I didn't receive a link to take the survey. What do I do?

The link to take the survey was sent to your email from this address: engagementbuildingtools@bwinc.com.  It should arrive in your inbox on the morning of Tuesday, January 31st. Please check your spam/junk folder if the email is not in your inbox. Contact EmployeeEngagement@smcgov.org if you are unable to locate it. You may also scan the QR code on the Engagement Survey flyer or click here and enter your employee ID number to take the survey.

I was hired on or after January 1, 2023. Will I be asked to complete a survey?

No.  You will not complete a survey this year because you were hired after we provided GP Strategies with the demographic information they need. Your opinions are still valuable, however. You will have a chance to attend meetings to discuss the survey findings. You are encouraged at any time to speak up and share your feedback with your manager or HR on ways we can improve. 

If I have recently transferred departments or managers, do I answer the questions based upon the former or current department or manager?

Please answer all questions based on your most current department or manager.

Can I start and stop the survey and save my progress?

Yes. If for any reason you cannot complete the survey once you have started it, finish answering the items on the page you are currently on and continue to the next page to save your progress.  You can come back and complete your survey at a later time, as long as it is before the survey close date.  To do so, click on the link you received in your email.

Can I take the survey on a different computer from the one I typically use?

The survey can be completed on any computer or device that has access to the Internet.

Is the survey an assessment of my manager?

No. The survey is designed as a data-gathering tool – not an appraisal. Yes, there are questions about your manager. However these are part of a broader set of questions that also explore how people feel about their work, their work environment, senior leaders, and our organization as a whole.

What reports will I see in my Engagement Portal?

There will be up to four reports in your Engagement Portal.

SAMPLE GP STRATEGIES REPORT NAME AUDIENCE WORKGROUP NAME COMPARED TO

Department_Department_99999D Department Name (2023)

All Department Employees

Department

County

Manager Name_Direct Report Data- Manager Name (000099999) (2023)

Direct Reports / Your Team Member * This report is only visible to you.

Team

County

Sample Report Name: Level 5_Rolled-Up Group Data-Manager Name (00009999) (2023)

Your direct team as well as the teams that report up to you indirectly through the hierarchy. * This report is only visible to you.

Division

County

Sample Report Name: Budget Unit_Budget Unit_99999B Budget Unit Name (2023)

Employees within specified Division/Budget Unit

Division/Budget Unit

County

There are up to four different types of Snapshot Analysis Reports (SARs) that you may receive.

  • Department Group Data – Sample Report Name: Department_Department_99999D Department Name (2023)

    This is the aggregate responses of all the employees in the Department who completed the Survey. Every Manager/Supervisor will receive this report, provided there are at least six people in the Department who completed the survey. This report compares Departmental engagement results to Countywide data.
    • If you do not see the Department file, this means that six or more employees within the Department did not complete the survey
  • Direct Report Data: Manager Name_Direct Report Data- Manager Name (000099999) (2023)

    This is a team report; it contains the aggregate responses of the people who report directly to you, provided that six or more employees completed the Employee Engagement Survey. This report compares your team’s engagement results to Countywide data.
    • If you do not see the Direct Report Data file, this means you either have fewer than six direct reports or fewer than six of your employees did not complete the survey.
  • Rolled-Up Group Data: Sample Report Name: Level 5_Rolled-Up Group Data-Manager Name (00000999) (2023)

    This is a team report; it contains the aggregate responses of all the employees who work underneath you, provided that six or more employees completed the Survey. This includes the data of your direct team as well as the teams that report up to you indirectly through the hierarchy. This report compares your group’s engagement results to Countywide data.
    • If you do not see the Rolled-Up Group Data Report file, this means that six or more of your employees did not complete the survey.
  • Budget Unit Group Data – Sample Report Name: Budget Unit_Budget Unit_99999B Budget Unit Name (2023)

    This is the aggregate responses of all the employees in the Budget Unit (sometimes referred to as Division) who completed the Survey. Every Manager/Supervisor will receive this report, provided there are at least six people in the Budget Unit/Division who completed the survey. This report compares Budget Unit/Division engagement results to Countywide data.
    • If you do not see the Budget Unit file, this means that six or more employees within the Budget Unit did not complete the survey OR there is only one Budget Unit for your Department, thus the engagement results are included in the Department Group Data file.
Who can see my reports?

