what’s bugging employees?

What’s bugging employees?

Simon AtkinsonIpsos MORI Social Research Institute

25 April 2006

2

What’s the prevailing mood in the “typical” UK workplace?

3

Our research among employees shows….

Around half of British employees would speak highly of their organisation as an employerJust two in five British employees agree they feel valued and recognised in their current rolesLess than half receive regular performance feedback from their line manager Only a fifth feel ‘involved’ in their organisation, but two in five would like greater involvementJust a fifth feel they have a clear career path with their current organisation (but many more would like one)

Source: Ipsos MORI/Insight normative database

4

The “default” position for UK employees – private AND public sector….

Morale is NOT good Promotion is NOT on merit My career path is NOT clear Information about decisions is NOT well communicated Comms/cooperation in my department IS good But comms/cooperation between depts is NOT Good ideas are NOT shared I DO understand the need for change But it is NOT well managed Staff are NOT consulted


5

On the other hand…

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We like our jobs

We are committed to what we do

We expected to stay with the organisation

….at least for the next couple of years!!

7

What’s bugging those who do leave? A retail case study…

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Retail case history: impact of experience on employer advocacy

All leavers

Be critical Speak highly

Base: 300 former employees of British retail company

31%29%

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Retail case history: impact of experience on employer advocacy

Lack career opps

Lack recognition

Be critical Speak highly

Base: 300 former employees of British retail company

Main reason for leaving:

Relationship with line mgr

Lack interesting/varied work

Insufficient training/devt

Pay 37%

33%

26%

34%

24%

21%

48%

83%

70%

57%

56%

49%

10

‘EXIT’ retail case history: key reasons for resigning

Base: 300 former employees of British retailer

Poor working environment

Unsociable hours

Low pay

Lack career opportunities

Too many hours

Working relationship with line manager

Lack interesting/varied work

Offered another job

Insufficient training/devt

Work related stress Educational commitments

Lack of recognition

% Spontaneous

8%

7%6%

6%6%

4%

8%

29%

23%13%

9%9%

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What can we learn from “excellent” organisations…?A case study from local government

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% Above ave % Average % Below average

Q I am now going to ask you to rate [Authority name] as a place to work compared with other organisations? Would you rate it as…?

Excellent

Excellent councils are the best places to work

68 27 1

13



Base: All respondents (500). Fieldwork: 12th – 27th May 2005

Excellent

Poor


20

68

45

27

24

1

14

20

39

55

55

68

45

38

29

31

27

24

14

8

10

1




Excellent

Good

Fair

Weak

Poor


15

30%33% 33%

30%

23%

18%

Job satisfaction is higher in better performers

Overall Excellent Good Fair Weak Poor

% very satisfied with their present job


16

17%18%

20%

14%15%

19%

But views on pay are similar everywhere


% strongly agree that my pay is fair


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But…..

18

42%

51%

44%39% 37%

46%

Commitment to staying in same organisation similar everywhere…


% strongly agree


19

31%28% 29%

35%

26%

34%

Too much bureaucracy everywhere!


% strongly agree there is too much bureaucracy


20

13%

9%10%

18%

10%

12%

Stress at work is affecting personal life – no significant differences…..


% strongly agree


21

So what is different in the

most effective??

22

18%

21%22%

15%14%

13%

Bit better at recognising staff….


% strongly agree


23

20%

31%28%

12% 13%

6%

Staff feel they are kept better informed


% strongly agree


24

13%

20%

16%

9% 9% 9%

Staff are consulted on management decisions


% strongly agree


25

Staff much more confident about customer care

48% 49%

37%31%

28% 28%24% 23%

13% 12%

My organisation is focused on the needs of its

customers

My organisation provides good value for money to

customers

% Strongly agree

ExcellentGood Fair Weak Poor ExcellentGood Fair Weak Poor


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Best have more internal cohesion overall

64%

77%

41%

65%

37%

65%

38%

65%

26%

57%

I understand my organisation’s overall

objectives

I understand my unit’s overall objectives

% Strongly agree



27

Much more confidence in senior management

I have confidence in the senior management team

Senior management have a clear vision of where the

organisation is going

% Disagree



10%

5%

24%

18%

31% 30%33%

28%

32% 31%

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As a result of all of these

things….

