Workplace Culture Sustainability via Engagement Surveys

Is negativity affecting your office morale? Learn how to create a thriving workplace culture that boosts happiness, productivity, and profits. Let us help you unlock your workplace potential today! This article covers essential steps to diagnose issues, engage your team, and sustain change.

We've all seen or been part of a workplace with a negative attitude or culture. On a dime, office dynamics turn into a cancerous, he said she said non-accountability plagued employer nightmares. I don't have to tell you that a positive work environment results in happy employees - productive employees - less operating cost - higher profits, in that order. 

So, what if I have one of these awful sounding offices? 

First step is to invest into someone who knows how to effectively diagnose the root of the issue (general employees, management, org. structure, patient demographic, YOU, etc.). While it's not in any way an easy task to accomplish, the real challenge comes with sustaining the change you've invested into. I've seen countless practice owners/managers spend thousands of dollars and hours investing back into a broken culture only to neglect this new mantra and let positive change fizzle and die. 

Lexington Podiatry undergone a major cultural reinvestment about 3 years ago. Since then, they've been extremely successful in not only sustaining but increasing employee satisfaction. Here's how they do it:

1. Pitch to your team. The first step is to get your team on board. Make sure they understand your overall goals (culture sustainability) and expectations. During this chat, make sure they understand the importance of their real feedback and what you intend to use it for (keep reading). 

2. Create an Employee Engagement Survey. Most organizations do this, but few do it right. Make sure you incorporate important, trackable questions you can use in trend analysis but also those unique to your office. Don't simply Google, "employee engagement questions". Make it specific and meaningful! It's important to ask general questions about change that could have a positive impact and what employee's value the most within your practice. Their value is the most important question here. 

3. Host Post Engagement Interviews. After all surveys have been submitted, share the raw feedback (redact employee specific information) in individual one on ones. This is "Switzerland time". Your team should be able to elaborate on answers (their own or others) without consequence. Keep detailed notes of each interview. 

4. Analyze, Summarize, Action. Look for consistency within your team's feedback - this is where you want to focus. Create 3 - 5 initiatives that you want to focus on. Things like better employee appreciation, more consistency in roles, communication, etc. are good examples. Share these initiatives with your entire team and ask them for ideas for action. An incorrect assumption is that leaders hold responsibility for culture. While we're responsible for getting the rock moving, your team must keep it moving. Put the responsibility of creating/sustaining a positive environment in their hands. 

5. Rinse and Repeat. During the interview process of last year's surveys, I had a teammate tell me there's nothing to work on - we should "let it ride". I answered I would be failing them as a leader and refused to be complacent with results. Do this whole process at least annually. NEVER stop working on your culture and refining it to modern times/staff. Remember, stagnation leads to despondency. 

Lexington Podiatry positive results trend

The numbers speak for themselves! I'm happy to share the progressive increase in team satisfaction over the last 2 years. Although we've undergone extensive change within our organization, we've sustained a positive work environment through proper use of the strategies shared above. Engage your team, implement asap and have fun with it!

Cody Meier, MHA