Quality Service Marketing

Don't Bother with Employee Engagement Surveys

According to BlessingWhite’s latest employee engagement research:

“Engagement surveys without visible follow-up actions may actually decrease engagement levels, suggesting that organizations think twice before flipping the switch on measurement without 100% commitment for action planning based on the results.”

The key here is committing to appropriate actions based on survey results. “Appropriate” means communicating with employees to explain what changes you are able to make in response to the survey (then following up your words with actions) as well as what changes you are unable to make and why.

Whenever you survey employees, you raise their expectations that you’re going to do something about their input. So don’t even think about doing an employee engagement survey if you aren’t going to respond!

Engaging Employees in a Market-Focused Culture: Interview with Chris Brown (Part 2)

Here's the continuation of my interview with Chris Brown, MarketCulture Strategies.

QSM: Cross-functional collaboration and support are also necessary for employee engagement. Do you find the lack of collaboration in companies is related more to the organizational structure itself, especially those with entrenched silos? Or is it with problems related to internal communications - lack of management communications training, internal politics that impede information sharing, etc.?

Chris: Poor internal collaboration results directly from poor organizational structures: rigid groupings, polarizing reward systems, competing interests, etc. Employees work and live within these structures. Their behaviors reflect them, not the other way around. It is management's job to build and shape these structures in a way that creates adequate collaboration.

For example, W. L. Gore, the maker of GoreTex™ fabric and other specialized materials, has largely done away with formal structures. It's one of the 200 largest private firms in the U.S., but outside the c-suite, employees do not have official titles. Work sites are kept small, below 200 employees. In lieu of formal structures, employees build informal relationship lattices to get work done across the organization. It's a lot of work, especially for leadership, but it results in rampant collaboration by employees. To borrow a line from the "Field of Dreams", if you build it, it (collaboration) will come.

QSM: What are some creative approaches to improving internal collaboration?

Chris: It's a mixture of informal and collaborative structures. For example:

• Creating cross-functional meeting structures that require regular interaction
• Rotating employees for short periods of time to allow them to live in the other "silo"
• Mixing functions and groups during breaks, lunches, and in the workplace layout
• Engineering cross-functional/cross-group interdependence into reward and evaluation systems
• Group newsletters/circulars/blogs.

Collaboration like everything else needs to be designed on purpose. It is up to the leadership to work out how to create the right conditions for it to flourish.

QSM: These are great ideas, Chris. Thanks for taking the time to share a bit of your expertise with us!

The Legacy of Poor Management Communications

How long lasting are the effects of poor management communications? They may be longer than you think.

That was the takeaway from a recent executive retreat I facilitated for a client. The current management team is relatively new - comprised of a few VPs who came from outside the organization and several who came up through the ranks and had reported to members of the previous administration. During the retreat, this “new” team focused on improving internal communications.

In their discussions, they acknowledged their frustration in continuing to deal with the erosion of trust and related fallout from poor communications by previous administrations that tended to play politics with each other to achieve personal agendas. Some of the former VPs were also inconsistent in sharing information with their respective divisions. I recall one former VP who proudly declared he shared limited information on a “need to know” basis only – so his employees were left to fend for themselves when it came to learning most top-down information.

The cumulative result of poor management communications is that the current management team is challenged in dealing with the “working wounded” (including some of the VPs themselves). Among the problematic issues they face, they cited:

• employees’ reluctance to express their opinions or ask questions
• inconsistent sharing of information between and within departments
• “political fiefdoms pushing agendas,” and employees' lack of understanding of how the new management team operates (different from the old guard’s penchant for playing politics).

How will they meet this challenge? By working to create a “safe place” for discussion … being willing to engage employees in discussion … listening and responding to employee ideas and concerns … and demonstrating trust and respect in all their communications with employees and each other.

Knowing my client’s commitment to improving organizational communications, I’m confident members of the current administration will be able to turn the situation around. They’re also smart enough to know that it won’t happen overnight – re-building trust takes time and patience.

Engaging Volunteers (4): When Volunteers are Brand Partners

What I’ve shared up to this point in this series applies to volunteers in most nonprofits. In some organizations, however, volunteers serve multiple roles that require different engagement strategies.

I can explain with this segmentation model from the Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment Tool for Nonprofits that identifies two types of nonprofit “customers”:

• Primary customers – the people and entities who benefit from a nonprofit’s services
• Supporting customers – the people and entities who help a nonprofit provide its services.

For example, a Girl Scout and her parents are “primary customers” of the Girl Scouts in that they all benefit as the daughter develops new skills from her scouting involvement. If her parents participate as troop leaders, help chaperone troop events, etc., they are also considered “supporting customers.” This segmentation model helps a nonprofit understand and recognize who its “customers” are (in one or both segments) so it can engage them accordingly.

