Associates in Applied Psychology provides comprehensive consulting services in employee opinion surveys to accurately assess the organization’s status regarding all of the operational effectiveness and work dynamic issues that impact employee engagement and commitment—a major factor in determining whether an organization delivers mediocre or stellar performance.

Associates in Applied Psychology offers both internet-based and paper-based written surveys. Our employee opinion surveys are designed around the empirical findings and principles of organizational psychology. The item content of our surveys is custom-designed for our clients from the ground up. We pull items as appropriate from our bank or develop totally novel items tailored to the particular needs and circumstances of our clients. Typically, the content of our surveys would cover:

• Engagement/commitment 
• Pride in organizational performance and market stature 
• Sense of employee valuing by management 
• Quality process and output 
• Department work flow processes 
• Balance in authority and responsibility 
• Supervision 
• Communications horizontally and vertically 
• Cash compensation 
• Benefits 
• Socio-emotional environment

In addition to the above content, we can incorporate easy-to-complete psycho-sociogram items. These items are used to identify and quantify problems between departments and divisions in joint process, cooperation and communication for targeting in team-building, problem-solving or other interventions by the organization.

Depending on specific informational and planning needs, clients sometimes narrow the focus of a survey to a unique topic (changes in operations, diversity, customer service, quality, etc.). We are prepared to develop a totally novel set of items around the client’s particular research objectives.

The primary measurement scale we utilize for most of the survey content is the Likert metric, which has become the opinion research standard for quantitative employee questioning. However, we also use nominal and rank order measurements for some items.

Associates in Applied Psychology has one of the few methodologically and statistically defensible normative databases in employee research. Our national normative employee opinion base is comprised of a national probability sample of American employees who responded to a fairly extensive set of normative items on seminal organizational issues relating to engagement/commitment, employee communications, work process, quality, organization pride etc. The minimum accuracy level for our normative employee opinion base is +5% with 95% confidence. Most consulting firms claiming to have “normative” databases are actually simply aggregating employee data from multiple organizations--usually fewer than 50--and as such are providing a methodologically and statistically flawed base of information relative to establishing a reliable, valid frame of reference for their clients. These types of databases could more accurately be described as “employees of organizations needing, willing and able to commission an employee survey”--hardly a scientifically sound base for clients to assess their status and develop plans for responding to issues.

Relative to quantitative data analysis, we pioneered the multivariate statistical approach to employee opinion survey analysis nearly 30 years ago. Using this sophisticated applied mathematical technique in tandem with our multi-item Employee Commitment Index, we can determine the relative power of the underlying issues to drive employee engagement and commitment, thereby establishing clear priorities for management in follow-up action planning.

At the conclusion of every study, we profile the psychology of the organization, looking at: the proportionate power of the various major factors, as they are currently affecting engagement and commitment; and the organization’s performance on those factors. During the management reporting session, we provide the organization with specific, detailed recommendations for follow-up based directly on the survey findings. Unlike some firms, we do not leave our clients with mass of undigested data and a sense of frustration about how to apply the findings to organization development.

Associates in Applied Psychology also provides in-depth follow-up organization development consulting to address the survey findings and conclusions. This can include:

• Employee feedback communications, both written and face-to-face
• Manager training on follow-up actions at the department or unit level
• Deeper reviews of communication, work process and cooperation within and across departments
• Team building within and across departments
• Coaching of department managers and supervisors on manager effectiveness and employee relations problems.

In addition to written surveys, we offer focus group opinion surveys. Employee focus groups provide in-depth qualitative information based on a quasi-structured methodology that leads participants through a guided exploration of a topic or set of topics. Focus groups are especially effective for clarifying and expanding on information uncovered in a written employee opinion survey. For example, department or division focus groups can be conducted to gather detailed, qualitative/verbal information on the specifics of an intradepartmental “communications” problem.

Focus groups are also extremely useful for alpha or beta testing of new organizational processes and concepts. This is because focus groups can be built around a pre-test>educate>post-test research model. This model entails: measurement at the beginning of the session of the initial employee beliefs and opinions surrounding a given concept; followed by communication and moderated discussion regarding the concept; then concludes with measurement of beliefs and opinions about the concept after communication and discussion. The model allows an organization to:

• Assess initial employee predisposition/receptivity
• Identify potential functional design issues per the concept in need of revamping
• Uncover possible trouble spots in understanding and appreciating the concept
• Determine the feasibility of successful implementation
• Identify demographic segments requiring special attention in communication if implementation is undertaken
• Formulate a communications strategy per media, content, theme, source, tone, sequence, timing etc.

One of the more common applications of the focus group process, as well as written employee surveys is employee benefits design research which allows an organization to test proposed benefits modifications and develop communications programs to maximize employee receptivity.

All employee opinion survey and organization development consulting is designed and managed by Charles F. Schanie, Ph.D. Dr. Schanie has more than three decades of experience in employee opinion research and organization development. Over the course of his career he has conducted more than 200 employee opinion and organization development projects. His clients in employee opinion analysis and organization development consulting have included: Mitsubishi (Aristech Division), Toyota (Industrial Equipment Division), Memorial Health Systems, York Health Systems (now Wellspan), Mellon Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank.

We welcome all requests for proposals (RFP’s) for human resources services. And if for some reason you don’t need a full-blown project, but would like some over-the-shoulder support or hand-holding, we’re prepared to consult with you on an ad hoc basis at our daily consulting rates.

Call us today at 502-584-2112 for a free telephone consultation on your current needs in employee opinion analysis and organization development.