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{NAME OF COMPANY} Employee Satisfaction Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your specific answers will be completely anonymous, but your views, in
combination with those of others, are extremely important. To insure your anonymity, {NAME OF COMPANY} retained an
independent consultant to design the survey, receive the completed questionnaires, and interpret the findings.

1. Overall, how satisfied are you with {NAME OF COMPANY} as an employer? (Please circle one number)
Very Very
Dissatisfied Satisfied
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

How do you feel about each of the following specific matters?

2. {NAME OF COMPANY}'s communication and planning (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
I understand the long-term strategy of {NAME OF COMPANY}...............1...............2...............3...............4...............5

I have confidence in the leadership of {NAME OF COMPANY}................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

3. Your role at {NAME OF COMPANY} (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
I am given enough authority to make decisions I need to make...................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

I like the type of work that I do......................................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

I believe my job is secure...............................................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

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Call 813-960-9824 or 713-467-6619 to Purchase or Register
4. Corporate culture (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
{NAME OF COMPANY}'s corporate communications
are frequent enough.................................................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

I feel I can trust what {NAME OF COMPANY} tells me............................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

I believe there is a spirit of cooperation at {NAME OF COMPANY}.........1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

5. Your relations with your immediate supervisor (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
My supervisor treats me fairly........................................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

My supervisor asks me for my input to help make decisions........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

6. {NAME OF COMPANY}'s training program (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
{NAME OF COMPANY} provided
as much initial training as I needed........................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

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Call 813-960-9824 or 713-467-6619 to Purchase or Register
7. Pay and Benefits (Please circle one number for each statement)
Disagree Agree
Strongly Strongly
My salary is fair for my responsibilities........................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

Disagree Agree
Specifically, I'm satisfied with the: Strongly Strongly
Amount of vacation........................................................................................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

{Attribute masked! Become a client and see all attributes!}........................1...............2...............3...............4...............5

Are there any benefits you would like added to {NAME OF COMPANY}'s benefits package?

Yes.... What would you like added? ____________________________________________________________


No.....

8. {Question masked! Become a client and see all questions!}?

{Masked} {Masked} {Masked} {Masked} {Masked}


    

9. {Question masked! Become a client and see all questions!}?

{Masked} {Masked} {Masked} {Masked} {Masked}


    

10. What can {NAME OF COMPANY} do to increase your satisfaction as an employee?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Copyright The Business Research Lab, 1996-2004, All Rights Reserved


Call 813-960-9824 or 713-467-6619 to Purchase or Register
The following questions are for analytic purposes only. They will not be used to try to identify any individual.
However, if you feel uncomfortable about answering any of them do not do so.
Whether or not you leave any questions blank, please return your questionnaire.

11. How long have you worked for {NAME OF 15. How many children under the age of 18 do you have?
COMPANY}?
None.............................................................................
Less than one year....................................................... One...............................................................................
One year to less than two years................................... Two...............................................................................
Two years to less than five years................................. Three............................................................................
Five years to less than ten years.................................. Four..............................................................................
Ten years or more........................................................ Five or more.................................................................

12. What is your age? 16. What is your total before-tax annual income from
this job, including overtime and bonuses?
Under 21.......................................................................
Less than $20,000........................................................
21 to 34.........................................................................
$20,000 to less than $30,000.......................................
35 to 44.........................................................................
$30,000 to less than $50,000.......................................
45 to 54.........................................................................
$50,000 to less than $75,000.......................................
55 or older....................................................................
$75,000 or more...........................................................

13. What is your sex? 17. In which department do you work?

Male.............................................................................. Department A...............................................................


Female.......................................................................... Department B...............................................................
Department C...............................................................
Department D...............................................................
14. What is your marital status?
Department E...............................................................
Married......................................................................... Department F...............................................................
Unmarried.................................................................... Department G...............................................................
Department H...............................................................
Department I................................................................
Department J................................................................

