By Claudia Leu on 23.01.2020 | 5 minutes reading time
The classic, anonymous annual employee survey with many questions and quantitative data no longer corresponded to the dynamic, innovative culture of localsearch. So the HR managers set out in search of a better alternative. With Pulse Feedback, they found what they were looking for.
Localsearch wanted to sharpen the focus of the annual employee survey and place more emphasis on the company’s purpose, its clients, and the development of its teams and employees. The survey should be short and regular, but at shorter intervals and more frequently. The goal was to obtain qualitative feedback from employees that is useful for the company. Ideally, these should be transparent comments that strengthen an open, non-judgmental feedback culture. These were localsearch’s main requirements for a new survey tool.
Pulse Feedback takes a different path
Today, Pulse Feedback replaces the classic employee survey at localsearch. The advantage: With only seven questions, the survey is more efficient and more appealing. The results can be viewed immediately after completing the survey. Instead of letting off steam anonymously, the focus is on transparent, constructive feedback. The feedbacks are are shown within each team with name and photo and to all others in anonymous form. Every single team is responsible for working with the survey results. Instead of an annual employee survey, Pulse Feedback surveys the current mood two to three times a year.
Faster reaction time in digital change
With its digital business model, localsearch is at the forefront of digital transformation. Pulse Feedback and the team at Creaholic are ideal partners in these fast-moving times. With feedback loops at shorter intervals, localsearch reacts to rapidly changing situations and increases the company’s reaction time. The results are available in real-time. Teams initiate changes directly.
Every single employee can make a contribution
At localsearch, the teams discuss the Pulse Feedback results in workshops and jointly define measures. Just for the next three months and not for the whole year as in the past. In this way, the desired improvements become tangible and can be achieved more quickly. Employees at all levels actively work with the feedback and can thus make a difference – even with small changes.
Transparency changes the feedback culture
The idea of making all comments of the employee survey transparent triggered some uneasiness and rejection in management and HR managers at the beginning. However, our previous experience with surveys in other companies shows that this uncertainty quickly subsides. This is also true of localsearch. The comments in Pulse Feedback are visible to all employees at localsearch, and at team level even with the name of the author. When Pulse Feedback was introduced, the comments were still relatively passive and cautious. After two surveys, however, the employees gained confidence and commented actively and in a solution-oriented manner.
Another positive effect of Pulse Feedback is the breakthrough of the prevailing culture of harmony, which is particularly pronounced in grassroots Switzerland. Conflicts have negative connotations, yet there is huge improvement potential in constructive conflicts, especially concerning a learning and error culture. The new transparency of Pulse Feedback promotes honest feedback and takes away the fear of making mistakes.
Pulse Feedback is versatile
However, localsearch not only uses Pulse Feedback to survey employee satisfaction but also employs the instrument to anchor its four principles of leadership and cooperation (“performance-oriented”, “solution-oriented”, “simple” and “inspiring”). The questions asked in Pulse Feedback always focus on these four principles. In this way, a regular impulse is given to the employees to discuss the company principles in their team. And more importantly: to think about how they can apply and live them in daily business. Change is constant in the working environment of a digital company, but the principles and purpose remain constant. Pulse Feedback creates stability in fast-moving times.
localsearch also links Pulse Feedback to their OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Following the surveys, in the team workshops, each team develops an objective for the next three to four months and defines key results against which they can measure the achievement of their objective.
Feedback is the breakfast of champions
Efficient teams communicate better. Alex “Sandy” Pentland from MIT has researched this relationship in detail and published the results in the Harvard Business Review.
If you want to promote the feedback culture in your company with an effective employee survey, Pulse Feedback is the right solution. Learn more. In a short interview, we will answer your questions and show you how Pulse Feedback helps your teams develop impact.