But don’t let the simplicity of this model fool you as volunteer segmentation can be extremely complicated depending on the organization. It is particularly messy in professional membership associations that offer professional development and networking opportunities through national and regional (chapter) affiliation; e.g., the American Marketing Association, Society for Human Resource Management, Public Relations Society of America, etc. While all members of such organizations are primary customers, some may also be engaged as supporting customers on one or more levels as:

• Local brand ambassadors – recruiting and welcoming other members at the chapter level
• Chapter volunteer leaders – serving on committees/councils/boards and providing member benefits at the local or regional level
• National volunteer leaders – serving on national committees/councils/boards
• Volunteer speakers – presenting at association-sponsored conferences & workshops
• Volunteer instructors – training (for free or a small honorarium) at association-sponsored educational programs.

The important role these volunteers play in delivering member benefits at the local, regional, and national levels can be taken for granted. Beyond providing token recognition for their service, some associations overlook the fact that these highly engaged volunteers help generate revenues via new and retained member dues as well as from conference and program fees. That’s why these truly “supporting customers” need to be recognized, valued, and respected as partners in delivering the brand promise.

How do you engage and manage volunteers who are also your brand partners?

• Make volunteer involvement a focus of attention by the Board and executive staff. (See my previous post on Intentional Volunteer Management.)
• Recognize and acknowledge volunteer value. To truly appreciate the impact of their involvement, analyze your volunteers’ lifetime value. Note: most volunteer calculators measure this value in terms of manpower hour & benefit cost-savings. In addition, consider volunteers’ economic contribution to revenue generation. [If anyone has a formula or model for this, please let me know.]
• Keep volunteers informed of the organization’s vision and direction. You can’t expect them to serve as brand advocates if you don’t keep them in the communications loop.
• Be sensitive to how operational/policy changes impact volunteer efforts to deliver on the brand – you want to facilitate volunteer (and staff) efforts to deliver member value, not create extra work for them. Communicate all changes in operations or policy openly and honestly, sharing the rationale behind such changes.
• Proactively seek and respond to volunteer feedback & ideas.

Keep in mind that besides their individual and collective value as volunteers, these brand partners have strong influence on the frontline with access to fellow and prospective members who are your primary customers. Treat them carefully and with the respect they deserve.

In my next post I’ll address the volunteer-employee connection.

Engaging Volunteers (3): Intentional Volunteer Management

  “Too many organizations are thoughtless when it comes to volunteers.”
     - Susan Ellis, president of Energize, Inc., a volunteer training & consulting firm

Sadly, many former volunteers would agree with this statement. That’s why an intentional and proactive (rather than passive or reactive) effort is needed to effectively engage and retain volunteers.

Here are some guidelines to help you get started with intentional volunteer engagement and management.

• Focus at the Board Level
  Volunteer expert Susan Ellis recommends volunteer involvement be a regular part of the board agenda so it can proactively focus on how to effectively recruit, engage, and maximize volunteer participation. “Don’t allow volunteer involvement to be the invisible personnel issue,” she says. She also suggests creating a board committee on volunteerism.
• Learn who your volunteers are, their interest in your organization, and their volunteer expectations (as described in my previous post). 
• Clarify and clearly communicate your organization’s expectations of volunteers and what they can expect from you. Here's a great example: After meeting with a nonprofit organization's leaders, I received a follow-up letter inviting me to serve on their advisory council. This invitation described council members' responsibilities and stated what the organization promised them in return, including “Appreciation of your time and our commitment not to abuse your time or generosity.”
• Find ways to connect your volunteers to:
  • your organization’s mission, strategic direction, and goals. (Note: You can even include volunteers in your strategic planning process.)
  • your stakeholders (if applicable) to see your mission in action
  • your other volunteers for mentoring and partnering
  • your staff, particularly those with whom they’ll be working.
• Provide the mission-focused training and tools your volunteers need to best serve the organization; e.g., orientation, ongoing communication, recognition, etc.
• Proactively listen to your volunteers – obtain their feedback, ideas, concerns – and respond appropriately.

Volunteers require more than a simple “recruit ‘em and recognize ‘em” approach. Nonprofit leaders need to invest time and attention to engaging, managing, and retaining volunteer talent.

Stay tuned for my next post that will explore the challenge of engaging volunteers who are also brand partners.

Engaging Volunteers (2): Understanding the Volunteer Experience

The second post in this volunteer engagement & management series focuses on the volunteer experience.

Workplace engagement applies to both nonprofit employees and volunteers. Like employees, volunteers are not immune to becoming disenchanted with the nonprofits they serve. Unlike employees, however, it’s easier for volunteers to leave when they become disengaged.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNSC) addressed the problem of volunteer turnover in a 2009 research brief:

“ … over one third of volunteers (35.5%) drop out of service each year and do not serve with any organizations the following year. While new volunteers may be walking through the door of an organization, they may not stay, or they may be replacing an existing volunteer. This high rate of volunteer turnover stunts the productivity of nonprofit organizations as they focus on replacing volunteers instead of maximizing impact.”

Nonprofits cannot afford to lose this talent in a down economy when they’re increasingly hard pressed to serve growing needs with fewer resources. That’s why the volunteer experience is receiving renewed attention.

To better manage this experience, you need to understand who your volunteers are, what motivates them to become involved and stay with your organization, and what contributes and detracts from the quality of their experience with you. Volunteer motivations vary by individual and intensity; reasons range from wanting to “give back” … to sharing skills and/or learning new ones … to needing to feel needed … to getting involved to stay busy. Regardless of their respective motivations, most volunteers choose to get involved in a particular organization because they share a belief in the cause/mission and wish to make a difference.