Please return this questionnaire using the enclosed envelope.


Also, please check to make certain that you have answered all questions you can.

 Copyright The Business Research Lab, 1996-2004, All Rights Reserved


Call 813-960-9824 or 713-467-6619 to Purchase or Register
The Survey Process
Questionnaire Development
We assist you in making modifications to your questionnaire, based upon the needs of your organization. This includes the
addition, deletion, and modification of questions or sections.
Data Collection

Internet Surveys Paper Surveys


We program the survey and test it. We send you suggested text, You distribute the questionnaires to your organization and have
including a link to the survey, for the email inviting people to them returned directly to us (we can provide postage-paid
participate. You invite your employees to participate with your envelopes for a small additional cost). We can suggest a format
email message (or, if you prefer, we can send the email). Your for a cover letter, or we can review your cover letter if you wish.
employees complete the online questionnaire. We recommend Your employees return the questionnaires directly to us for data
that you allow approximately two weeks for all employees to entry and analysis. We recommend that you allow
complete the survey approximately three to four weeks for questionnaires to be
returned.
Analysis Timing
For a Gold report, it takes approximately two weeks from the time we receive the last survey response until your final report will be
ready. A Silver report takes approximately one week less time.
Program Options
Silver -- The Silver program is designed for organizations with a tight budget, but who don't have the time to conduct an employee
satisfaction survey from start-to-finish on their own. The program also includes the production of tables and graphs, comparisons to
normative data (aggregate results of other surveys), as well as complete coding (categorization) of verbatim comments, so you can
tell at a glance what suggestions employees have for improvement. Complete comment transcription included for Internet Surveys.
Gold (Our most popular Option) -- In this program, we not only take your project from start-to-finish -- we write an in-depth
report. In addition to the benefits of the Silver program, you'll receive a report highlighting strengths, weaknesses, areas for
improvement, and recommendations.
Cost
Cost varies depending upon number of employees and complexity of survey. As of January 25, 2002, the following costs apply.
Departmental and Divisional reports are available for a small extra charge (call for details).

Number of Employees Internet Traditional Paper


Gold Silver Gold Silver
< 50 $3,200-$4,165 $1,400-$1,743 $3,800-$4,240 $1,400-$1,818
50-99 $4,165-$4,325 $1,743-$2,719 $4,240-$4,428 $1,818-$2,847
100-299 $4,325-$5,660 $2,719-$3,131 $4,428-$5,871 $2,847-$3,343
300-499 $5,660-$6,597 $3,131-$3,983 $5,871-$6,617 $3,343-$4,002
500-999 $6,597-$9,776 $3,983-$6,734 $6,617-$10,341 $4,002-$7,298
1,000-1,999 $9,776-$11,367 $6,734-$8,110 $10,341-$12,202 $7,298-$8,945
2,000-2,999 $11,367-$14,548 $8,110-$10,587 $12,202-$15,926 $8,945-$13,066
3,000-3,999 $14,548-$17,409 $10,587-$13,614 $15,926-$19,650 $13,066-$16,045
4,000-4,999 $17,409-$20,909 $13,614-$16,366 $19,650-$23,001 $16,045-$19,026
5,000+ Call Call Call Call

Call us today to get started: 1-866-897-0924 or 832-358-0336


http://www.busreslab.com http://www.employeesurveys.com

More than Just Data . . . We Provide Understanding for Smart Business Decisions

Use of copyrighted materials without permission is a violation of United States Federal Law.
Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials may create liability for both the user and the user's employer. 8/04
Web Surveys
Do all your employees have access to the Internet? Do they know
how to use it?

If the answer to both of these questions is "yes," you might want to


consider conducting your employee satisfaction survey on the World
Wide Web.

Why use a web survey?


• Faster results.
• Higher response rate.
• Depending upon the number of employees completing the survey, cost savings are possible (the larger the
number of employees, the greater the potential cost savings.
• Comments can be easier to interpret. When respondents to a paper questionnaire write comments, they
occasionally are difficult to read and transcribe. This problem is eliminated with a web survey.

