A resource and a tool for understanding the organization and the culture as a benchmark for organizational change.

Nordli, Wilson Associates' approach to Organizational Surveys....

• Organizational Surveys are tailored to the organization and are used as an active tool in helping organizations define their challenges, change and grow.
•  Nordli, Wilson Psychologists work with the management team to identify useful and relevant dimensions to assess that help the management team discover valuable information and communicate effectively with all employees. 
• Organizational Surveys are part of an active process of change, they are not an end in themselves.  Nordli, Wilson psychologists works with management to use the Organizational  Survey as a communication tool.  Feedback to employees is an essential part of process.
• Nordli, Wilson Psychologists help management overcome the most common complaint of surveys (that management does not listen nor do anything different) by coaching the management team on an active program of continuing feedback and debriefings to employees on progress and change.

When are Organizational Surveys most valuable?

• When an organization is undergoing significant change (i.e. restructuring, mergers, or top management changes).
• When an organization is struggling with internal conflict (i.e. labor unrest, signs of poor morale, internal fighting and finger pointing between departments).
• When a new leader wants to take the pulse of the organization and establish benchmarks for progress and change.
• When an organization is stagnant or stuck in a less than optimal performance mode.
• When an organization is faced with exciting new challenges and leadership wants to take stock of the resources and strengths of the organization.
  

Each Organizational Survey process is unique and tailored to the needs of the particular organization.  Some organizations may require a very targeted Organizational Survey that is deep, comprehensive and focused on key members of the organization only.  Others might have concerns that require a broad assessment of all employees to capture broader issues of culture, morale and teamwork.  Yet each process has similar steps:

1. Assessment Phase

At the outset the Nordli, Wilson Psychologist spends time with the leadership team to assess their goals for the Organizational Survey. The Organizational Survey is most useful when it is an integrated part of the mission and the plan of the management team.  The Organizational Survey is designed around the culture and the goals of the leadership team.  In some cases, the leadership team plays a very active role in shaping the specific content of the survey.

2.  Defining an Action Plan

Based on the results of the assessment phase, an action plan for the Organizational Survey is developed.  The Organizational Survey can range from a series of comprehensive interviews with key individuals in the organization to a full spectrum all-employee questionnaire with objective questions and open-ended narrative responses.  Beyond conducting the mechanics of the survey, Nordli, Wilson Psychologists analyze and interpret the results and help the leadership team establish a working plan for addressing key findings.  Also, Nordli, Wilson Psychologists directly assist the leadership team in feedback the survey results to all participants.

3. The Goal

The goal of the Organizational Survey process is two fold.  It provides the leadership team with valuable and instructive feedback about the culture, the strengths, the barriers and the conflicts in the organization.   This valuable information can then be used by management to capitalize on strengths and install corrective action plans where necessary to bring about organizational change. Secondly, the Organizational Survey is a valuable communication vehicle between employees and leadership.  The process opens a constructive dialogue in the organization that empowers employees and helps them see a connection between their suggestions and behavior and the actions of management.