Speak Up

[19sharon]

Hi. My employers are actively seeking to engage with staff more, which is great. I’d like to know/ask what initiatives other companies use to encourage their passive population to engage more, what we can we do at my work to encourage people to speak up? I’ve heard of one employer who holds regular meetings with board members (who unable to speak at all) who just sit and listen to small groups about what’s concerning them currently. Anything that works would be great if anyone can share what happens where they work.

In theory?
OR that actually works ?

Our employers have these 'listening sessions'...... but then it gets back to your line manager who calls you in to ask why you are 'not representing the team in a positive light' etc

They do surveys - sometimes anon - but the questions are so skewed, and there isn't room to explain why you chose option a/b/c/or d - that it doesn't really give room for feedback.

I did used to like those programmes where a member of the senior management of a company went to work (undercover) in one of the 'lowest' roles for a fortnight, without them being told who they were - could have been edited for good TV, but they usually revelaed that the top brass had no idea about what actual went on at the 'sharp end' of the workforce.

What are they hoping to achieve really?