You'll be surprised at how quickly we can have your web survey up and running.
Take a test drive of an online employee survey at one of the following locations:

The Business Research Lab


http://www.busreslab.com/evalue2online.htm

Employeesurveys.com
http://www.employeesurveys.com/onlineemployeesurveys.htm

Note to those of you taking the online employee survey trial -- we will customize your survey! Many
adjustments are possible, including changes to:
• Fonts,
• Colors,
• Introduction,
• Question wording.
We'll insert your corporate logo at the beginning of the survey if you desire. All programming included in the
base price.
Call us at 1-813-960-9824to begin the survey process.

The Business Research Lab and employeesurveys.com


http://www.busreslab.com http://www.employeesurveys.com

1-813-960-9824 or 1-713467-6619

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The Do-it-Yourself Option
"So What Do I Do with All This Data?"
If you want to conduct an employee satisfaction survey on your own, there is no need to
worry about analyzing the data you obtain with the E-Value2 survey -- we have made it easy
for you.

We have designed two Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files to enable you to easily do the data entry and analysis
for this survey.

• The Basic E-Value2 spreadsheet (for organizations with fewer than 300 employees),
• The Enhanced E-Value-2 spreadsheet.

The enhanced version has a few more bells and whistles than the basic version, and will work with up to 999
employees. The following pages provide more detail on each to aid you in making a decision.

If you would like to order either spreadsheet, you can do so by telephone, fax or regular mail. We will, at your
choice, send you a copy of the spreadsheet package you select, or direct you to a location on the Web for
download. Note: you must purchase the questionnaire in order to purchase one of the spreadsheets.

The Data Exchange Program


All clients who purchase our Silver and Gold packages find out how they compare to other organizations. This
is an important part of the analysis, as there are certain items that employees of most organizations tend to rate
particularly high or low. It is difficult to interpret scores without such "normative" data.

Purchasers of our E-Value2 spreadsheet packages also can find out how they compare to other organizations by
taking advantage of our Data Exchange Program. Upon completing your do-it-yourself E-Value2 survey, all
you need to do is E-mail a copy of the completed spreadsheet to us. Upon receiving it, we'll give you access to
the normative data. There is no additional charge to participate in the Data Exchange Program.

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The Basic E-Value2 Spreadsheet
The spreadsheet will process responses from up to 300 employees. (If you have more employees, you might
want to consider using our Enhanced Spreadsheet.)

The Basic spreadsheet contains the following:


• Detailed instructions for data entry,
• The following worksheets:
⇒ Summary of overall satisfaction,
⇒ Detailed table of all attribute and benefits scores, including average scores and percentage calculations
(percent agreeing strongly, disagreeing strongly, etc., with attribute and benefits statements),
⇒ Summary table of all attribute and benefits scores (net percentage agreeing, disagreeing, and average
scores),
⇒ Table detailing results for all other questions,
⇒ Worksheet containing macro to list "all other benefits" respondents suggested adding to the benefits
package,
⇒ Worksheet containing macros to list, in order of importance to overall satisfaction, all attributes and
benefits,
⇒ Worksheet containing graphs summarizing the results of all quantitative questions in the survey.
This file enables something that many of you have been asking for -- the ability to easily add and modify
questions. Our "Special Notes" worksheet contains instructions on how to do this. In a nutshell, here is what
we have done:
• Allowed up to ten extra attributes (two per each attribute section) to be included at specific points in the
questionnaire,
• Allowed up to two extra benefits to be included at a specific point in the questionnaire.
• Designed the macros such that, if instructions in the "Special Notes" worksheet are followed, addition,
deletion, and changes to attributes and benefits will not hamper macro operation,
• Preformatted each worksheet to enable easy printing of all data in an easy-to-read format.

