Benchmark
Employee Surveys
By Guest Columnist, Sherry Uhrigs
As a management company,
Benchmark Hospitality International’s
greatest asset is our
employees. The diverse individuals
that make up the core of our
company are what bind Benchmark
as a family. This uniquely committed
group shares a common culture. The
values of this culture are expressed
with words like respect, compassion,
challenge and change. Our employeefocused
culture and invaluable staff
play a distinct role in our resounding
success over the last 25 years. In
this increasingly competitive market,
we must focus on creating an
environment where we can retain,
train and motivate our employees
- everyday. One of the ways we
have chosen to do this is through
Employee Opinion Surveys.
We, as a company, made
a commitment to our
employees to conduct
these surveys, discuss
the results and followthrough
by taking steps
to improve any problem
areas. It is essential that
our employees understand
that the surveys are both
anonymous and confidential and
that no retaliation will occur if they
choose to comment negatively.
We believe in our results, and are
committed to share those results,
no matter how negative. We take
action on legitimate complaints in
a timely fashion and, when certain
changes cannot be made, we
explain why.
Timing of each survey is critical and
controlled. Two things we keep in
mind when conducting surveys are
the availability of our employees and
the organization’s climate at the time.
Both may affect the accuracy of the
survey results. Most of our properties
conduct their survey in October during
the busy season when we have more
employees able to participate.
After completion of the survey,
the next step is following through
and acting on the results. Again, this
needs to be timely - follow through
should begin immediately. We
accomplish this by sharing the results
with the Leadership team, then the
management team, and then by
department with all meetings led by
the General Manager. Sometimes it
is best if the management team does
not participate in the department
meeting, allowing for more open
communication and anonymity.
From these meetings we form
action plans to track the
progress we have made in
our effort to correct items
of concern. These action
plans and progress reports
are shared with the
employees during their
monthly department
meetings. It is critical
to show employees
that their input is
valued and that items
of legitimate concern
are being addressed.
Personal development.
Initiative. Career
advancement. At Benchmark,
we pride ourselves on creating an
environment that fosters all three.
The Employee Opinion Survey
program is a great tool to do just that
by helping retain, train and motivate
employees; however, it is important
that the process is respected and
is an integral part of your employee
relation program.
Sherry Uhrig
is the
Human
Resources
Director
Benchmark
Hospitality
International
Advisory Board
Member.
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