Your Manager will not have access to your Direct Report – this is the report of the people that report to you. Managers/Supervisors may be asked to share their report but, they will not see the result of just your direct reports. They will see a report of all direct reports AND indirect report grouped together (aggregate) in either the Rolled Up Group, Budget Unit or Department Report (depending on where they fall in the hierarchy).

There are more (or less) people included in my report than I supervise?

The organizational hierarchy was pulled from Workday on 12/30/22. Although you supervise X number of people in your daily responsibilities, there may be others that do not “formally” report to you that may have been included in your report. If you are interested in knowing what staff were listed as reporting to you on 12/30/22 in Workday, please contact Employee Engagement.

The reports compare to Company. What is Company?

For our reports, “Company” is the County of San Mateo. “Company” is template text for GP Strategies.

Will Division responses compare to Department or only to countywide results?

Yes, if you belong to a Division/Budget Unit within a Department, you will also see your Division/Budget Unit report. The contents of the Division/Budget Unit report will compare to the County (called Company in the report).  In order to compare your team to your Division, Department and County, you will need to have all the three reports. 

How can we compare this year's results to prior year results?

Only one new question was added to the 2023 survey. You can compare the rest of the questions to the 2019 survey results at the County and Department levels. See your Department Head or Engagement Committee Member for prior year reports. If you are a Department Head or Engagement Committee Member looking for prior year data, please contact Conrad Fernandes at cfernandes@smcgov.org.

Where can I find the response rate?

The response rate for the number of people included in your report is on the front page of the report. If you are looking at your Team report, it will reflect the number of staff that took the survey on your Team. Similarly, when viewing the Department or Division/Budget Unit report, it will show the number of respondents in the Department or Division/Budget. 

The Countywide report is published on the County’s Engagement Website. In 2019, 73% of staff took the Survey. Countywide results are also included in the Town Hall Template, located in every portal.

What are the Key Alignment Questions?

In the Town Hall Template, which contains the Countywide Engagement Results, it references the Key Alignment Questions. What are the Key Alignment Questions? The key alignment questions are the following:

  • “I am clear on my work priorities - i.e., what I need to achieve in the next 3-6 months.”
  • “I understand how my own work priorities support the organization's strategy.”
  • “My Manager/Supervisor provides regular, specific feedback on my performance.”
  • “Management links the work of the organization to a larger purpose.”
How does the Key Highlights Section of the SAR translate to Engagement?

GP Strategies finds that the Key Highlights tend to correlate highly with engagement, up to workgroup and organizational fit. Flight risk is highlighted because it’s important for a Manager/Supervisor and an organization to know where their employees are at; it can assist in knowledge transfer and retention, and assist in proactive workforce planning. Lastly, GP Strategies research shows that not having career development opportunities can be one of the most common reasons an individual leaves an organization.

Which questions relate to Individual Satisfaction and which relate to Overall Contribution?

The questions related to Individual Satisfaction and Overall Contribution are listed below. Not all of the questions are necessarily either contribution or satisfaction.

Individual Satisfaction

Satisfaction questions are: “I like the work”, “I am proud”, “I think of my work as more than just a job”, “I am satisfied to work here”, and “I have career opportunities”.

Overall Contribution

Contribution questions are: “I do more”, “I am clear on my work priorities”, "my manager encourages me to use my talents”, My manager recognizes & rewards”, “My manager provides regular, specific feedback”, and “Senior Leaders have created a high performing work environment.”

The reports are broken up into Individual, Manager and Executive Categories. Where do I find the questions that relate to the respective section?

Which survey questions are categorized as Individual Items? 