The cost for the entire Basic package (which includes E-Value2 registration rights, the Basic E-Value2
spreadsheet, as well as a sample cover letter and follow-up letter to use in survey implementation) is only $199.

FREE -- Participate in our confidential Data Exchange program for free by e-mailing a copy of the spreadsheet
containing your data to thelab@busreslab.com. You will receive the average responses for all other
organizations participating in the program.

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Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials may create liability for both the user and the user's employer. 8/04
The Enhanced E-Value2 Spreadsheet
If you need a bit more data analysis power, or have a larger organization (up to 999
employees), the Enhanced E-Value2 Spreadsheet may be for you.

The E-Value2 Enhanced version uses the same questionnaire as the basic version. It contains everything in the
Basic spreadsheet, plus the following additional features:
• Processing of Larger Sample Sizes. The spreadsheet will process responses from as many as 999
employees.
• Special Sort Routine. The spreadsheet produces a table combining results and correlation coefficients
(which are used to measure importance). With a few mouse clicks, you can quickly see your performance
among the most important attributes, or the importance of the attributes upon which your organization
performs best or worst. This is a massive timesaver when it comes time to analyze the data and report the
findings.
• 20 Extra 'Bonus' Attributes. If you anticipate adding more than 10 attributes to the questionnaire, the
enhanced spreadsheet facilitates this by including 20 extra 'bonus' attributes, for a total of 30 extra
attributes.
• Longer list of departments in the "in which department do you work?" question. (20, as opposed to
10 in the basic version.)
• Built-in Comparisons to Normative Data. Our most recent normative data is included in the enhanced
spreadsheet, along with tables comparing your results to the norms. This will let you see at a glance how
you compare to other organizations that have completed one of our surveys. After you have sent us your
normative data, we will tell you how to 'unlock' this capability.

The cost for the entire Enhanced package (which includes E-Value2 registration rights, the Enhanced E-Value2
spreadsheet, as well as a sample cover letter and follow-up letter to use in survey implementation) is only $399.

FREE -- Participate in our confidential Data Exchange program for free by e-mailing a copy of the spreadsheet
containing your data to thelab@busreslab.com. Once you have done so, we'll tell you how to unlock the
normative data within your spreadsheet.

The Business Research Lab and employeesurveys.com


http://www.busreslab.com http://www.employeesurveys.com

1-813-960-9824 or 1-713-467-6619

Use of copyrighted materials without permission is a violation of United States Federal Law.
Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials may create liability for both the user and the user's employer. 8/04
Order Form -- "Do-it-yourself" E-Value2 Survey
I've downloaded the Business Research Lab's E-Value2 Employee Satisfaction sample questionnaire, and would
like to purchase one of your packages. Payment/billing information appears below. I agree that this gives my
organization, and only my organization, the right to use the questionnaire. I understand that I may make
backup copies of these files, but I will not give copies of these files to anyone outside my organization.
I further agree that I will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that, if I use the questionnaire to survey
employees, the survey will be anonymous and I will protect the identity of the employees who respond to the
survey.
Signature _________________________________ Date _________________

Products Ordered
E-Value2 Questionnaire .....................................($99). .
E-Value2 Basic Spreadsheet.............................($149). . E-Value2 Enhanced Spreadsheet .............................($349). .
E-Value2 Questionnaire and Basic Spreadsheet ($199) E-Value2 Questionnaire and Enhanced Spreadsheet ($399).

Net Amount Due: ________


Shipping and Handling ( E-mail delivery: FREE, 3-day airmail: $15, Overnight air: $20):......................________
Sales Tax ((NY State residents add applicable tax):.............................................................................................................________
Total Due:...............................................................................................................................................................................________
Method of Payment
Charge my......... Visa MasterCard........ American Express Card # _________________________ Exp Date _____
Check enclosed..........

