Employee Surveys - satisfaction, loyalty or engagement?

Edit Subject

An ideal time to measure satisfaction is immediately before and after a significant change has been implemented in policy, management, pay, or other factors that may directly impact satisfaction. You are learning whether employees are satisfied with the status quo. That gives you a benchmark to compare with after new changes go into effect. Later do a follow-up satisfaction survey and compare the two results to gauge employee reaction to the change.

Measure loyalty when you anticipate that satisfaction is going to be tested. Loyal employees, for example, will remain satisfied even if austerity measures like a pay freeze go into effect or if the company is involved in a public relations scandal. Those who are satisfied but not loyal may look for another job elsewhere, however, if their satisfaction is challenged.

Engagement, on the other hand, indicates participation and performance. Engaged employees are passionate about their jobs, and that tends to generate satisfaction and nurture loyalty.

Measure engagement first or if you can only take one measure, because if employees are engaged you may not need to measure loyalty and satisfaction to get the answers you are trying to find with your survey tools.