The development and testing of an employee engagement survey for use within Finnish Organisations
Wolf, Duncan (2012)
Pohjois-Karjalan ammattikorkeakoulu
2012
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012121719769
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012121719769
Tiivistelmä
This study was conducted in order to test and implement an employee engagement survey for use within Finnish organisations. The survey was based upon a number of studies and employee engagement models, and took into consideration job resources, job demands the state of work engagement and positive outcomes associated with en-gaged employees.
The reliability and validity of survey scales were tested using the responses of 451 workers affiliated with the Finnish Metalworkers Union. Analysis confirmed the 3 factor structure of engagement, while scales for job resources and the outcomes of engage-ment demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability. However, more work is needed to develop reliable scales to assess job demands.
The ability of the survey tool to assess organisational issues was examined in a study conducted on John Deere Forestry Oy’s salaried employees. The results revealed that while employee engagement levels of John Deere Forestry Oy’s salaried employees was high, issues like high workloads and stress, reward and a lack of focus on career development opportunities were leading to reduced energy levels and performance while at work.
It was recommended that John Deere look to moderate employee workloads, promote a culture of segmentation between work and non-work roles, emphasise the value of non-monetary benefits and further incorporate career development into the performance management process.
An issue for John Deere Forestry Oy to consider when implementing changes is the remoteness of John Deere’s senior leadership. As a result, the factory’s senior man-agement team and middle managers have the responsibility to communicate change, get feedback and actively involve employees in the change initiatives.
The reliability and validity of survey scales were tested using the responses of 451 workers affiliated with the Finnish Metalworkers Union. Analysis confirmed the 3 factor structure of engagement, while scales for job resources and the outcomes of engage-ment demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability. However, more work is needed to develop reliable scales to assess job demands.
The ability of the survey tool to assess organisational issues was examined in a study conducted on John Deere Forestry Oy’s salaried employees. The results revealed that while employee engagement levels of John Deere Forestry Oy’s salaried employees was high, issues like high workloads and stress, reward and a lack of focus on career development opportunities were leading to reduced energy levels and performance while at work.
It was recommended that John Deere look to moderate employee workloads, promote a culture of segmentation between work and non-work roles, emphasise the value of non-monetary benefits and further incorporate career development into the performance management process.
An issue for John Deere Forestry Oy to consider when implementing changes is the remoteness of John Deere’s senior leadership. As a result, the factory’s senior man-agement team and middle managers have the responsibility to communicate change, get feedback and actively involve employees in the change initiatives.