Individual (I) Items

  •  I am clear on my work priorities (i.e., what I need to achieve in the next 3-6 months)
  • I am proud to work here
  • I think of my work as more than "just a job”
  • I like the work that I do.
  • I understand how my own work priorities support the organization's strategy
  • I do more than is expected of me
  • I have career opportunities in this organization
  • More often than not, I am very satisfied to work here

 

Which survey questions are categorized as Manager Items?

  • I trust my manager
  • I have a great working relationship with my manager
  • My manager encourages me to use my talents as much as possible
  • My manager asks for and acts on my input
  • My manager recognizes and rewards my achievements
  • My manager treats me as an individual with unique interests and needs
  • My manager provides regular, specific feedback on my performance
  • My manager delegates assignments effectively without micromanaging me
  • My manager has built a strong sense of belonging within our team or department

 

Which survey questions are categorized as Executive Items?

Executive (E) Items

  • I trust the senior leaders of this organization
  • Senior leaders act in alignment with our organization's core values or guiding principles
  • Senior leaders communicate honestly
  • Senior leaders link the work of the organization to a larger purpose
  • Senior leaders have created a work environment that drives high performance

Please see the Resource Guide for details about each question.

I just finished reading my report. Now what?

Great question. There are a few things you can do to start taking action on the results you received; the action you take likely depends on how comfortable you are about talking about the results.

  • If you are ready to start discussing with your team:
    • You can begin planning a Team Meeting (See Step 2 in your Engagement Portal). Then, conduct a Team Meeting, decided on actions you will collectively make to make engagement a daily priority thereby increasing engagement levels. After you have had a Team Meeting, conduct individual Engagement Conversations (See Step 3 in your Engagement Portal).
  • If you aren’t ready, or need help understanding the reports, using the tools, or deciding what you can: 
    • Attend an Engagement Workshop. There are several Engagement Workshops scheduled in the Learning Management System.  Additional workshops can be added to meet demand. The Workshops are designed to introduce the Engagement Model, explore reactions to the results and determine possible actions to increase engagement, as well as review the Tools and Resources available to you in the Engagement Portal to plan Team Meetings, Engagement Conversations, and make engagement a daily priority.
    • Talk to an Engagement Champion. Several staff throughout the organization have been certified as Engagement Champions. They are prepared to talk to you about engagement, review your report, explore resources and discuss action steps. 
Do I have to share the Engagement Reports or what action steps I am taking with anyone?

Department Heads are strongly encouraged to shared Department results with their staff. In turn, they will encourage Managers/Supervisors to do the same, sharing Division/Budget Unit results with the respective area, as well as Team results (where available).

It is also highly recommended that Department Heads, Managers/Supervisors work with their respective areas to come up with actions they would like to take to make engagement a daily priority. Some actions may be personal, or unique to an individual, and as such would not be widely shared. Others may be collaborative efforts, and thus would be communicated and acted upon by the impacted parties.

One way to monitor action items is to set them as goals in Workday, see this Workday Video for more information.

How do I get people to contribute more and increase overall engagement?

Talking about the Survey Results is a great first step. The Engagement Portal has helpful information about how to move staff closer to the “Apex” – where the organization and employees are realizing optimal success.

Great places to start are:

  • Tips and Tools Section of Your Engagement Portal. It contains pages on the following:
    • Your Engagement
    • Your Team
    • Tactics for Each Level
    • Keeping the Engaged Engaged
    • Boosting the Almost Engaged
    • Aligning the Satisfied & Not Contributing
    • Energizing and Supporting the Contributing & Not Satisfied
    • Turning Around the Disengaged
    • Engagement Essentials
    • Career Coaching Tips
    • Involvement Tips
    • Development Tips
  • Resource Guide

    This guide is available on the internet and in the Engagement Portal. The guide contains insights and recommended actions for addressing common engagement survey items. It is designed to spark your thinking for creating an environment that fuels great days at work and for coaching individuals toward higher levels of engagement.
  • Team Meetings

    Your report represents a starting point for taking actions that build a thriving workplace and high-performing organization. Team meetings offer a way to communicate findings, get your team on board and identify actions everyone on the team can take. After all, employee engagement isn't your burden to shoulder on your own. Every member of the workforce must play a role.

