaining unit employees in the survey. This approach will help ensure that the union is involved in the process and has a voice in how the assessment is conducted. Engaging the union early can promote transparency and collaboration, potentially mitigating concerns about unionization efforts and ensuring that all employee groups are represented fairly. It also aligns with best employer practices and helps safeguard against legal issues that might arise should the union feel excluded from the process.