Don't design employee opinion survey questionnaires to look for what you already see

Many organisational managers believe they understand their problems, without need for an employee opinion survey and call in consultants to work out the details. This though is a self-fulfilling prophecy, for if a consultant investigates only subject "X", they will only get back information related to subject X. Both management and consultant may overlook other issues of major concern and the rank and file will be dissolutioned. How many times do employees feel that consultants are an expensive waste of time after all it is they who run the business and it is they who know what needs to be done at the grass roots level. What impact on morale, motivation, team working and productivity when the consultants opinion is valued over there own, particularly when the consultants sought their input and then adopt their contribution?

If the rank and file helped establish the employee opinion survey questions then they will know the mission of change and development was genuine and consequently be committed to it. If the rank and file retained ownership of employee opinion survey data then they would be most likely to contribute to organisational change project teams.

Any organisation aspiring to excellence must involve everyone in quality, customer care, change and development projects, etc. An employee opinion survey eliciting employee opinion far from being a waste of time is arguably the single most important binding agent.

When an employee opinion survey is properly constructed it will place many issues into the discussion forum which could surprise management not only by the subject range, cause identification and potential solutions, but by employees desire not just to get change but to be involved in managing change. Consequently the employee opinion survey instrument will become a prime force driving change.