What Can’t Employer Research Do?

When asked about the limits of employer research, I think about the (probably apocryphal) quote attributed to Brian Sewell. When he objected to the Diana memorial, the rebuttal was that it was what the public wanted. He, supposedly, replied “yes, but the public are idiots”.

And there’s some truth in that, at least there is if you take him to mean that it takes a creative mind to imagine a more fitting or inspiring memorial. Perhaps not even a memorial as we’d usually understand it.

Here’s a couple of research examples of the same kinda thing. In this example, people were asked in the mid 90s what they wanted on a plane. They couldn’t imagine that power sockets would vital to them 15 years later. Here, people don’t know what will persuade them to change.

The limitation is that “the public” understand today very well, but are less good at tomorrow. But would we expect any different? In thinking about your working environment, you have a very complex relationship with your company, its leaders, your manager and your colleagues and its mission and values. You know how you feel about it now, but if you change some or all of the above elements, do you really know if you’ll feel more engaged?

Yes. And no.

No, because employer research will never provide a full cartridge of silver bullets. It’s always going to be about finding the things that are most likely to have the greatest effect.

Yes, because we have some help, since:

1. “The public” aren’t idiots
   As I conduct my research, I never fail to be impressed by how – even for more menial or low-paid jobs – how sincere, considered and dedicated people are when you pose provoking questions about their working lives.
   
   
2. We already know a lot of the answers
   I’ve written before about Engage For Success and their four criteria for engagement:
   
   
   • A strong strategic narrative
   • Engaging managers
   • Organisational integrity
   • Employee voice

We can use research to determine how well these criteria are delivered now. And we can ask open and closed questions to allow our (non-idiotic) public to determine how we can bridge any gaps. (Immediately giving them that “Employee Voice”; a pleasing win-win.)

That – with a critical eye and experience of what tends to work well - is how I believe you determine the most probable paths to better engagement.