Nonprofits can learn about their volunteer talent through research and informal listening posts that include volunteer surveys, roundtables, staff and volunteer feedback, etc. Here are sample questions that will provide important insight on volunteer motivations and expectations:

• What about this organization appealed to you to get you involved?
• What about this organization keeps you involved? [for long term volunteers]
• What do you expect to give and get from your volunteer involvement?
• What do you enjoy most about your volunteer experience here?
• What suggestions do you have for staff that can improve the volunteer experience?
• Would you recommend this organization to other volunteers? Why or why not?

Also consider exit interviews with volunteers who leave your organization – whether through rotating volunteer service (fulfilling board or committee term limits), burn-out, a negative experience, or other reason. Sample questions include:

• What do you know now about this organization that you wish you had known when you first became involved?
• What did you enjoy most about your volunteer experience? (or) What will you miss most about your volunteer experience here? [ask only if the volunteer is leaving on good terms]
• What suggestions do you have for staff that can improve the volunteer experience?
• Would you recommend this organization to other volunteers? (Probe why or why not?)

Responses to these types of questions will enable you to build a knowledge base of volunteer motivations, expectations, and perceptions of your organization.

In my next post I’ll cover what nonprofits can do to better engage their volunteers through intentional management.

Overt Guidance from Undercover Boss

Regardless of your opinion of Undercover Boss (mostly in the realm of hate it/love it, with little in-between), it’s generating fascinating discussion in the workplace. (For example, check out Paul Hebert’s review.)

That discussion is also resulting in important lessons learned for current and prospective managers. I want to highlight a few of them here.

From Sharon Lauby, aka HR Bartender:

• “Management by walking around [MBWA] still works.”
• “Speak up when something is wrong.”
• “Training is not optional.”

From Jane Vanderhorst’s The Inside Voice:

• “Start the conversation … Are you talking to your employees to understand what they love about their jobs, and what frustrates them?”
• “Make people part of the solution … How can you engage employees in solutions for challenges that touch them?”
• Announce the changes … After you get feedback from employees, are you communicating the results back to them?”

I also like Paul’s advice (at the end of his review) on how executives can benefit from the show - tell staff you’re going undercover and then monitor the downstream communication.

Your turn:

What's your takeaway from the show? Are people in your organization capitalizing on what they've learned from watching it?

 

Why I'm Celebrating This Week

Wow, this is my 5th blog anniversary and 300th post!

It’s been quite a journey, and I’ve learned much from researching and writing content devoted primarily to engaging employees and customers with internal marketing & communications (along with sharing some personal reflections along the way).

It’s also been quite an effort, and I mean that literally. While I consider myself a good writer, it’s a difficult and slow process for me. I’m also terrified of the blank page and sometimes suffer from writer’s block. Then there’s the emotional spectrum I experience ranging from sifting through an overload of ideas to pure panic at not having any relevant content to share.

Despite these writing challenges, the effort is well worth it given the support and feedback from you - my blog readers, fellow bloggers, and thought leaders. I also enjoy the pursuit of continued learning and development in my chosen field.

So stick around and join me for the ride as I continue to write about internal marketing & internal communication for employee engagement, employee satisfaction, leadership … and all things related to creating a workplace dedicated to employee and customer satisfaction.

Employees' Choice Awards for Best Places to Work

Hollywood isn’t the only place where they celebrate the People’s Choice Awards. The workplace also has its share of recognition.

Glassdoor recently released its 2010 Top 50 Best Places to Work list, along with the 25 lowest rated list of companies. What’s significant about these rankings are that they’re based on voluntary employee input. Although it may seem like a potential dumping site for disgruntled employees to vent their anger, Glassdoor provides guidelines to encourage balanced content so employees who just want to complain need to take a constructive approach in sharing their input.

What I like about Glassdoor’s site is that its information helps both employees and employers:

• Employees can share their feedback anonymously and get access to company reviews.
• Prospective employees (i.e., job candidates) can also share their interview experience with a company.
• Employers benefit with access to real-time feedback from current and prospective employees.

The workplace doesn’t need the red carpet as much as it needs a sound listening post. That’s something we can all celebrate.

Internal Marketing Enhances Intranet Usage

Large companies with thousands of employees depend on their intranets as a critical internal communications medium. As intranet design continues to evolve, companies are also applying internal marketing to better engage employees and promote intranet usage. For example:

• More employee involvement in improving intranet design and usage via research and beta testing.
• More social networking to better connect work groups and encourage individual employee participation in shared discussions and contributing content. Also CEO and executive blogs are being positioned to make senior management more approachable and encourage more employee dialog with them.
• Better introduction and promotion of redesigned intranets to increase employee usage via cafeteria demos and road shows, IT expos, beta testers as site ambassadors, and internal commercials featuring employee users.

Source: Ten Best Intranets of 2010 by Jakob Nielsen. (Special shout-out to Bob Johnson’s Higher Education Marketing Newsletter where I found this intranet article.)