Which Employee Engagement Survey Provider is Most Suitable for You

As employee engagement has become one of the most important issues for executives around the world, many companies have developed new and innovative solutions to measure employee engagement.

This has made it a challenge for organizations to choose the method and survey provider that best suits their needs. There are 6 types of vendors to choose from, ranging from plug-and-play software tools that help you conduct surveys yourself to consulting firms that provide a full end-to-end service. This article will help you understand the employee engagement survey provider landscape so that you can accurately compare service providers and choose the best solution for your organization.

6 Different Employee Engagement Survey Providers

1-Survey Platforms:

At the far left end of the line are stand-alone survey software. These companies offer template software platforms suitable for the do-it-yourself survey model to be used in a wide variety of applications, not just loyalty. Marketing surveys, customer satisfaction surveys, employee satisfaction surveys and similar surveys can be conducted with these tools. In general, this tool allows users to customize the survey according to their needs, giving them the chance to make the most appropriate choice from many survey templates.

The reporting part ranges from basic preset templates to more comprehensive tools. These types of survey tools are more suitable for organizations that have industrial and organizational psychologists (I/O psychologists ) on staff or experts in human behavior who understand the science behind surveys. However, these organizations should have both an employee who has a good command of the subject to conduct the survey process and an expert who will manage the software platform and provide technology support in this process.

2-HumanResources Information Systems Management Platforms

HRIS or HCM systems are highly sophisticated ALL-IN-ONE software that serve many functions in human resources, but their main focus is not on survey technology. Some HRIS or HCM systems offer an add-on survey tool. While these applications are not as powerful as other customized survey tools, they do the job required for basic survey administration. Most companies use them to survey employees about topics such as current benefits, situational variables or training programs. However, their capabilities are not as comprehensive as the comprehensive survey tools needed to administer an annual employee engagement survey, and their functionality is limited.

3-Pulse Survey Platforms:

Pulse surveys have become a popular way to get frequent and targeted feedback from employees in recent years. They are often used to keep managers in touch with employee sentiment in real time. These platforms work well when all employees have a corporate email address and managers have access to the platform and can use the system. The challenge with pulse surveys is that the most frequent respondents are those who are either very satisfied or those who have a lot of complaints, resulting in disparate results. Our recommendation is that pulse surveys should be conducted in addition to annual comprehensive employee engagement surveys to target specific initiatives and measure the action planning process.

4- Engagement Survey Platforms:

You can think of these tools as standardized platforms. This service typically includes: A standardized employee engagement survey with or without customization, template reports, benchmark comparisons and pre-determined recommendations. For organizations that want simple processes that work with very basic guidance, this solution works well. For organizations that want to tailor their surveys, have large or complex organizational structures, or are looking for support for more in-depth analysis and results, these tools are generally not a good option. Such providers focus more on the technology of the survey platform because most of them are technology companies. They often do not have experts on their staff who are qualified to advise on engagement studies.

5. Engagement Survey Specialists:

These providers offer an end-to-end employee engagement survey process. Their processes include all the points that companies need for engagement, such as the creation of communication messages, implementation of research-based surveys, powerful online reporting, industry benchmarks, deep analysis, action plan, engagement consulting, employee engagement training, employee engagement coaching. Survey data is kept on the provider's servers, adding a layer of confidentiality by assuring employees that no one in the company will see individual results. These providers focus on implementing change and development within the organization, as well as tailored insights and recommendations. Companies in this category are expert partners who draw on their field experience and advice on best practices to solve organizational problems.

6- Management Consulting Firms:

At the far right end of the line are large management consulting firms that offer a variety of HR and talent management services and employee engagement surveys. In general, these firms have extensive experience in employee engagement surveys and can publish research on a variety of topics. They may offer additional services including mergers, talent and workforce management, recruitment, compensation plans, reward, benefits and perks structuring, health, holistic wellbeing, inclusion, diversity, retirement, etc. These companies are often used by large organizations that have an existing business relationship in one or more of the above areas and are looking for additional workforce services in employee engagement.

Which Type of Employee Engagement Survey Provider is the Best?

Conducting an employee engagement survey is a high-stakes affair. Done well, the critical insights it provides, along with the improvements you can make, can help you retain employees and improve company performance. Done poorly, however, it jeopardizes trust between the organization and its employees and creates more questions than answers. Sometimes it also creates new problems between managers and HR teams.

The Best Employee Engagement Survey for Your Organization:

Depends on your budget, the level of experience you are looking for, the internal resources you have, the size of your company and the results you expect from the survey. Small companies with limited budgets and simple expectations can use a survey platform for their first employee engagement survey. If you have a large employee base and want to use the results to create change, your best option is to hire an employee engagement survey expert. Once you have decided which employee engagement survey provider is best for your organization, you can consistently compare "apples to oranges" and choose the best vendor.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SAMPLE SURVEY GUIDE