People Pulse and Feedback

At VSHN, we have historically used various tools such as OfficeVibe and Lattice to foster a feedback culture and gather insights into VSHNeers' job satisfaction and their perceptions of the organization and employer.

However, these tools have presented several challenges:

  • The available tools were not customizable enough to match our VSHN Culture of Semi-Autonomous Teams.

    • They often presupposed traditional hierarchical management structures.

    • They required assigning a direct report for each employee.

    • They demanded the designation of team leads, contrary to our cultural practices.

    • Their permission models were dependent on the existence of direct reports or team leads.

    • They did not offer the flexibility for employees to assume multiple roles or to be part of several teams or workgroups.

    • The questions in pulse surveys did not resonate with our distinct culture.

    • They featured the eNPS question but did not permit custom instructions or explanations of its use.

  • When a tool consistently asks, "Please let us know what you think," it can lead to the belief that simply giving feedback will spark change, fostering an 'Employee versus Employer' mindset. This belief contradicts our "Leadership in every chair" culture, where problem-solving starts with the individual. We intentionally have no process or designated place where one can leave feedback about the organization and expect others to address it. This concept might be difficult to grasp initially, so we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the VSHN Culture. Nevertheless, for personal challenges, we have established places and responsibilities, as outlined in People Care.

VSHNeer Surveys

Currently, we use findmind.ch/ to create surveys, but only when we have a clear purpose for collecting data and a clear plan for managing the data afterward. It’s essential to fully understand our expectations and the responsibilities tied to free-text feedback or comments before we request them.

For access to findmind.ch, we maintain a paid account with personal user privileges. If you need access, please make a request in the #corporate-it channel.

Designing Effective Survey Questions

Our survey designs aim to reinforce our culture of proactive problem-solving and personal responsibility. The questions not only seek to identify areas perceived as challenging or in need of improvement but also prompt reflection on any actions already undertaken to address these issues. This aligns with our culture of "Leadership in every chair," where individuals are empowered to initiate change.

The types of questions we include are:

  • What challenges or opportunities have you identified?

  • What steps have you already taken to driving forward or addressing this issue?

  • What kind of support or resources would help you in resolving or taking advantage of this?

Before deploying a survey, we ensure:

  • The objectives for data collection are clear and the strategy for data management is explicitly outlined.

  • Responsibilities for responding to and managing feedback are understood and agreed upon - Who does what and how?