So, let's say you are ready to start measuring the employee engagement on your team. We've found that most managers approach the prospect with some trepidation. What if the numbers are bad? Will engagement get worse because I'm asking people to focus on it? Maybe things will get better if we just focus on other things. I can't afford to pay people more, so why ask them if they are engaged?
The good news is, your worst fears are likely unfounded. Even better, the simple act of beginning to measure engagement is likely to have a beneficial effect, since a major part of improving engagement is to simply listen to what people have to say.
Nevertheless, it's not unusual for any change to be met with some skepticism. You can smooth the path by clearly communicating the intent behind asking them about engagement and helping people understand how the data will be used.
Here's an example email of how you might introduce Kiwi Dials (or any other engagement measurement tool) to your team.
To: <participants and stakeholders>
Subject: Measuring Employee Engagement
I believe that employee engagement is essential to great performance and leads to better employee experiences, more rewarding careers, happier customers, and better business outcomes.
Starting <time frame: now, next week, Friday, etc.>, we will start measuring employee engagement using Kiwi Dials, a mobile app that allows team members to vote on the measures they care about the most and see how their votes compare to team averages. It's anonymous, easy, and run by a third party.
<Timeframe: Within the next 24 hours,> you'll receive an invite in your email. Please follow the instructions to install the app on your phone and create an account. You'll already be a member of team <name of your team>. Please scan the list of dials and vote on the ones that you care about and that reflect your experience on this team.
I'm asking for your honest feedback, and I promise to respect the privacy of your answers. We'll discuss the data in our team meetings to determine where and how we can improve.
Unlike traditional surveys, you can vote anytime you'd like to. As long as you vote once a week, your opinion will be reflected in the current team averages and that will tell us whether the changes we make have the impact we want.
Your voice matters. The more people participate by voting, the better our chances are going to be to make meaningful improvements in how we work and deliver as a team. The first step to better is knowing where we stand.
You can learn more about how Kiwi Dials works at www.kiwidials.com.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
Feel free to adapt this to suit your voice and tone, but be sure to touch on a few key points. Let your team know you care what they think and promise to listen. Tell them why it matters and how the data will be used. Be specific about what you are asking them to do. Ask for their commitment. Assure them that you won't try to compromise the anonymity of their responses.
Finally, follow through on the plan. Use the data to drive high quality, productive discussions. Make changes and watch the data to see if the changes have the desired results.