HRM FPX 5122 Assessment 2 Leadership and Culture Survey Development

Student Name

Capella University

HRM-FPX5122 Developing an Effective Workplace

Prof. Name

Date

Leadership and Culture Survey Development

Power Manufacturing Company (PMC) specializes in manufacturing both cordless and corded power items. The company operates manufacturing facilities in four U.S. states and two distribution centers. Recently, the company has experienced an increase in employee turnover at two of its manufacturing facilities, rising from the usual 3-4% to 15% and 18%. A pay survey conducted by management indicated that pay rates at both facilities were competitive with area standards, leaving the company puzzled by the high turnover rates. Consequently, PMC initiated an employee engagement investigation. In the preliminary stages, the company identified several issues to investigate.

The identified issues included compensation and benefits, peer relationships, plant management, supervisory management, the meaningfulness of work, and job training. The company also explored various approaches to investigate each issue. At the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, PMC decided to conduct a survey. The company chose to begin the employee engagement investigation by distributing a survey on leadership and workplace diversity and inclusivity culture. This essay discusses the process of developing and distributing the survey.

Survey Development

A survey is a set of items designed to gather information from respondents. Surveys serve various purposes, including evaluating programs, assessing changes in attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge, aiding in decision-making about a product, and understanding people. In this case, PMC needs a survey to understand employee attitudes and beliefs regarding workplace culture and leadership at the company.

Creating the questionnaire is one of the most critical stages of the survey (Pew Research Center, n.d). The questionnaire design process occurs in multiple stages that require careful attention. The first step in designing a questionnaire is topic identification. PMC has already identified workplace culture and leadership as the topics to be covered in the survey. Question wording is one of the most important aspects to consider when designing a questionnaire (Pew Research Center, n.d).

Survey questions in the corporate world take two formats: closed or open-ended questions. Closed questions have a predetermined set of answers from which respondents can choose (Edwards, Thomas, Rosenfeld, & Booth-Kewley, 2012). These questions are popular in organizational surveys because they are quick to complete and cost-effective. However, closed questions prevent employees from fully expressing themselves, potentially leading to inaccurate information (Edwards et al., 2012).

HRM FPX 5122 Assessment 2 Leadership and Culture Survey Development

On the other hand, open-ended questions allow respondents to express themselves freely. Responses to open-ended questions often take a narrative style, although some open questions are answered numerically (Edwards et al., 2012). An advantage of open-ended questions is that they allow respondents to answer from their frame of reference, facilitating the gathering of information that might not surface otherwise. However, open-ended questions take more time to respond to and analyze due to the lack of a standard response format (Edwards et al., 2012). The current survey thus used closed questions with a differential scale.

Other guidelines were followed when formulating the PMC survey. These guidelines included keeping one idea per question and ensuring that the questions were short and straightforward. It is also essential to avoid ambiguity and frame questions in appropriate language. Additional guidelines involved being specific, avoiding bias, and not using double negatives (Pew Research Center, n.d).

Another aspect to consider in questionnaire development is the order of questions, which can impact the results. Questions at the beginning of the questionnaire can significantly influence how respondents answer subsequent questions (Pew Research Center, n.d). It is essential to start the survey with engaging and straightforward questions to capture respondents’ attention. Demographic questions should come last to avoid making respondents feel unfairly targeted, which might discourage them from completing the survey (Pew Research Center, n.d). Consistency in the survey format is also crucial to ensure respondents do not feel like they are answering different questionnaires (Pew Research Center, n.d).

HRM FPX 5122 Assessment 2 Leadership and Culture Survey Development

Besides questions, another critical component of a survey is scaling. Scaling is especially crucial in surveys that use closed question formats and measure respondents’ attitudes and beliefs. Various scales are used in surveys. One is the Likert scale, which typically ranges between five and seven points and asks respondents how much they agree or disagree with a statement (Morell-Samuels, 2002). However, the Likert scale was not used in the PMC survey due to its potential for bias, including social desirability bias and acquiescence bias, which can lead to inaccurate and unreliable responses (Pew Research Center, n.d).

