Manager Tools Podcast Summary

Episode: How To Action Engagement Survey Results - Chapter 3 - The Questions - Part 4
Release Date: September 18, 2023
Hosts: Mark & Mike

Episode Overview

This episode continues Manager Tools’ deep dive into employee engagement survey questions, focusing specifically on interpreting, responding to, and proactively managing the “organization, strategy, and culture” category of survey results. The hosts provide actionable advice for managers on how to address low scores, facilitate meaningful discussions with teams, and maintain accountability—even on topics often seen as outside a manager's direct control.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Survey Questions: Manager vs. Organization Responsibility

• Many survey questions ostensibly about company strategy or culture are perceived by employees as reflective of their immediate manager.
• Quote (Mark, 01:46):
  “Don’t think for a second that a low response from your team would be seen as anything other than an indictment of you rather than just the company. Ouch.”
• Managers matter: Variability in scores is frequently tied to the manager, not the company as a whole.

2. Retention and Heat Mapping (03:19)

• Employee turnover is expensive—companies should use retention heat maps to understand and compare retention rates by manager, role, and structure.
• Recommendation: Ask employees what makes them stay and what’s making them consider leaving.

3. Job Security & Pay (04:15 - 05:30)

• A low job security score usually reflects organizational rather than managerial issues, but it’s still worth exploring.
• Financial security is not solely determined by pay; encourage employees to live within their means and build personal safety nets.
• Quote (Mark, 05:13): "Live well within your means, folks... The raise goes toward building up your six month to one year cash hoard so that if... you’ll be okay."

4. Responding to Raise Requests (05:28)

• Managers should not fear saying "no" to unreasonable raise requests, particularly if they come from lower-performing employees.

5. Interpreting “My Position Is Strong” (06:24 - 09:20)

• This question is ambiguous and influenced by many factors (job security, external life events, feeling valued, feedback frequency, representation, etc.).
• Use one-on-ones to gain context for low scores and uncover personal circumstances, such as planned retirements.
• If team members are uncomfortable speaking up in groups, encourage private feedback and reassure confidentiality.
• Quote (Mark, 10:22): “If you’re uncomfortable sharing... in this setting, I get it. Make some notes, share them with me privately. I’m not going to assign particular comments to particular people.”

6. Health & Safety as Priorities (11:25)

• Health and safety cover a wide spectrum: from physical workplace conditions to mental health, stress from feedback, and even perceptions shaped by upbringing.
• Ask employees openly for feedback on what undermines their health or safety, and be specific in follow-up.

7. Resource Allocation to New Ideas (12:56)

• Low scores might indicate resentment over "pet projects" not being funded.
• Remedy: Ask for concrete examples of perceived failures and listen for new suggestions directly from staff.

8. Managing Change and Preparing for the Future (14:06 - 15:26)

• Change management questions often generate negative responses if recent changes went poorly.
• Differentiating between team and company-level preparedness helps managers focus on actionable concerns within their sphere of control.

9. Company Growth and Strategy Direction (15:35 - 19:50)

• Many employees lack context on growth targets, stock price implications, or strategic direction, making these difficult for managers to influence or interpret meaningfully.
• Quote (Mark, 15:39): “The vast majority of individual contributors do not sit around thinking about company growth as a necessity.”
• Ask team members what worries, if any, they have about company growth or direction, and validate their lack of information (“If you don’t know it, you can’t tell me how you feel about it.”).

10. Change Perception and Technology Adoption (19:50 - 21:43)

• Survey questions on “change for the better” or “adapting to new technology” tend to be influenced by recent headlines, layoffs, or visible organizational change—not actual process improvements.
• For tech adoption, only act if there’s clear evidence of a serious issue.

11. Customer Responsiveness – Internal vs. External (21:44)

• Distinguish between internal and external customers when exploring feedback on responsiveness.
• Use low scores as prompts to clarify roles and gather specific examples.

12. Brand & Culture Connection (22:48)

• Many employees struggle to define or connect with company “brand” or “culture.” For most, these are unclear or feel irrelevant.
• Quote (Mark, 23:28):
  “What the company says is its culture is probably not its culture. … Culture is behavior, full stop.”
• Reiterate your team’s role in the brand/culture and seek input on what resonates (or doesn’t) with them.

13. Strategy as a Driver for Team Plans (24:17 - 26:17)

• Low scores on strategic alignment often trace to basic lack of knowledge about company strategy.
• Solutions: Seek out briefings from strategy or corporate comms, and connect your team’s daily work to whatever elements of strategy you can.

14. Objectives Providing “Meaningful Direction” (26:17)

• Similar limitations as with strategic questions, but managers can at least establish whether goals are useful for their team.
• If upper management doesn’t act on low scores in this area, it can breed cynicism.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Don't think for a second that a low response from your team would be seen as anything other than an indictment of you rather than just the company.” (Mark, 01:46)
• “Retention—low retention numbers is expensive…” (Mark, 03:27)
• “Live well within your means, folks…” (Mark, 05:13)
• “I'm really surprised often at how afraid managers are to make decisions…” (Mark, 05:51)
• “If you're uncomfortable sharing...share them with me privately. I won’t be attributing any of the comments...” (Mark, 10:22)
• “Culture is behavior, full stop.” (Mark, 23:38)

Practical Takeaways for Managers

• Act Where You Can: On survey questions about company-level issues (strategy, brand, tech adoption), focus on clarifying confusion and acting on team-level feedback rather than trying to “solve” systemic issues.
• Leverage One-on-Ones: Regular, open conversations are vital for surfacing hidden issues and understanding individual context behind low or ambiguous scores.
• Encourage Private Feedback: Not all employees are comfortable speaking openly in groups, especially about sensitive topics.
• Don’t Internalize Every Low Score: Accept that some survey questions aren’t directly actionable for managers. Concentrate on what’s actionable and escalate what isn’t.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:46 – Interpreting “Will you be here in a year?” as feedback on the manager.
• 03:19 – Using heat maps and comparing manager retention rates.
• 05:13 – Advising employees on financial security beyond salary.
• 06:24 - 10:22 – Navigating ambiguous survey questions and facilitating open/private feedback.
• 14:12 – How to talk about change management with teams.
• 15:39 – The disconnect between individual work and company growth.
• 23:28 – Explaining “brand” and “culture” to teams.

Preview

The next episode will cover engagement survey questions relating to internal and organizational communication.

For more episodes and resources, visit manager-tools.com.