“Can You Pass the Test?”

What are you afraid of?

I must confess that going to the doctor has never been one of my favorite activities.  As a child I resisted those visits until my mom literally dragged me into the car.  As an adult, I’m only slightly better.  Even though I know intellectually that medical tests are important and valuable, I still avoid them.  

Recently, however, I found out why it’s important to have testing done regularly.  I took a medical test because it had been several years and I thought I’d better have it done.  The results caught me by surprise.  The preliminary information didn’t look good at all.  Fortunately, I was misinterpreting the data. The doctor explained the results and reassured me that overall I was fine, but he did recommend a few changes based on the results.  What a relief!  Having the right information and an expert opinion helped me see things more clearly and take the proper action. 

This experience made it clear that what you don’t know CAN hurt you.  And it’s better to know than to not know, even if the feedback is not what we want to hear.

Why Organizations Avoid Assessments

Many organizations avoid tests, too.  It’s easy to do.  They examine the numbers to assess their financial health, but overlook their workforce fitness.  By doing so they miss the opportunity to gain valuable feedback that could identify problems or even identify strengths that may be leveraged to meet organizational goals.  Some of the reasons why organizations don’t assess are similar to the reasons people avoid medical tests.  Here are four common reasons for your organization to consider.

Ignorance is Bliss - By ignoring workforce health factors, we think we don’t have to deal with them or address changes.  But what you don’t know CAN hurt you.

Imagined Cost - Many organizations think these assessments are expensive.  Usually, the actual investment is less than the imagined cost.   More importantly, the price-benefit ratio shows a positive return on investment.  Sometimes it makes sense to pilot an assessment with a smaller group before rolling it out to the entire organization.

Concerns about Objectivity - Employees and managers often feel that if the company is conducting the assessment internally, people who give the honest truth rather than the “right” answer will suffer negative consequences.  While this fear is usually unfounded, the perception perseveres.  It can be overcome by using straightforward communication and, in some cases, external (contracted) resources to conduct the assessment and maintain the data.

Limited Time and Expertise – In many cases there is not enough available time or expertise to conduct an assessment internally.  Again, external resources can often provide the experience and insights to guide the organization through the process.  The key is to find a resource that builds trust and keeps the focus on the organization’s interests.

Which Assessments Are Best?

There are a number of assessments that can provide valuable feedback about workforce factors that influence performance and results.  Some of these assessments include:

Employee Satisfaction                        Employee Alignment

Customer Satisfaction                        Organizational Climate

Supplier Satisfaction                           Team Effectiveness

Management Skills/360 Feedback       Employee Engagement

DISC Group Report                            Work Expectations Group Report

Team Dimensions Group Report

So which ones should your organization measure?  First, there’s no need to assess all of them.  That would be malpractice!   A doctor should use only the tests that are necessary to gather the information that will be most helpful to the patient in addressing their key issues.  I recommend identifying the type of assessments that link most closely to the organization’s goals or to a specific area of concern. 

Assessment Principles

Some basic principles to keep in mind when implementing any of these assessments are:

§ Know what results you want to impact

§ Limit the number of questions to avoid poor quality responses toward the end of the assessment

§ Keep individuals anonymous when possible, but track group level information

§ Communicate, communicate, communicate to the entire organization

§ Identify the “gap” between where you are and where you want to be

§ Let individuals and groups make their own plans for improvement

§ Reassess for comparison

What to Do With the Results

What do you do with the assessment results?  Just like patients receiving medical feedback from the doctor, some people ignore the feedback and avoid making changes.  Others want to make changes but fail, while still others try to change and succeed. 

One key factor is that each individual or department must take ownership of the need to make changes and the plan to improve.  People don’t argue with their own data.  When it’s their own idea, people are more deeply committed to a successful outcome.  Implementing a system for accountability and support also increases the likelihood of success.

In Summary

What you don’t know CAN hurt you. If organizations and managers are really committed to workforce health, they can benefit greatly from the right feedback.  Targeting the right assessment and following some basic assessment process principles can lead to a better prepared and engaged workforce and improved organizational results.  As the opening quote implies, ignoring organizational  workforce or team issues can be our biggest fault.  Consider the right assessments as your ally in your journey for performance results.

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