Tuesday, Administrator Steve Taylor presented the commissioners with a copy of an employee engagement survey that county employees will be asked to fill out in the upcoming weeks.

 

“An engaged employee is someone who is fully absorbed and enthusiastic about their work,” said Taylor.  “The Hay Group did a  study of professional service firms and they found that engaged employees are 43% more productive. I’m sure we have lot of staff members who are like that.”

 

Taylor said the original survey was much longer, but was cut down to about a five-minute process. Employees will be asked to rank their satisfaction level from Agree Strongly to Disagree Strongly on 12 different statements.

 

“I know what is expected from me at work.”

 

“I receive adequate feedback from my supervisor about how I am doing.”

 

“Management is genuinely interested in employee opinions and ideas.”

 

“In a typical week, I often feel stressed at work.”

 

The survey also includes a section where employees identify and rank the five most important things about their job, like: meaningful work; opportunity for career growth; competitive salary level and benefits/retirement package.

 

“The purpose of this survey is to help us understand where we are with our employee base,” said Taylor. “We’ll compile the information and provide it to the board and staff and come up with a plan. Maybe we’ll do more of the things we’re doing well and less of the things we we’re not doing as well.”

 

Also part of the survey is an open section where employees can list two things that would improve their working life, and offer any other comments about working for the county.

 

“Sometimes you have to be careful what you ask for, because we might get back some very interesting comments - which is good,” said Taylor.

 

Commissioner Bruce Anderson asked what the procedure would be if there were comments made about a department or department head.

 

“If it reflects on a specific supervisor, how will you address that? What’s your approach then?” he asked. “If it refers to a department, will the board receive that?”

 

Taylor said the goal was to have a generic survey that did not pinpoint specific departments.

 

“We had a long conversation about this at the department head level,” he said. “But people will do that. They’ll get personal. And so I’m going to be very sensitive to that.”

 

Commissioner Felix Schmiesing felt there should be a way to address those comments.

 

“I think the board should have access to that information. But where there are personnel issues and names and privacy issues, you would have to make a determination on what we can look at,” he said. “I don’t think anyone on this board would ask you to do something that you shouldn’t do. But you should share what you can share.”

 

“If the board is interested in that I can certainly provide it,” said Taylor.

 

The survey is completely anonymous. Employees are only asked to provide their tenure with the county as a way to determine if there is a difference in satisfaction between new employees and long-term employees.

 

Taylor said a number of counties have done the survey over the last three to six months. Some have done it twice in one year.

 

“The key thing is to come up with benchmarks and do it again a year from now and see if it’s gotten better based on the results,” he said.