Employee listening contributes to greater organizational and
people outcomes, according to a new resource from global HR
research and advisory firm McLean & Company. When organizations
actively listen to employees, they are more likely to cultivate
creativity, a sense of belonging, and a commitment to
organizational goals.
TORONTO, June 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ - Employees are raising their
voices and expectations, but organizations are not always
effectively listening, according to the latest research insights
from global HR research and advisory firm McLean &
Company. The firm has found that although many organizations
understand the importance of employee listening efforts, employees
indicate that they still do not feel heard, leading to a persistent
gap between organizational listening efforts and employee
experiences. This gap is amplified when action is not taken to
address feedback and can lead to decreased employee trust and
engagement. For HR leaders seeking to optimize listening efforts
and develop an intentional and effective employee listening
strategy, the firm's new blueprint, Develop an Employee
Listening Strategy, is now available
"Continuously asking employees for feedback without taking
action only contributes to disengagement as employees lose trust in
the organization's listening efforts," says Amanda
Chaitnarine, Director of HR Diagnostics, Advisory & Data
Insights at McLean & Company. "A purposeful listening
strategy is critical to ensure employee listening efforts are
intentional and result in meaningful action. It may seem daunting
to address all pieces of employee feedback, so it's important for
organizations to remember that focusing efforts on executing fewer
listening goals well is more impactful than spreading efforts over
many goals. When employees know their feedback is being heard and
acted upon, it will build trust and pave the way to expand focus to
additional listening goals in the future."
The HR industry resource explains that employee listening is the
ongoing process of actively gathering, understanding, and acting on
feedback and concerns voiced by an organization's employees. The
firm advises that the practice of employee listening is strategic
when it aligns efforts with organizational strategies, prioritizes
listening goals based on themes, and develops targeted activities
to improve listening efforts. Recognizing the link between an
employee listening strategy and the overarching organizational
strategy illuminates where listening efforts have the most impact
on the organization and its employees and fosters a transformative
journey toward growth and success.
McLean & Company has created a four-step process for HR
leaders to ensure the best possible impact of listening efforts on
both the organization and its employees. The firm's process,
included in the Develop an Employee Listening
Strategy resource, is outlined below:
- Define the driving need and purpose. Outline the
driving need for an employee listening strategy, determine
organizational readiness, and establish a steering committee. Next,
connect the employee listening strategy with organizational and HR
strategies and develop a listening strategy purpose statement.
- Complete a current state analysis. Evaluate and gather
employee feedback on the organization's current listening efforts
and channels, then summarize the current state and outline common
themes.
- Prioritize listening goals and develop activities.
Translate themes into listening goals, outline activities required
to support listening goals, and assess the impact and effort
required to address each goal. Next, prioritize goals to action,
determine which adjustments to existing channels are required to
support activities, and select additional listening channels.
Finally, review the frequency and timing of listening efforts to
determine if adjustments are needed, select metrics to track
progress, and create a profile to finalize each activity.
- Communicate the strategy. Create customized
communications for the employee listening strategy and identify
tools and training resources required by managers to support and
sustain it. Then, plan to sustain listening efforts and devise an
evaluation and iteration process.
McLean & Company reminds HR leaders that an employee
listening strategy is not a linear process with a fixed end goal,
but rather a strategic process that requires continuous iterations
to ensure listening efforts reflect the shifting priorities of the
organization.
To access the full resource, please visit Develop an
Employee Listening Strategy.
To access McLean & Company's complementary workshop,
Gather the Employee Voice to Inform Engagement Action
Planning, please visit Analyze and Act on Employee
Engagement Data.
To attend upcoming free webinars on a variety of topics or
explore the publicly available archive of recorded sessions, please
visit McLean & Company's webinars page.
To leverage the firm's proven workshop approach to accelerate
critical HR programs and initiatives, visit McLean &
Company's workshops page.
McLean Signature
2024
To register for McLean Signature, the premier industry
conference for future-focused HR leaders hosted by McLean &
Company from October 27 to 29 at the
Red Rock Casino
Resort & Spa in Las Vegas,
Nevada, please visit the official Signature event
page.
Media interested in connecting with McLean & Company
analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights and commentary on
generative AI in HR, HR trends in 2024,
the future of work, and more can contact
pr@mcleanco.com.
About McLean &
Company
McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and
immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position
organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future. The
global HR research and advisory firm's member organizations enjoy
comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops,
action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR
professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team
members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives.
McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research
Group.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to
research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry
analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access,
contact pr@mcleanco.com.
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SOURCE McLean & Company