The second type of scale is the Semantic Differential scale, which places opposite words describing the issue under study at the ends of the scale, allowing respondents to choose the side representing their attitude towards the topic (Brace, 2008). The Semantic Differential scale is less prone to bias and more likely to yield accurate responses. Consequently, the current survey used a Semantic Differential Scale. Initially, the Semantic Differential scale had seven points, but it has since been reduced, with researchers currently using between three and five points (Brace, 2008). The PMC survey was designed with five points to balance between too much information saturation and limiting respondent responses, ensuring accuracy.

Employee Engagement Survey

Title:
Please complete the following questionnaire with specific regard to the above enquiry, by placing a CROSS in the appropriate box
1 Never
2
3
4
5 Always

1. My feedback is valued
2. My supervisor is good at communication
3. My supervisor recognizes me and my colleagues
4. I suffer burnout
5. My department offers development and training opportunities

Department Leadership
[X]

Demographic Information
Tick where appropriate (×)

1. What is your department
   Sales and Marketing
   Finance
   Human Resource Department

Title:
Please complete the following questionnaire with specific regard to the above enquiry, by placing a CROSS in the appropriate box
1 Never
2
3
4
5 Always

1. The firm provides equal opportunity for people with disabilities
2. The firm provides an environment where every employee can express themselves
3. Racial, ethnic, and gender-based jokes are tolerated in the firm
4. Employees from different backgrounds relate well within the company

Inclusion and Workplace Diversity
[X]

Demographic Information
Tick where appropriate (×)

1. Which is your gender
   Male
   Female

2. What is your ethnic background
   Latino
   White
   African American
   Other

Distribution of the Survey

Once the development of a survey questionnaire is complete, the next step is the distribution of the survey. Before PMC can distribute the survey to its employees, it is essential to conduct a pilot study. A pilot study can help the company identify and resolve any issues in the questionnaires before distribution to the employees in the two facilities (Edwards et al., 2012).

After the pilot study confirms the questionnaires are accurate, PMC can distribute them to employees. There are different methods of distribution available to the company, such as email distribution or face-to-face interviews. Factors guiding the selection of a survey distribution method include computer literacy, privacy, security, consistency, speed, and costs, among others (Courage & Baxter, 2005).

HRM FPX 5122 Assessment 2 Leadership and Culture Survey Development

For PMC, the email option is the best choice. Most employees are computer literate and have email addresses, enabling them to receive and complete their surveys via email and return them. Given PMC’s manufacturing nature, employees are likely busy and may not have time to fill out questionnaires during face-to-face interviews or working hours. The email distribution method allows employees to complete their questionnaires at their convenience. Additionally, email distribution makes it easier, more convenient, and cost-effective to distribute the survey across all PMC facilities without physical travel (Reynolds, Woods, & Baker, 2006).

Another decision PMC must make is determining who receives and participates in the survey. There are different ways to assess survey respondents, including case studies and census surveys. PMC aims to gather attitudes from all employees, making a census survey the best option as it allows PMC to distribute the questionnaire to all employees in the two plants (Borg & Mastrangelo, 2009). Combined, the Lima and Bowling Green plants employ 1,100 workers. Ensuring all employees receive the survey may be challenging, but it is essential for inclusivity.

As discovered in the employee engagement report, employees feel valued when given the opportunity to provide feedback. PMC can segment employees by department and distribute the surveys through departmental heads. While ensuring all employees receive the survey is crucial, it is also important to inform employees that participation is voluntary. PMC can also excuse temporary employees and students on field study since they may not be with the organization long enough to understand its culture or develop a commitment.

References

Borg, I., & Mastrangelo, M. P. (2009). Employee Surveys in Management: Theories, Tools, and Practical Applications. Hogrefe Publishing.

Brace, I. (2008). Questionnaire Design: How to Plan, Structure and Write Survey Material for Effective Market Research. Kogan Page Publishers.

Edwards, E. J., Thomas, D. M., Rosenfeld, P., & Booth-Kewley, S. (2012). How to Conduct Organizational Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide. Sage Publications.

Morell-Samuels, P. (2002). Getting the truth into workplace surveys. Harvard Business Review.

Pew Research Center. (n.d.). Questionnaire design. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/u-s-survey-research/questionnaire-design/

HRM FPX 5122 Assessment 2 Leadership and Culture Survey Development

Reynolds, A. R., Woods, R., & Baker, D. J. (2006). Handbook of Research on Electronic Surveys and Measurements. Idea Group Inc.