The Latest Survey Results Suggest….

“A telephone survey says that 51 percent of college students drink until they pass out at least once a month. The other 49 percent didn’t answer the phone.”

 Craig Kilborn

OK, I’ve created a number of surveys myself and confess to being interested in the findings ((Nowack, K. (1990). Getting Them Out and Getting Them Back. American Society for Training and Development, Volume 44, 82-85)). Presenting survey results seem to be the latest marketing and advertising vehicle of consulting firms looking for that “buzz” to viral out their brand to anyone who will listen. 

I sure wish it was easy to find the answers to these questions about survey results published:

1. What questions were actually asked?
2. Who actually were asked?
3. Are the people being asked like anyone else?
4. What’s the motivation of the company conducting the survey?
5. Is the sampling adequate to ensure statistical confidence in the results?
6. How many responded compared to how many were asked to reply?
7. Were differences by demographic groups statistically significant or is the gap just interesting?
8. Are the survey findings cross-sectional or longitudinal?
9. What was the entire response scale that was used?
10. Where did the questions come from?
11. Can you link us to the actual study published?

Just because professional mind readers charge me half-price but that doesn’t totally explain how often I am just left totally confused by all the results from recent polls, surveys and best selling books with their own questionnaires that are summarized that on the market today.

OK, I’m confused–Just how disengaged are employees?

A 2006 Gallup study of US employees found that 59% were not engaged and 14% were actively disengaged.  Or it is it 54% not engaged and 17% actively disengaged as cited in another study? According to a recent Towers Perrin study, only 21% of the workfoce is engaged while 38 % are disengaged.  Finally, in a 2007 ASTD in conjunction with the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) and Dale Carnegie & Associates found that only 23% were disengaged or minimally engaged.

OK, I’m confused–Do employees leave companies or bad bosses?

In a recent 2007 World of Work survey by Randstad, one-third (33%) of employees thought it was a good time to look for new job opportunities in 2003 and more than half (55%) feel it’s a good time to start looking in the most recent analysis.

In another poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 78% of employees reported they were likely to start a new job search. Approximately 65 percent of senior executives reported currently seeking new  employment versus 45% of middle managers. Good to see executives leaving their own leadership!

OK, I’m confused–What Retains Employees?

In a recent survey by my colleague Beverly Kaye of Career Systems International on retention drivers, she found in an analysis of over 15,000 employees in diverse industries that the most critical factors included: 1) Challenging work (48%); 2) Career Growth (43%); and 3) Relationships (38%).  Pay was up there as well but these findings really hammer home the shift from “job security” to the new paradigm of “employability security.”  Or so I thought until I read the most recent survey from the Sociey for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

In the 2007 SHRM Job Satisfaction survey results just published, employees said they want most of all from work: 1) Salary; 2) Benefits; 3) Job Security; 4) Work/Life Balance and 5) Better Communication to Employees from Management.  These findings didn’t even seem to match what human resources practioners thought employees would say was most satisfying top them.  These same practitioners thought that the the “top five” factors contributing to what most motivates employees to be: 1) Relationship with One’s Manager; 2) Pay; 3) Recognition; 4) Company Benefits; and 5) Better Communication to Employees from Management.

SHRM did try to explain the surprising finding of “job security” rated as high as the third most important job satisfaction driver by saying that “this aspect was less important for employees with two years or less of job tenure compared with employees having six to 10 years of tenure.”  If things aren’t still clear about these survey results, maybe Paul Simon’s lyrics to his song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” will be a good explanation.

OK, I’m confused–Just how Stressed are Employees?

The same 2007 Randstad Work Survey suggested that slightly more than one-quarter of all employers work fewer than 40 hours a week with 65% averaging between 41 to 60 hours. If you ask supervisors and managers, 9% said they definitely work more than 61 hours per week.

Our own research at Envisia Learning suggests that it might depend on just how you ask the work stress question ((Nowack, K. (2006). Optimising Employee Resilience: Coaching to Help Individuals Modify Lifestyle. Stress News, International Journal of Stress Management, Volume 18, 9-12)).  In an earlier set of engagement surveys with diverse clients we consistently found that approximately 65% of all employee reported “I often feel pressure and stress on my job” and 40% reported they disagree or strongly disagree with the statement “The amount of pressue and stress on my job is reasonable and rarely excessive.”  Finally, a recent national survey by the UK based Health and Safety Executive reported that 20% of all employees there report their “job is very or extremely stressful.” 
OK, I’m confused–are omega-3 supplements really cardioprotective ?  Survey says…..Be well….
[tags]surveys, Envisia, Envisia learing, retention, talent management, engagement surveys, job satisfaction, worklife balance, job stress, kenneth nowack, ken nowack, nowack[/tags]

Ken Nowack

Kenneth Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist (PSY13758) and President & Chief Research Officer/Co-Founder of Envisia Learning, is a member of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Ken also serves as the Associate Editor of Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. His recent book Clueless: Coaching People Who Just Don’t Get It is available for free for a limited time by signing up for free blog updates (Learn more at our website)