Reference no: EM133164239
Case Study: Why is Everyone So Stressed?
Lisa Harcourt sat at her desk and could not believe the feedback received from the recent employee survey. As HR director for Top Notch Storage, she has always thought that the company had highly engaged and happy workers. However, the data were presenting a very different picture.
Top Notch Storage had been in business for 10 years and had been rapidly growing. The company employed over 2000 people, ranging from office workers who did bookings, to people who were in charge of placing and retrieving items from storage, to a group of 30 managers who supervised the various employees. Lisa noted that only 400 people (or about 20%) of the workforce responded to the employee survey, but she couldn't understand why this was the case. The low response rate also caused her to wonder if the information presented was accurate and a true indication of problems at Top Notch Storage.
From the responses received, employees indicated that they received constant calls from the office (even on weekends) indicating that clients needed access to their storage units: therefore, someone had to go to the office and provide this service. Employees also indicated that they felt unsafe going to the units at the back of the facility to meet a client alone on a weekend. Also, feedback indicated that the work environment contained many safety hazards, such as improper equipment (forklifts and poor lighting), and that the software used for booking and tracking storage units was outdated and very difficult to operate. Furthermore, some employees indicated that they hadn't had a vacation in a long time and that their boss encouraged them not to take time away from work.
Lisa was concerned and wondered what the next steps should be. The response rate was so low that she wondered if any action was required.
Questions:
1. What should Lisa do next? How would you prioritize the issues that need to be addressed?
2. What are the possible consequences if Lisa chooses to ignore the results from the employee survey given the low response rate?
3. Why was the response rate so low, and how could this be improved for future surveys?
4. How would you describe the culture at Top Notch Storage? What key actions are required in order to change the culture, particularly regarding health and safety?