"Climate surveys provide a cost-effective yet detailed, accurate and unbiased insight into employee perceptions and perspectives relating to topics from diversity, communication, job satisfaction and commitment, trust in leadership and perceptions of future growth" says Brown.
"Such audits enable employers to open up communication channels between employees and employers - giving employers an opportunity to truly listen to the views of their employees."
He says climate surveys would help HR executives to identify issues pertaining to the organisation as a whole, to specific departments, and at different organisational levels.
These customised surveys separate facts from opinions, can be used to obtain unbiased management information, identify areas of opportunity, provide a bottom-up view of the organisation and highlight the suitability for innovation and change.
Comments Brown, "Such organisational surveys are critical in light of a recent survey published by Deloitte, which indicated that the number of executives leaving South Africa during 2005/6 has risen, despite higher remuneration packages."
Brown adds that skills retention is a challenge that is increasingly on the agenda of national government. Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was recently quoted as saying, "Nothing short of a skills revolution by a nation united will extricate us from the crisis we face ... the most fatal constraint to shared growth is skills."
"It is important that executives and employees experience the work environment in a manner that is consistent with the organisation's vision, mission and culture," says Brown. A fatal mistake for HR executives to make is to presume or make assumptions when it comes to understanding the organisational climate. Statistical measurement of organisational climate is needed annually, with each survey providing a benchmark from which to formulate business strategy and goals.
External employee surveys have several advantages over internal surveys. Employees will tend to be more honest and open when approached by someone without direct ties to the organisation itself. In addition, personal interests do not create bias within the survey and analysis, and allow an expert to bring in a different perspective by being the "outsider looking in" as opposed to the "insider looking around".
When managed by an HR specialist, survey results are statistically analysed and summarised, highlighting areas of strength as well as areas of concern.
