CELEBRATING - International Society for Performance Improvement

OUTSTANDING RESEARCH
ANALYZING LEADERS’ PERCEPTIONS TO ENHANCE
THE USE OF AN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
PROJECT TEAM
Researcher
Shelley A. Berg
The purpose of this evaluation
study was to explore
how a non-profit health
insurance provider responds
to the results of its annual
employee engagement survey.
According to most definitions,
an engaged employee is a
high-quality performer who
takes personal responsibility
to work toward the success of
the organization (e.g., Corace,
2007; Gostick & Elton, 2007;
Healthstream, n.d.). This
study was designed to answer
three questions: (1) what do
leaders at SumHealth do with
the data collected from the
annual employee engagement
survey? (2) how do leaders
perceive the usefulness of
the annual employee engagement
survey? (3) what actions,
if any, do leaders take as a
result of the data collected
from the annual employee
engagement survey? It is
worth pointing out that this
study was not intended to
identify strategies for enhancing
employee engagement or
even to thoroughly understand
the concept of engagement.
Rather, the focus was
to explore how the findings
from the engagement survey
were used and perceived
by SumHealth leaders and
why, with the ultimate goal
of making recommendations
to help the organization
maximize the benefits tions. The recommendations
related to the research ques-
of conducting this survey. from this study are transferable
to other organizations to
The first phase of data
collection consisted of unstructured
interviews with their organizational surveys
help them get the most out of
11 division heads and 12 supervisors
within SumHealth. to measure engagement
– whether they are designed
or
“The purpose of this
evaluation study was to
explore how a non-profit
health insurance provider
responds to the results
of its annual employee
engagement survey.”
The second phase of data another aspect of organizational
health. Considering
collection consisted of an
online questionnaire completed
by 67 supervisors and in analyzing a performance
surveys are a common tool
managers, which was developed
based on the analy-
recommendations from this
problem or opportunity, the
sis of the interview data. study are relevant to human
performance technol-
The primary recommendation
from this study is for ogy practitioners, as these
SumHealth to create a comprehensive
communication carried out as interventions
recommendations can be
plan around their employee to maximize the value of
engagement initiative. Recommendations
for the specific
an organizational survey.
components of this communication
plan are based on
the findings and conclusions
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