Just to define what a Murder Room is, it's a game not unlike the board game Clue, where the people in the room are told about a murder and the people playing (and paying for it) can ask the staff (role playing staff) questions about the murder, victim, etc. in a effort to uncover who the murderer is. Lying is not allowed and the enjoyment is in piecing the clues together for the final outcome.
Because it's a game, players ask simple questions that build a trail of discovery to find the murderer. This is fun in a game, but if you really want the cut to the chase, players could ask more pointed and direct questions for a quicker outcome. But for a game the fun is in the journey.
Not as much fun if the "game" is your job and the murder room is the company you work for.
Company employee polls are not unlike a Murder Room, except he company never really want heavy truths (would prefer "light" issues only) and the staff never really gives the direct answers.
Clue #1 : If the response rate is low, then you may have bigger issues.
Clue #2 : If the employer can narrow down the respondent by the answers (location, years with company, position, building, department, etc), then staff may not be very forth coming with "reality" as they see it. This could result in Clue #1.
Clue #3 : Wimpy / Puff questions. Questions that are rather general (how well do you like your job?) can dance around issues and even be used to assume that unhappy employee are the issue and not something with the company. What about questions like "Would you still be working here if you could get another job with the same salary, benefits and location? Do you feel the company has majors issues? If you where a prospective customer, would you spend your money on our product or services?
Clue #4 : Little or no follow up. If the pool results are never published, it's been deep 6's. Buried, trash canned, killed with the results being a NOP (No Operation or changes occurring). If the response rate was low and they just re-send the same poll out for a "better" response with out addressing the "core" reasons for low response, well, the company also has bigger issues.
Clue #5 : If the companies response to the poll results is more "Ra Ra" sessions (lets meet for a free lunch and t-shirts), then, well you know they don't have a clue and / or don't care.
A company pool should ask the hard questions, be anonymous (make sure id's are not tracked by employee), published and followed up. Followed up could be an additions poll or meetings with acknowledgment that specific issues exists and how (if possible) they can be addressed. Of course if the primary issue is management (or the culture resulting from said management), then it may all be for not.
I've seen both responsive and not responsive companies. Just how the employee polls are handled can tell you a lot about which boat you are in.
Because it's a game, players ask simple questions that build a trail of discovery to find the murderer. This is fun in a game, but if you really want the cut to the chase, players could ask more pointed and direct questions for a quicker outcome. But for a game the fun is in the journey.
Not as much fun if the "game" is your job and the murder room is the company you work for.
Company employee polls are not unlike a Murder Room, except he company never really want heavy truths (would prefer "light" issues only) and the staff never really gives the direct answers.
Clue #1 : If the response rate is low, then you may have bigger issues.
Clue #2 : If the employer can narrow down the respondent by the answers (location, years with company, position, building, department, etc), then staff may not be very forth coming with "reality" as they see it. This could result in Clue #1.
Clue #3 : Wimpy / Puff questions. Questions that are rather general (how well do you like your job?) can dance around issues and even be used to assume that unhappy employee are the issue and not something with the company. What about questions like "Would you still be working here if you could get another job with the same salary, benefits and location? Do you feel the company has majors issues? If you where a prospective customer, would you spend your money on our product or services?
Clue #4 : Little or no follow up. If the pool results are never published, it's been deep 6's. Buried, trash canned, killed with the results being a NOP (No Operation or changes occurring). If the response rate was low and they just re-send the same poll out for a "better" response with out addressing the "core" reasons for low response, well, the company also has bigger issues.
Clue #5 : If the companies response to the poll results is more "Ra Ra" sessions (lets meet for a free lunch and t-shirts), then, well you know they don't have a clue and / or don't care.
A company pool should ask the hard questions, be anonymous (make sure id's are not tracked by employee), published and followed up. Followed up could be an additions poll or meetings with acknowledgment that specific issues exists and how (if possible) they can be addressed. Of course if the primary issue is management (or the culture resulting from said management), then it may all be for not.
I've seen both responsive and not responsive companies. Just how the employee polls are handled can tell you a lot about which boat you are in.
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