Name (Please Print) ____________________________________ Telephone ________________________


Organization ____________________________________ Fax ________________________
Street Address _________________________ E-mail ________________________
_________________________
City _________________________ State _______________ Zip Code ______________
Country (If Not USA) ________________________

Our Mailing Address: The Business Research Lab


8552 Katy Freeway, Suite 154
Houston, TX 77024

If you prefer to send this form by fax and receive an invoice, please fax it to
713 467-6641
The Business Research Lab and employeesurveys.com
http://www.busreslab.com http://www.employeesurveys.com

More than Just Data . . . We Provide Understanding for Smart Business Decisions

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Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials may create liability for both the user and the user's employer. 8/04
The Business Research Lab
More than Just Data . . . We Provide Understanding for Smart Business Decisions
Thank you for visiting our Web site and downloading a copy of our copyrighted E-Value2 Employee Satisfaction Questionnaire. If
you have decided to use the questionnaire, we'd like to thank you in advance for your registration and payment. The registration
form immediately following the questionnaire will make registration easy.

Whether or not you decide to purchase additional services from us, we wanted to provide you with some additional information to
help make your project a success.

Going It Alone

If you decide that you want to conduct the survey and data analysis yourself, here are a few things to keep in mind.
• You will obtain a higher response rate and more honest responses if you have the questionnaires mailed to and analyzed by a
third party. If you do not choose The Business Research Lab to be that third party, then try to find a local company capable of
doing the job. If you choose to ignore this advice, then at the very least change the instructions at the top of the first page of
the questionnaire to indicate that the questionnaires are being sent directly to you.
• It is very important to not try to associate any completed questionnaire with any particular individual.
• When calculating percentages, we recommend eliminating non-responses from the denominator.
• You will need to develop an algorithm to determine how to handle questionnaires with markings "between" valid answers.

If You Would Like Some Assistance

This E-Value2 Employee Satisfaction Survey should be of immense help to any firm on a tight budget. We also can help firms who
have the budget to pay for additional assistance. We can conduct any or all of your project for you. Your options include, but are
not limited to the following:
• Fully-customized Research Project -- We can develop a custom survey for you, and manage the project from start to finish.
You'll receive a detailed analysis and report clearly prioritizing areas for improvement.
• Purchase of a Data Analysis Spreadsheet -- The modest price will save your people days of programming.
• Partial Customization (Consulting) -- We can customize this E-Value Survey for you. You can consult us for
recommendations on how the questionnaire should be changed to fit your company's specific needs.
• Partial Customization (Analytical Assistance) -- You can choose whether you would like us to develop a custom spreadsheet,
or whether you would like us to conduct the complete data analysis for you.
• Data Entry -- We can do the data entry for you, including "coding" the comments.
• Cross-tabulations -- We can provide cross-tabulations so that you can compare results from people in different demographic
groups or departments.
• Analysis and Final Report -- You can have someone else collect and enter the data, and have it analyzed and reported by one
of our experienced professionals.

Please call us if you would like to discuss pricing for any of the above options. We can conduct a complete survey project for you
for a very reasonable price.

The Business Research Lab and employeesurveys.com


http://www.busreslab.com http://www.employeesurveys.com

1-813-960-9824 or 1-713-467-6619

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WHAT DRIVES EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION to "strongly agree"):

The top four drivers of employee satisfaction are: 1) effective * I know how my work relates to agency mission and goals.
leadership, 2) employee skills and mission match, 3)
work/life balance, and 4) training and development. In other * I do important work.
words, organizations and managers that focus on these four
factors will have the best chance of improving employee * My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment.
satisfaction--and therefore improving organizational
performance. But what do these dimensions really mean, and * My talents are used well.
how can managers and organizations make the best use of
this information? * I like the kind of work I do.

