What is the voice of the employee?

The employee voice is a feedback program that invites your employees into the conversation about all things related to your organization. The idea is to provide your employees with an outlet to share their thoughts in a safe and welcoming way.

It’s typically a formal, structured feedback collection system, often using a voice of employee survey, but you can also include informal ways for employees to share with you. From there, your organization uses that feedback to improve the overall employee experience.

Purpose of voice of employee programs

The purpose of an employee voice program is to gain feedback directly from employees. It helps you improve the culture, which has a ripple effect on your employees. Some benefits of starting a voice of employee initiative include:

• Increased engagement. Your team feels more connected when they have a voice. Using the program effectively shows your team that you pay attention to their feedback and use it to improve the workplace . This encourages them to put more into their work, which can result in improved performance.
• Improved processes. Hearing about your employees’ experiences can improve processes, from onboarding employees to offering career advancement opportunities. Using their suggestions can streamline activities and improve the quality of your products.
• Greater satisfaction and retention. Employees who feel heard may be more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs. It leads to a greater sense of appreciation and feeling valued, which could increase employee retention.
• Better innovation. By creating an environment where people are willing to share their ideas, you can inspire greater innovation. Your employees learn they can safely share ideas and brainstorm on projects. The improved overall communication also supports collaboration, which encourages more creativity and innovation.
• Inclusiveness. Open communication and a safe space for feedback create a more inclusive work environment. The program encourages all employees to provide feedback, which allows you to gain different perspectives from diverse backgrounds.

How to implement voice of the employee

You likely already receive some feedback from your employees, whether through formal methods or casual conversations. Voice of the employee gives more structure to the feedback you already receive. Consider the following steps to help you develop an organized way to give your team a voice.

1. Get buy-in from leadership

Support from the executive team is essential for your voice of employee efforts. Your program is effective when your employees recognize that you’re taking their feedback into consideration. Employees might also feel as if their opinions are valued more if the top executives take notice. Having your executive team participate in feedback sessions or working on projects related to the information you receive shows that the leadership team is connected.

2. Identify the purpose of the program

Having specific goals helps you choose the methods you use to gather information from employees. It also helps you shape your voice of employee survey questions. As you collect data on the effectiveness of the program, you can measure whether your efforts are effective.

3. Evaluate current programs

Look at current methods you have for hearing from employees, such as suggestion boxes or one-on-one chats. Determine if those programs are effective and how well your employees utilize them. From there, you can decide if you want to continue using them or start from scratch.

4. Choose your data collection methods

Company surveys offer an effective way to encourage employees to share. You can ask specific questions about topics related to your goals. Survey questions that include a rating help you quantify how your employees feel about certain topics. Open-ended questions encourage them to go deeper and share their specific insights, concerns and suggestions.

You can also talk directly to employees. One-on-one meetings may allow employees to share more openly if they feel comfortable with the person conducting the meeting. You might schedule regular one-on-ones with your team to solicit ongoing feedback. You can also conduct focus groups or ask employees to share during meetings.

5. Establish data analysis processes

Determine who will evaluate the results and how they’ll analyze them. Establishing procedures on how to handle the data ensures you analyze and use it effectively. Technology, such as survey and reporting tools, can help you collect large amounts of data and look for patterns.

6. Act on the data

The final step is taking action on the information you receive. You might not implement every suggestion your employees make. However, considering all feedback and using some of the ideas is important.

Create a system for analyzing suggestions to determine which ones are viable. Determine the process for developing a plan and taking action. This might look different based on what changes you’re making, but having a general process in place encourages you to take the next step.

Tips for effective programs

The following tips help you gain the most insight from your employees to improve the success of the program:

• Be consistent. The data you collect is more accurate when you’re consistent. You can compare new data to previous responses to determine if you’ve improved or not.
• Seek clarification. Your initial collection tools start the conversation, but you might need deeper conversations to understand the situation fully. Don’t make assumptions about what you hear from employees. Summarizing what they say and repeating it back to them is an effective way to clarify. Ask follow-up questions as needed to gather additional information.
• Work on trust. Employees are more likely to share openly when they trust the management team. Work on building trust by being transparent, encouraging autonomy and accepting accountability.
• Encourage participation. Voice of the employee programs are more effective when you have a high participation rate. Promote the options for sharing feedback, so your employees understand how to get involved. Proving that you’re listening by following through with suggestions can increase participation. You can also offer incentives for people who take surveys or participate in other feedback options.

FAQs about the voice of the employee

How often should you conduct a voice of employee survey?

There isn’t a set interval for conducting voice of employee surveys. Your organizational goals and the areas you’re assessing can affect the timing. It’s helpful to survey your employees at least once per year, but collecting data more often helps you spot changes faster. You might also use a mix of collection methods, with some happening more frequently than others.

Who manages a voice of the employee program?

It’s common for the human resources department to spearhead the voice of employee initiatives. The HR team often handles issues related to the experiences of employees. Managers and supervisors might also participate in collecting data for the program.

Are there drawbacks to employee voice initiatives?

Implementing a voice of employee survey and other feedback collection methods increases your workload. It can be time-consuming to do, especially when you initially start the program. You might need to invest in software and other tools to collect and analyze data. Some employees might be hesitant to participate if they don’t believe it’s a safe place to share. It’s also important to act on the feedback to encourage employees to participate.