May
06
2008
Best practices for employee surveys - Step 5: Create a schedule
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Posted by: Todd Hollander in Employee Surveys
Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
3. Get buy-in from managers
4. Develop the process
Step 5: Create a schedule
In this step, you will create the schedule for the employee survey project. This document will serve as the roadmap for the entire process.
In Step 4, you documented the process for completing the employee survey. Now it is time to add information to this document that will turn it into a project schedule. Specifically, you will add three new columns to the table:
- Timing
- Responsibility
- Deadline
Example
For a typical employee survey, the schedule might look something like this:
|
Activity
|
Timing
|
Responsibility
|
Deadline
|
Description
|
|
1. Identify possible suppliers
|
Week 1
|
Pam
|
May 6
|
Short-list suppliers that seem like a good fit
|
|
2. Request quotes
|
Week 1
|
Pam
|
May 8
|
Get estimates (not firm bids) from 2 or 3 suppliers that seem like the best fit
|
|
3. Review quotes
|
Week 2
|
Pam, John
|
May 15
|
Compare quotes from suppliers. Follow up with each regarding questions or clarifications
|
|
4. Request proposals
|
Week 2
|
John
|
May 16
|
Request firm bid from one or two suppliers
|
|
5. Select supplier
|
Week 3
|
Pam, John
|
May 19
|
Make selection, inform supplier, schedule kick-off
|
|
6. Kick-off call or meeting
|
Week 4
|
Pam, John
|
May 26
|
Meet with supplier to plan path forward, determine contents of survey
|
|
7. Prepare invitation list
|
Week 4
|
John
|
May 30
|
Compile list of potential respondents
|
|
8. Draft questionnaire
|
Week 4
|
Supplier
|
May 30
|
Send first draft of questionnaire
|
|
9. Draft invitation
|
Week 4
|
Pam
|
May 30
|
Develop email to invite employees to complete the survey
|
|
10. Revise questionnaire
|
Week 5
|
Pam, John, Supplier
|
June 5
|
Refine and revise questionnaire as needed
|
|
11. Get buy-in from stakeholders
|
Week 6
|
Pam
|
June 6
|
Review questionnaire with relevant managers. From each, get either approval or suggested revisions
|
|
12. Finalize questionnaire
|
Week 6
|
Pam
|
June 6
|
Make and approve any additional changes
|
|
13. Program survey
|
Week 7
|
Supplier
|
June 10
|
Program online survey
|
|
14. QA testing
|
Week 7
|
Supplier
|
June 10
|
Comprehensive Quality Assurance testing of survey programming
|
|
15. Test-drive
|
Week 7
|
Pam, John
|
June 11
|
Pre-test online survey before potential respondents are invited to participate
|
|
16. Get buy-in from employees
|
Week 7
|
CEO
|
June 11
|
Announce upcoming survey, communicate purpose and benefits
|
|
17. Invitation
|
Week 8
|
John, IT
|
June 16
|
Send email invitation to potential respondents
|
|
18. Data collection
|
Week 8-9
|
Supplier
|
June 27
|
Respondents complete online survey
|
|
19. Analysis & reporting
|
Week 10
|
Supplier
|
July 3
|
Cross-tabulation, statistical analysis, and comprehensive report
|
|
20. Review results with supplier
|
Week 11
|
Pam, John, Supplier
|
July 7
|
Review draft report
|
|
21. Finalize report
|
Week 11
|
Supplier
|
July 11
|
Make any necessary changes prior to internal distribution
|
|
22. Present results to management
|
Week 12
|
Pam, John, Supplier
|
July 14
|
Review results, implications, and recommendations
|
|
23. Take action
|
Week 12
|
Sr. Mgmt. Team
|
July 18
|
What will we do differently based on results? Include objective, actions, implementation plan, metrics for success
|
|
24. Repeat survey
|
Week 26
|
Pam
|
Jan 18
|
Repeat employee survey measure success
|
Bottom Line
A clear, comprehensive, documented schedule is a critical component of an effective employee survey program.
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