A recent survey reveals that a staggering three-quarters of employers (75%) are neglecting to regularly assess the morale and satisfaction of their workforce, according to MHR’s 2024 Employee Experience Report.
The findings shed light on the lack of emphasis on employee well-being and the potential impact on overall performance and creativity within organisations.
The report, based on insights from 250 HR professionals, highlights a significant gap in employers’ approaches to understanding their workforce. A mere 25% of businesses conduct regular employee satisfaction surveys, raising concerns among HR experts about the broader implications for workplace morale, engagement, and productivity.
Leaders Urged to Prioritise Employee Morale
Industry leaders emphasize the correlation between an engaged, content workforce and enhanced performance. Lisa Murphy, CEO of Limelite HR, expressed concern about the apparent disconnect between understanding this correlation and prioritizing consistent employee feedback. Liz Sebag-Montefiore, Director and Co-founder of 10Eighty, stressed the importance of surveys in making employees feel heard, underscoring that well-being investments through regular feedback are vital for recruitment and retention in the competitive job market.
Despite the potential benefits of surveys, the research reveals challenges in their execution. Of the employers conducting surveys, 40 percent do not anonymise responses, impacting the likelihood of employees providing honest and reliable feedback. The fear of respondents not being truthful, voiced by 30 percent of businesses, indicates a level of skepticism within organisations.
Survey-related challenges extend to the time it takes for analysis, with results taking seven days on average. This delay not only adds to HR’s workload but also raises questions about the real-time relevance of the feedback. Sebag-Montefiore acknowledges that satisfaction surveys can face skepticism when employees doubt tangible changes will result. This skepticism can render surveys ineffective and seen as mere gestures without genuine intent to act on feedback.
Continuous Feedback Loop
Jeanette Wheeler, Chief HR Officer at MHR, stresses the need for a proactive approach to employee morale, emphasizing that satisfaction surveys are not a one-time solution. The dynamic nature of employee attitudes requires consistent check-ins to identify emerging trends over time. Murphy echoes this sentiment, noting that a robust feedback loop not only enhances engagement, productivity, and innovation but also frees up management time from dealing with people-related issues.
As the business landscape evolves, HR leaders are urged to prioritize regular check-ins with employees, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and responsiveness to emerging workplace trends. The findings underscore the necessity for employers to invest in well-being initiatives, leveraging real-time feedback to create a more engaged and empowered workforce.
