One way for HR departments to improve their performance—and their reputation among execs—is to treat employees like customers seeking good service.
So how can you tell if those “customers” are happy? Do as you would with any customer—conduct a survey.
Here are a few free or low-cost online resources that can help:
At HR-survey.com, you’ll find a free HR Audit Questionnaire that asks employees to rate the responsiveness, timeliness, expertise and clarity of HR services in areas such as hiring, policies, orientation and employee relations. Go to www.hr-survey.com/sdHRAudit1.htm.
At eSurveysPro, you can find free templates for HR surveys relating to employee satisfaction, benefits, training, self assessment and 360-degree assessments. Go to www.esurveyspro.com/human-resources-surveys.aspx.
At Web Survey Master, download free templates that allow employees to rate your organization’s effectiveness regarding health benefits, career training, meetings, teamwork and orientation. It also includes an employee stress test and good exit interview template. Click on www.websurveymaster.com/1-HR-Survey-examples.
At GrapevineSurveys, you’ll see more than 40 HR survey templates to quiz workers on every topic from job climate to managers’ effectiveness. Go to www.grapevinesurveys.com/survey-templates.aspx.
At SurveyMonkey, you can create and send your own surveys from scratch at no cost. Use question ideas from the templates above to create a customized survey.
Some final tips for managing surveys:
- Spread word about the survey by sending a link to it in an email to staff. Send the email only for that purpose (don’t bury it in a four-part message) and use a catchy subject line. Give a deadline for responses.
- Use questions that target the information you want, not questions you think you should ask.
- Avoid vague or leading questions, such as, “The attitude of HR staff toward service to employees is always good” (using an agree/disagree scale). Instead ask, “How would you rate the HR staff’s attitude toward service to employees?” (good, average, bad)
- Tell employees that results are confidential and will be used to improve HR services.
