Stakeholder surveys allow organizations to monitor engagement of employees and satisfaction of internal and external customers. The key to these surveys is not the collection of data. The key is how well leaders share the data with stakeholders and how well leaders communicate the decisions and actions that will be taken based on feedback from the survey. This transparent communication process is the survey rollout process.
Sharing results of all stakeholder surveys with our teams and asking them for input on areas for improvement displays a commitment to informed decision making. This process also gives leaders an opportunity to remind teams of the purpose for the survey and what we are aiming to improve.
review results as a team
Most of us want leaders who:
show appreciation for positive results
want to be held accountable for stakeholder satisfaction
role model collaboration to create a culture of excellence
build relationships and guide teams to achieve defined goals
When employees perceive their leader is engaged with them in the workplace, they are more satisfied and therefore perform at higher levels. The survey results rollout meeting invites employees into the decision-making process with leaders. It gives them a chance to provide input on what the team is working to improve, which increases ownership and clarifies expectations.
The survey results rollout is a meeting that includes the collective analysis of survey data to develop specific new actions that should improve results. We recommend a common format and process for the survey results rollout meeting. The process contains these components:
Introduce the meeting
Present overall organization results
Present scores for your unit
Invite input
Take all suggestions, by clearly listing them
End the discussion and explain how you will create an action plan
Ask employees to evaluate the survey rollout meeting
Consider the type of meeting you need to schedule, including whether multiple meetings are necessary for the size of your team. Think about how you want staff to provide feedback and materials you might need. You may choose to use a flip chart to record feedback or have 3×5 cards available for those who do not want to speak out.
Craft a message that kicks off the survey results rollout process.
The message should communicate the why, what, and how for rolling out survey results.
Why – state the purpose of the survey and explain the input from team members is important to create a high performing work environment where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to improvement
What – team members are invited to a meeting to review the survey results, provide input, create solutions, and determine priority actions
How – a scheduled meeting(s) will be held to apply an organized process for rolling out survey results and creating improvement action plans
Step 2
Introduce the Meeting
Begin the session on a positive note.
Explain the why, what, and how for the survey results rollout meeting.
Thank your team members for caring enough to fill out the survey, attend the meeting, and participate in the discussion.
Be open and genuine/sincere to demonstrate your commitment to taking action based on the results of the survey
Step 3
Share the organization results
Note the overall mean.
Note the top three items for the organization.
Note the bottom three items for the organization.
Step 4
Share the unit results
Present the overall unit mean and how it compares to the organization mean.
Engage your team in a conversation about the top items.
Refer to the results of the highest ranked items.
Show the top three items and ask your team members why they believe a particular item is scored as one of the higher items. Engage in a conversation about one item at a time.
Taking this step helps you and your team understand what right looks like.
Engage your team in a conversation about the bottom items.
Refer to the results of the lowest ranked items.
Show the bottom three items and ask your team members why they believe a particular item is scored as one of the lower items.
Listen and take notes on chart paper (or ask someone to take notes).
For each item, ask your team for several actions that would improve this area of focus. Specifically, ask what would be happening if the score on this item was higher.
Spend time discussing the items but focus on actions for improvement. The team should make suggestions for actions; the leader should listen.
Step 5
Identify Priority Focus for Improvement Action Plan
Ask the group to help identify the most important actions to focus on.
Consider giving each team member a few sticky dots and ask them to prioritize by placing the dots on the top 3 actions/areas for improvement.
Explain that this information will be used to create an Improvement Action Plan.
Step 6
Staff Evaluates Rollout Meeting
Close the meeting by thanking your team for providing input. Ask them to evaluate the meeting. Consider using a formal survey results rollout meeting feedback form or ask team members to rate the meeting on a scale of 1 to 10 and provide any comments.
The results rollout meeting process data can also be shared at team meetings, including modifications to future survey results rollout meetings. Sharing this information keeps the input and feedback process moving in a positive direction.
Rolling Out Results Builds Trust
Rolling out results with employees is a powerful form of transparency that breeds trust among employees. When employees trust their leader, they become more deeply connected to the work they do. Moreover, when the direction and goals of the organization are clearly communicated, employees take ownership of their work and set their own individual goals to achieve overall results.