3. What was covered
Case Study from The Co-Op
and an insight into a successful
and thriving regional E4S group
Keynote speaker – Sir Brendon
Barber Chairman of Acas on
the ‘7 Levers of productivity’
Interactive discussions on the E4S
movement and 3 burning
questions related to Employee
Voice
4. What is Employee Voice
Perception vs Reality
Enabling employees to
talk and be heard. Feel
they make a difference
Authentic Hearing. Two
way - speak and hear.
Acknowledge and action
A voice from every single
person in the company.
Everyone has the opportunity
to have their say
Forums for colleagues to be
involved in various listening
posts to listen to people not
just the survey
Listening
Involvement in
improvements
Involved
Being able to
challenge/Speak up
The ability to
challenge
Heard by the people who matter and
feeling empowered to want to do it,
with your views listened to when it
needs to be and considered,
reviewed and acted upon
Empowered
Valued
Making
suggestions
Opportunity to
influence
Connection between
employees/ colleagues
and leadership
Opportunity to
have their say and
feel they can!
Teams own their
results and
actions
Being part of
a solution
It’s individual
and collective
Is employee voice synonymous
with survey? If so, are we
creating a transactional and
unsustainable process?
Opportunity for
discussion - Share
ideas
5. What enables Employee Voice?
See Continuous
Improvement
Positive results
reinforce the business
case for engagement
Dialogue -
Understand the
point
Open up communication at
all levels - from low level
managers to CEO - allow
employees to approach the
most suitable audience
Having multiple
channels of
communications -
different methods suit
different people
Open communication/
trust/opening up the
right platforms and
channels
The Forums/
opportunities to
have a ‘voice’
Ensure people are given
feedback on survey
results or any feedback
given. Communication!
Variety of
channels and
time opportunity
Communication
vehicles- social
media
2 way trust
Culture within the
organization that it’s
safe to speak my
mind
Culture
Regular
discussionsFeedback
Engaged managers
and leaders
Leadership
Self responsibility,
accountability. Positive
focus, constructive
Empathy
Accessibility of managers
and senior leaders
Manage expectations.
Set the levels.
Outcomes may not be
what you want
Appetite - execs
need to be
interested in what
people have to say
6. What are the barriers to effective Employee Voice?
Labels and
put downs
‘Deaf ears’
Fear - Employee: What
will happen to me?
Managers: Do I really
want to know?
No visibility or
approachability of
managers and service
team
Management
and leadership
buy in
Is the right person
actively listening/
engaging
Not feeling
action will be
taken
Getting a response.
Feeling heard.
Predictable outcomes
Lack of support
Lack of time
Technology-
interaction
Senior leaders/
managers appearing
to only ‘tell’ and not
‘listen’. Employees
feel ‘what’s the point’
Managing
expectations
Apathy
The term Voice -
about hearing and
responding
Why should I?!
What is it?!
Some
irrelevant
information
One way
comms
Employee surveys aren’t
confidential. ‘they know it’s
me!’
Negative culture where
people are afraid to voice
their opinion, or that it wont
be valued
Perceived consequences.
Anonymity. Asking the
right question in a survey
Lack of trust and
anonymity
Visibility. Feedback
on what I said.
7. Interactive discussion
Channels
• Surveys and Focus Groups
• Radio Station
• Management Walkabouts
• Offering different channels to suit audience
• Face to face is key
• Use technology e.g. intranets, on site tablets and talking
walls.
• Real time chat forums
• Multiple communication platforms
• Talk to each other!!!
• Use what you already have – text, social media, feedback
routes
• Immediate communication – use technology for instant
feedback
• Feedback/ideas channels
• Scheduled communication in shift environments
Culture
• Leaders taking personal accountability
• Be informal and approachable leaders
• Provide coaching, development and feedback
• Values need to reflect the voice of your employees
• Equip managers with the skills to hearing employee voice
and embedded it in the culture
• Values in Practice (ViP)
• Values champions
• Upward feedback
• National awards
• Local focus
• Consultative bodies – 2 way dialogue with leaders
Content
• Connect the values and strategy to everyday
work
• Feedback when actions have been taken or
not in response to Employees.
• Have Fun! Create social opportunities
How do we capture Employee Voice?
8. What do you want from E4S?
Communication
• Clearer information on networking options
• More networking – informal and at a local level
• Able to connect with gurus in specific areas –
geographically, by sector and by area of expertise.
• More events in the north
• Cross fertilization of ideas
• Take engagement to other professions –
leadership/ operations
• Targeted comms strategy for specific groups –
strategic leaders, first line leaders, finance teams
etc
• Video interviews/seminars with gurus on specific
topics
Knowledge
• A directory of expertise/gurus/experts
• Business Case for Employee Engagement
• Industry specific information
• Evaluation and measurement tools and ideas
• Showcase refreshing and reenergizing
approaches and strategies
• Should there be a level of E4S accreditation
• Examples of what it ‘looks like’
• Able to post challenges and use the network to
get responses
• Specific forums on specific topics
• More case studies
• Bring engagement to life
• Radio show to talk about this event
Practicalities
• A common regional model – local events and groups.
• Accredited facilitators
• Be the go to place – sign post other resources
• A toolkit of practical resources, templates, tools
• Links with other organisations i.e. Chamber of commerce, FSB and Local
Enterprise Partnerships
• Deliverables of E4S over the next 5 years
• Advertise more
• Sell benefits within organisations more
