It’s a given that you need accurate and timely data to get to the heart of your organizational climate. This allows you and your clients to take immediate - and meaningful - action steps based on the findings of that data.

Plus Delta recommends collecting this valuable information with online surveys using a tool called Question it® which removes the typically slow and cumbersome older methods of data collection. But even in advance of deploying such a tool, you should review the checklist below to make sure that the surveys you conduct within your organization yield the most valuable data.

Key #1: Make sure you know in advance what the purpose of the survey is.
What real business case is there for this assessment?
Key stakeholders and other important organizational leaders will support the project if there is a business reason for the survey. Their support is critical to the success of the survey project.

Key #2: Be very clear that your organization is ready to take action on any of the findings contained in the survey. Hint: If you don’t take action, you may make things worse.
When you conduct a survey and ask employees their opinion, you raise their expectations that something will actually be done. Specifically, they hope that something they’ve indicated needs changing will then be modified to their liking. For example, an employee will likely think, “since they are asking for my opinion, they are going to change something that I want changed.” So be prepared to make some changes.

Key #3: Identify the specific employee groups who can provide you with the data you need.
Identify your target audience and create the survey using 'their' language. Are you surveying the entire organization, or do you simply need feedback from the management and staff in the Finance and Accounting department, for example? Different groups have differing levels of awareness about what goes on in the organization, so be sure to target the right groups when designing the survey.

Key #4: Insist on stakeholder commitment to the project
Having the commitment of key stakeholders, like the CEO for a companywide survey or the senior leader of a particular business unit for a more focused survey, will improve your chances of successfully implementing any changes that may be required as a result of the survey.

Key #5: Create a survey that clearly identifies the behaviors you want to measure
Seek the advice of a seasoned research consultant or organizational psychologist. This expert resource can help ensure that the survey is reliable, in that it continually measures the same concept, and that it measures what you think it is measuring. You want to avoid survey questions that are written inaccurately or measure behaviors you are not interested in.

Key #6: Create a data analysis plan in advance to ensure you collect the "right" data
The types of questions on your survey will affect the type of analyses you can run. Depending on what you are assessing, you might be able to run simple frequencies on how many people said "Agree" or "Strongly Agree". For more complex surveys, you’ll need to be prepared to run an Analysis of Variance or other regression tests.

Key #7: Clearly communicate the purpose of the survey to all participants
Employees want to know why they are being asked to fill out a survey. If you want to increase the participation rate, you need to tell them why the survey is being conducted and clearly explain why they should participate.

Key #8: Clearly communicate the timeline and administration dates for the survey to all participants
Participants need to know the specific timeline for completing the survey. Will the survey be open for 1 day, 1 week, etc.? If they don’t know when to fill it out, chances are they won’t.

Key #9: Use a reliable online survey tool like Question it®, and test it carefully to make sure the link works before sending it to survey participants
Technology is a blessing, but it can also make your life difficult when it does not work properly. Before sending the link to survey participants, conduct a pilot test with a few close colleagues to ensure that everyone can access the survey online. This will help maintain your credibility when you send it to the other participants.

Key #10: Provide incentives for participating
Many employees who are pressed for time may view completing surveys as a low priority. One idea is to have employees go to a large conference room at lunch time and provide pizza for them if they complete the survey first.

Key #11: Be sure to thank employees for their involvement
Employees want to know that their time and opinions are valued. Employees are also more likely to complete another survey in the future if they feel appreciated for their efforts on the first one.

Key #12: Communicate the survey findings quickly and begin carrying out the recommended changes right away
When employees don’t see immediate action, they can become cynical of the entire process and may resist any future changes. Be sure to identify who will be responsible for communicating the results to participants as soon as they are available and empower that person or team of individuals to start implementing the recommended changes right away. Try to implement even a modest change within days – not months – and then phase in other changes as they are fully assessed by the responsible management personnel.

Can Plus Delta help you improve performance with online surveys? To learn how you can be more productive and produce even better results with an online survey, give us a call at (866) PLS-DLTA or send an email to info@plusdelta.net. You can also visit the Online Surveys page of our website at http://plusdelta.net/os.htm for more information.