Dive Brief:
- More than half of workers surveyed by Resume Now said that their job frequently involves busy work — tasks that look productive but “offer little meaningful impact,” according to results released Feb. 3.
- Resume Now surveyed 1,130 U.S. workers on busy work and its effects on their job and morale. Close to 1 in 4 workers said their work “always” involves busy work, and 54% said they feel they have no power to change these inefficiencies.
- Notably, 45% said their suggestions are considered but “rarely acted upon,” and less than half said they believe their employers “actively support” process improvements.
Dive Insight:
Many of Resume Now’s suggestions to employees revolve around using work communication channels — speaking to the importance of employer listening.
But the survey results also point to the danger of asking for feedback only to do nothing with it, a phenomenon that McLean & Co. flagged in a report last year.
“Continuously asking employees for feedback without taking action only contributes to disengagement as employees lose trust in the organization’s listening efforts,” Amanda Chaitnarine, director of HR diagnostics, advisory and data insights at McLean & Co., said in a statement.
Employers can make this easier for themselves by defining the purpose of their surveys and listening tools, asking employees how the current process feels, and prioritizing listening goals, McLean said.
Engagement is an ongoing problem for employers, but companies can inadvertently hamstring themselves by not fostering honesty and advocacy in their workplaces, SurveyMonkey said in a Sept. 2024 report. While 80% of HR pros surveyed said they were concerned employees weren’t providing honest feedback about their experiences, 39% of workers said they are uncomfortable sharing it, and 44% said they don’t feel it will lead to change.
