Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
3. Get buy-in from managers
4. Develop the process
5. Create a schedule
6. Select a supplier
7. Develop the questionnaire
Step 8: Get buy-in from stakeholders
In Step 7, you developed the questionnaire for your employee survey. Now it is time to get approval of the questionnaire from the various stakeholders in the company.
Although you have already achieved management buy-in for the employee survey process (see Step 3), it is equally important that they approve of the questionnaire that will be used to collect employee opinions and ratings. Skipping this vital step can leave you open to second-guessing and criticism after the survey results are in.
For our purposes, a stakeholder can be defined as anyone in the company with enough authority or influence to represent either an supporter or detractor of the employee survey process. This list typically includes all or most senior managers and many mid-level managers. Although cultures and environments vary among companies, here’s a plan of attack that tends to work well.
1. Start at the top
Take the questionnaire directly to the top decision-maker in the company (CEO, COO, etc.). Explain that you and the research supplier have spent a considerable amount of time fine-tuning the questionnaire and are confident that it will be an effective tool to achieve the objectives of the employee research. However, as a matter of courtesy and respect, you want to give the senior manager the oppportunity to review the survey, indentify any additional topics that need to be addressed, and suggest any further revisions to the questionnaire.
2. Work your way down
Bottom Line
Getting stakeholder buy-in of the questionnaire is a critical step in the employee survey process. Follow these guidelines and you should complete this important task quickly and effectively.