    Moreover, people want to know the impact of the feedback that they have taken the time to provide. Studies suggest that if you survey employees without taking visible action, you can actually experience lower engagement levels.
  • Engagement Conversations

    Once you have prepared and hosted a Team Meeting, it is important to follow up with individual Engagement Conversations. You may have data on your team's engagement levels, but don't assume you know who is Engaged and who is not. The only way to understand team members' individual engagement levels and drivers is to talk with them.

    A one-on-one Engagement Conversation enables you to:
    • Learn or confirm an employee's point of view on job satisfaction and personal success.
    • Answer questions and provide clarity on what maximum contribution looks like.
    • Demonstrate your support and strengthen your working relationship.
    • Begin an ongoing dialogue.
I think I am doing a good job of recognizing others and providing feedback, etc. but this reports looks like I am doing nothing. What do I do?

Check out the Resource Guide (available on the internet and in your Engagement Portal) for tips on recognition and providing feedback.

If you feel that you are doing a good job somewhere but the results seem to indicate something else it’s a great reason for having Team Meetings and Engagement Conversations. Individuals may not remember being recognized, or receiving feedback. These meetings are a great time to politely and professionally talk about ways you see recognition and feedback happening, then ask if this is working for the individual or the team, and/or if they have any other suggestions. 

What if my staff wants something I cannot provide? (l.e. promotion, salary increases, etc.)

It is important to emphasize that you and your team should work on areas within your control (i.e. recognition, feedback, communication, etc.) Focusing efforts on things out of your control will not help increase engagement.

How do I get to the root of an issue without creating a feeling of investigating something, and ensuring that staff feel safe?

Great Question. It is important to create a safe environment for having engagement conversations with your team and with individuals. There are a number of tips and tools in the Engagement Portal that can assist you in creating a safe environment to have these conversations. But, remember, this is new to all of us, the feelings of safety and security may not happen overnight. This is why we need to commit to engagement and make it a daily priority, so there is safety not just in this conversation but in every interaction.

Will I be required to submit an action plan to my Manager or Department Head?

Each Department Head and Manager will decide on the action they wants their staff to take.

What are management's expectations of improvements?

Each Department Head and Manager will decide what is expected with the results of the survey, and/or what actions (if any) need to be taken by when. However, it is important to remember that the Employee Engagement Survey and its results ARE NOT an evaluation. The findings in these reports are not meant to be punitive in anyway. Conversely, they are meant to enable us to have a stronger understanding of our staff's engagement and understand what we can do to work towards making more great days at work.  

How will the results of the reports be used?

The results of the survey are intended to be used to increase engagement. The results of the Engagement Survey reports are not meant to be punitive in any way. They are not to lead to any disciplinary action.  This year, the County has made a commitment to not share Direct (Team) Reports or Roll Up Reports with anyone except the Manager/Supervisor of that direct and/or indirect team.

Managers/Supervisors should use the results to begin having honest conversations about engagement in their work areas.

Are there consequences or rewards for my results?

No, there are no literal or tangible consequences or rewards because of your Engagement Survey Results. The results of the Engagement Survey reports are not meant to be punitive in anyway. They are not to lead to any disciplinary action. Managers/Supervisors should use the results to begin having honest conversations about engagement in their work areas.

Is there an expectation that engagement results will improve by the next survey?

An expectation, no. However, ideally, yes, survey results will improve over time. Ever since the County began surveying Engagement, we have seen improvement in our scores over time. We believe the same will happen, and hopefully to a greater and more impactful degree, with the dissemination of the results to teams throughout the organization.

How am supposed to find the time to do this?

Finding time to do things is always a concern. A great place to start is in your Team Meetings. Allocate time in one of your regularly scheduled meetings. You could allocate 20 minutes over a period of meetings or an entire meeting could be dedicated to discussing engagement. If you don’t have regularly scheduled team meetings, schedule one meeting to discuss the results and discuss with your group the possibility of having regularly scheduled team meetings— this could help improve feelings of connection, communication and trust.