Before answering that question, it's important to be clear on Work/life balance, the third most important driver, consists
one point. Employee satisfaction doesn't mean that work is of three questions:
easy or that employees are always happy. Instead,
satisfaction means committed employees--what one observer * My supervisor supports my need to balance work and
referred to as public servants who are willing to give their family issues.
"discretionary energy" to their work. In other words, they
don't just punch the clock. Instead, they really commit to * I have sufficient resources (e.g., people, materials, budget,
their organizations and their jobs. And Best Places shows that etc.) to get my work done.
some of the most committed and productive employees are in
highly demanding work environments. * My workload is reasonable.

The ten workplace dimensions the survey examines were And the fourth dimension, training and development,
developed using statistical techniques that tie together includes these questions:
specific survey questions from the Federal Human Capital
Survey in a way that is both meaningful and statistically * I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills in my
sound (and these are not always the same). For example, the organization.
leadership dimension consists of 13 questions that range from
perceptions about how well immediate supervisors do their * I have enough information to do my job well.
jobs to how employees feel about their agency's senior
leadership. The questions that make up the leadership * My training needs are assessed.
dimension (the scale was either "strongly disagree" to
"strongly agree" or "very poor" to "very good") include: * How satisfied are you with the training you receive for
your present job?
* How good a job do you feel your immediate
supervisor/team leader is doing? APPLYING THE RESULTS

* Employees have a feeling of personal empowerment and One important lesson from Best Places is that employee
ownership of work processes. satisfaction matters--and therefore organizations and
managers need to work hard to maximize employee
* Supervisors support employee development. satisfaction. One way to do this is to use The Partnership for
Public Service's workplace dimensions, and particularly the
* Satisfaction with involvement in decisions that affect work. questions in each dimension, as guides or even checklists.
More satisfied and productive employees will answer these
questions more positively, and the challenge for
* Satisfaction with information received from management. organizations and managers is to create workplaces that
maximize the probability that employees will do so.
* Performance discussions with my supervisor are
worthwhile. This is not solely--or even primarily--the job of Human
Resources. Yes, HR must put in place strategies, systems,
* I have a high level of respect for my organization's senior processes, and tools for managers and employees. But
leaders. individual leaders, managers, and supervisors can move the
needle of employee satisfaction by focusing on the critical
* Leaders generate high motivation and commitment. workplace dimensions, and the issues embedded in each of
the four dimensions.
The skills/mission match dimension includes these five
employee survey questions (the scale was "strongly disagree" BUILDING EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION
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The Best Places results are not just interesting--they are
highly useful and clearly show that improving employee
satisfaction should occur at the work unit level. And this can
be done without spending a lot of money or resources.
Building good leadership, clarifying the line of sight between
an employee's work and the organization's mission, making
sure that employees can have a personal life, and providing
developmental opportunities can pay big dividends.

But how to do this? The first step is to survey employees to


identify strengths and weaknesses, and then establish a
baseline. Then, act on the results. Ways the top-ranked
agencies in Best Places have responded to employee survey
results to build higher levels of satisfaction include:

* Adopting and expanding flexible work schedules, including


telework and flextime.

* Creating an emerging leaders program to develop the next


generation of leaders.

* Expanding training, but emphasizing online education to


stretch tight budgets.

* Creating career coaching and mentoring programs.

* Developing a program to provide "spot" staff to help units


facing temporary work overloads.

* Actively involving employee groups, including unions, in


meeting regularly with senior leaders.

* Expanding supervisory training to focus on targeted


competencies driven by employee survey results.

* Bringing together managers and supervisors from across


the organization to discuss common challenges--and
solutions.

* Providing performance management training to improve


communication with employees about performance
expectations.

* Expanding student intern programs to offer challenging


assignments to college students, with the goal of hiring the
best into permanent jobs.

CONCLUSIONS

Is building higher levels of employee satisfaction easy?


Probably not, but few things that are worthwhile are easy,
The more important question is whether improving employee
job satisfaction is doable. And the answer is yes, for
organizations that make a commitment to focus on employee
engagement. Best Places can be a useful resource to help
make this happen. The complete Best Places to Work scores,
rankings, and other information can be accessed at
www.bestplacestowork.org.
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