You have completed your Culture Brief™ and undertaken the Trust Index© survey in your organization to obtain feedback from your employees about your workplace culture. Now, as you await your results, you might be hoping for that coveted Great Place to Work Certification™ right from the start. But what if your employees feedback was not as positive as you thought it would be this time?
Don’t worry—every organizations journey towards becoming a great workplace is unique, and not achieving Certification™ on your first attempt is just the beginning of your path to improvement. Here’s how to navigate the next steps if you find yourself in this situation.
You’re on the Right Track
First and foremost, don’t be disheartened. Not earning the Great Place To Work® Certification™ immediately might feel like a setback, but remember, the real goal is to foster a genuinely great workplace culture that is positively perceived by your employees. The Assessment process is like a health check – a tool to help you understand your organization’s current standing and guide you in making meaningful improvements.
By conducting the employee survey, you’ve already taken a significant first step. Your employee survey results are confidential and won’t be shared publicly, giving your team a valuable opportunity to reflect on the employees’ honest and open feedback and use it constructively.
So, What’s Next?
Dive Into Your Results
With your employee survey data in Emprising™, you have a treasure trove of information about how your employees perceive your workplace. Review the scores carefully to identify areas where you can improve. The Trust Index© survey results are designed to be actionable, so consider each statement to see where adjustments can be made.
For instance, if you received a low score on “management genuinely seeks and responds to suggestions and ideas,” consider whether you have enough variety in your methods for collecting feedback – If not, create more channels for employee input. This might include a weekly feedback call, an anonymous suggestion box, or a direct communication line with senior management through platforms like Slack or Teams. If you have a variety, consider the effectiveness of your methods. Additionally, reflect on the visibility of the rest of the process in closing the feedback loop so that it is not perceived as only a ‘tick box’ activity. You can also access verbatim employee comments from the survey to see what was top of mind for employees. Implementing changes in response to specific feedback can significantly enhance your employees’ experience and improve employee positivity in yournext survey.
Need a Helping hand?
Improving workplace culture is a complex task, and some areas may be more challenging to address than others. If you need additional support, consider leveraging consulting services. The Great Place to Work® Culture Consulting service can help you delve deeper into understanding your employee experience through detailed post-survey feedback analysis and dynamic discussion with your leadership team, stakeholder presentations, focus groups, action planning workshops, and custom interventions. Conducting focus group discussions is a common post-survey activity undertaken to validate survey results and better understand root causes of survey sentiment before acting. For management teams that need guidance or a push in the right direction, action planning workshops are a great way to get started with setting a meaningful action plan in place. These options can provide you with targeted strategies and actionable steps to address the areas identified for improvement.
Time to Try Again
After implementing changes to create a better workplace culture for your employees—bearing in mind that this process might take some time—consider reviewing progress the next year by reapplying for the assessment. Each round of improvements is a step closer to achieving your goal. With your newly gained insights and enhanced practices, your next attempt might just tip levels of employee positivity enough to reach the global standard .
Ready to Embark on the Journey?
If you’re eager to learn more about the eligibility criteria and process of achieving the Great Place To Work® Certification™ and making it onto the more exclusive Best Workplaces™ lists, we’re here to help. Our team can guide you through the journey, offering support and resources you need to ensure your workplace culture continues to evolve and thrive.
Remember, undertaking the Great Place to Work® Certification™ assessment is not just about earning a badge—it’s about creating a better workplace for everyone. With persistence and a commitment to continuous improvement, you’re well on your way to becoming a recognized leader in exceptional workplace culture.
