It turns out we aren’t great at doing things by ourselves. We’re not smart enough to solve every problem.
And as social animals, we just work better in groups. That’s how we are. Which is why it’s almost impossible to build your organisation's brand and attract new talent without the help of your greatest brand asset—employees!
Despite what management thinks, you can’t do it alone. You need the help of employees. I mean, you don’t have to go to the University of the Bleeding Obvious to know that acting on employee feedback is critical to keeping employees happy. They want to feel heard and need to know that your organisation is open to their ideas and values transparency.
In 1997, employees of the US postal service went on a 15-day strike after receiving high ratings on its annual eNPS. Ironically, despite the positive survey results, underlying concerns about job security and part-time jobs did not come to light which became a central issue during the strike. The strike cost the UPS $600 million—yikes!
You must have mechanisms to capture their feedback because your employees are the best resource for connecting, sharing ideas, and problem-solving solutions to improve your organisation's brand strategy.
Annual Surveys
Annual employee surveys are the most common and the easiest way to collect employee feedback. But the problem with surveys is that the data comes from the same place: the past.
Most organisations rely on just one or two annual surveys a year. You need more than your eNPS score to keep prospective employees interested in your organisation. Some people can’t remember what happened last week, let alone 11 months ago. Surveys don’t reflect the whole year but rather just a snapshot in time. It is not really conducive to fostering a real conversation, is it?
Sure, numbers and stats are important prescriptive building blocks. But nothing screams louder than an employee boasting about your organisation's culture, leadership, and growth opportunities at the pub with their friends.
Surveys do not diagnose employee problems and address them promptly. They just don’t work. So alongside annual or bi-annual surveys, create a digital platform where ongoing feedback and continuous conversations are encouraged between employees and human resources. These are essential for boosting employee engagement and ensuring employees are a brand asset to your organisation.
Continuous Conversations
In addition to your annual survey, you need a mechanism that facilitates a continuous feedback cycle to enact real change. Because once employees see real change, they are more likely to vouch for your organisation.
Try creating a digital conversation space that employees can join on Teams or through your intranet. These conversation spaces can be organised around topics of company or industry interest. These spaces are a great way to gather real-time feedback about how employees are feeling and give you an opportunity to diagnose and potentially fix a crack before it shatters in front of you.
No one should be expected to solve problems alone. That’s why ensuring employees remain a branding asset to your organisation is more than a two-way dialogue, it’s a multi-dimensional conversation that requires a continuous feedback loop.
Improving the relationship between employers and employees requires a commitment to regular, meaningful interactions. Prioritising continuous feedback can enhance both the employee experience and your employer brand.
To get employees going, start a conversation about salary negotiations, best tips for internal interviews or the scoop on the work-home balance. For your organisation, these digital conversation spaces provide a dynamic feedback loop on how employees are feeling so you can solve problems quickly. For employees, they offer a low-pressure platform to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and address issues.
Employee engagement as a strategy
Employee engagement isn't just a metric—it's the heartbeat of your organisation. When employees feel valued and heard, they bring themselves to work, fueling innovation and productivity.
Confidential feedback must be available to employees because how else can you understand their genuine thoughts and experiences if they don’t feel safe to provide feedback without fear of retaliation?
Engaged employees are more committed, more creative, and more likely to speak highly about your organisation. They transform the workplace into a thriving community, driving success from within.
Keeping employees happy and building a brand requires more than just annual surveys. We can't solve problems alone; we need our greatest asset—employees. Continuous feedback and real-time conversations are key. Because when employees feel heard and valued, they drive innovation and productivity.
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