29

33%

51%

38%

25% 25%20%

Best most likely to tell people outside they are great!


%Strongly agree that they would speak highly of the authority to others outside the organisation


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UK employers of choice

Source: Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For/ March 2006

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Doing employee research: what’s changing?

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Employee research in 2006 – what there is more of..….

Talent management

Employee well-being/work life balance

Living the brand/values

Using the research to help think about recruitment

Using the research to link with what the public/customer think


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% Reasons for repurchasing % Reasons for recommending

Quality of products/services

Price of products/services

Promotions/special offers

Range of products/services

Knowledge of brand/reputation

Its reputation as an employer

The impact of employee behaviour on customer loyalty

How staff treated you

Staff knowledge of prod/services

Staff enthusiasm for prod/services

How staff represented company

Handling of enquiry/complaint

After sales service

Source: Ipsos MORI/MCA Research Adults GB (925)

17

17

15

11

11

7

44

38

26

21

18

14

12

10

9

8

6

21

5645

41

25

23

60

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HR director April 2006

Employee engagement....are we looking for this (pause while thinks hard)........

……no, I don't think that's on our agenda, is it?

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HR director April 2006

Employee engagement....are we looking for this (pause while thinks hard)........

……no, I don't think that's on our agenda, is it?

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What should be on our checklist if we are thinking about researching our employees?

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Think about the pressures facing your organisation…

EU legislation

New technology

tools

Global talent poolSeeking

truediversity

Competitive advantagethrough branding

Skills shortages

& retention issues

Economic slow down

Ageing population

TRUST

ENGAGEMENT

ETHICS

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….think about WHY you want to do the research

Why are you

doing this?

Improve customer

satisfaction/ business SWOT

analysis

Manage the

impact of change

Boost employee

engagement

Improve leadership/

performance

Improve internal comms

To become a

more attractive employer

Identify enablers/

barriers to high

performance

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Bystanders Understand organisational

goals but lack drive to support them

Bystanders Understand organisational

goals but lack drive to support them

ChampionsWilling and able

to support business goals

ChampionsWilling and able

to support business goals

Weak LinksWaiting to be engaged,

or lost interest and switched off

Weak LinksWaiting to be engaged,

or lost interest and switched off

Loose Cannons Motivated but lack understanding & how to support business

goals

Loose Cannons Motivated but lack understanding & how to support business

goals

Commitment to achieving business goals

Med/Low High

Med

/Low

Hig

h

Un

de r

s ta n

din

g o

f b

usi

ne s

s g

oa l

s a n

d r

ol e

in

ach

ievi

ng

th

e m

Source: Ipsos MORI/MCA Research Adults GB (925)

…. do we have a framework like this we want to explore….?

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Think about what you want to be measuring….

Opinions?Attitudes?Values?Behaviours?

Closed questions?Open-ended questions?

Qualitative?Quantitative?

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Recruitment End ofInduction

One Month Six Months One Year

Understand co. objectives Employer ratingJob satisfaction Valued & recognisedSupport to do job

Think about how you are going to analyse the findings

Source: Ipsos MORI/Leisure sector company Base: Sample of new joiners

Mean Familiarity Score

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Think about what you are going to do with the findings – before you start….

ACTION PLANNING

KEY STAGES

Stage 1: Evaluation• Determining the key issues• Identifying root causes• Prioritisation improvement areas

Stage 2: Planning Improvement actions Existing initiatives Quick wins Improvement targets

Stage 3: Implementation

• Allocating resources• Determining accountability• Formal record of plan

Stage 4: Review• Review action• Measure progress• Identify success• Communicate progress

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….and think about who is “in charge”…

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Think about what questions you want your managers to be thinking about….

Today:

How are staff feeling about the organisation?

Are things improving?

What issues should WE be talking about?

After today:

Detailed analysis

Looking at my service area

Understanding key cohorts: grade, length of service

Linking to our customer satisfaction data

What’s bugging employees?

Simon AtkinsonIpsos MORI Social Research Institute

25 April 2006

what’s bugging employees?

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