Team assessment surveys are valuable when done properly but worthless if they're approached the wrong way. A team assessment survey is geared toward identifying any positive or negative aspects of a team's collaboration. But many employees aren't able to self-report in an objective way or may fill out a team assessment on a shallow level. Here are a few tips for making better assessment surveys.
Ask for Specific Instances
Rather than asking if there was anything that hampered productivity, ask them to list one challenge they've encountered. Employees who are blazing through an assessment survey are likely to just answer with a "no" if they aren't required to put in a more detailed answer. This isn't them being obstinate: it's just that they may not think deeper about the question unless they are required to.
Avoid Asking for Numbered Responses
Many social companies have moved away from asking people to rate things from "1 to 5" or "1 to 10." Why? Because most people are going to rate something either 1 or 10. Most people aren't going to really drill down to whether something is a 3, 4, 7, or 6: it's too vague and confusing. It's better to ask for direct information and specific information; even if it doesn't give you quantifiable data, it will give you more valuable data.
Instead of, "Rate your communication skills from 1 to 5," instead ask, "What have you learned about your communication skills?"
Ask for Solutions Rather Than Problems
Framing questions as asking for solutions, instead of problems, will make the entire process more positive. Instead of asking something such as whether they've encountered any issues with their colleagues, ask what they think could improve communication inside of your team.
A solutions-oriented approach doesn't just make it more positive of an experience for an employee, but it also makes them more likely to answer. Many employees don't want to throw their colleagues under the bus, but they will make suggestions for improvement. Further, it does some work for you: you'll already have the answers for a more effective workforce right there rather than having to create a solution for a problem that's been presented.
A good team assessment survey will help a company in building productivity. With the right answers, you can drill down to anything hampering team-related efficiency and improve upon the operations of the company — but it may take some time to get enough information.
For more information, reach out to a company such as Team Assess.
Share
