Employee Surveys: The VitalSigns Cooperative Assessment®
Get the Data and Advice You Need to Improve Your Team and Culture
Why Choose the VitalSigns Cooperative Assessment®?
- Designed for Co-ops, Grounded in Science:
Our survey was built specifically for co-ops using questions proven by management science to be valid. And we got feedback from electric co-op leaders nationwide during the design process to make sure it is perfect for co-ops. - Comprehensive Insights:
From improving morale, to understanding your safety culture, to reducing turnover, our survey covers a wide range of areas crucial to a co-op’s future. - Benchmarked Results:
You’ll learn how your co-op compares to other electric cooperatives, giving you a clearer picture of areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. - User-friendly Experience:
Employees can conveniently complete the survey on any device, whether they’re in the office, in the field, or at home.
Dive Deeply Into Your Co-op's Cultural Health
Our survey assesses many critical areas, including:
- Morale
- Employee Engagement
- Safety Climate
- Employee Retention
- Process Efficiency
- Satisfaction with Pay, Benefits, and More
- Training Needs
- Alignment with the Co-op’s Mission
- The Co-op’s Strengths and Weaknesses
- Opportunities to Enhance Member Satisfaction
- Areas to Improve in Training and Development
Comprehensive Reporting & Consultation
Once our data analysis is complete, you'll receive a detailed report with numerical results, hundreds of graphs, a narrative from us with key takeaways, and the full text of the employees' written responses to nine open-ended questions. This is followed by an in-depth consultation with our experts to help you better understand where your co-op stands and how to improve where necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the surveys distributed?
It’s really simple! We send each of your employees an email with a link to the survey. And, all we need from you is your employees’ names and email addresses. We handle everything from there.
What if some of my employees don’t have an email address?
No problem! In fact, several of our clients are in this situation. We will send you a link to the survey to place into your own internal systems for employees to access however you feel is best. Their responses will still go directly to us.
How many of my employees can I expect to complete the survey?
Lots! Employees really appreciate it when the co-op asks their opinions! This means that the response rates are typically high. We generally see response rates of between 80% and 95%.
How long will it take my employees to do the survey?
The survey is brief, yet comprehensive. Most employees will finish in 15-20 minutes, but it depends in part on how much time they spend writing their answers to the optional open-ended questions at the end of the survey.
How long will it take to get our results?
Only about two weeks! We typically give employees 10 days to complete the survey, and we then write and deliver the report to you as soon as possible.
How soon can you get started?
Once you send us your employee names and email addresses, we can normally send the survey to your employees within 2-3 business days.
Are the surveys confidential? How can our employees be sure?
Your employees can rest assured that co-op management will never see their individual answers attached to their names or email addresses in any way. GreatCo-Ops takes employee privacy very, very seriously. In fact, we require co-op management to agree to this understanding when they sign up. It’s our way of making sure employees are comfortable with the process.
How often should we survey our employees?
We recommend that co-ops have us survey their employees at least once per year. This helps co-op management track improvements over time, and it tells employees that management wants to hear from them on a consistent basis.
We already have an employee survey that we do ourselves. Why should we switch to yours?
There are several advantages to outsourcing your employee survey work to GreatCo-Ops. First, switching to GreatCo-Ops will free up your HR team to focus on what they do best. Second, our team of Ph.D.s has spent decades designing surveys and interpreting the results. That’s just our thing! So, you can be certain that your survey results will give you exactly what you need to make the best decisions. Finally, your employees may be more comfortable giving their honest opinions if they know that the survey isn’t being monitored by someone at the co-op.
Our survey is being done already by another organization. What’s the advantage of your survey over theirs?
Great question. In fact, several co-ops have switched to GreatCo-Ops from other survey providers, because we focus exclusively on electric co-ops. That means our survey is written in “electric co-op language,” and it asks only questions that are relevant to electric co-ops and their people. Plus, when you have GreatCo-Ops survey your employees, you get benchmarked to other electric distribution co-ops. We know that co-ops, their employees, and their cultures are unique. That’s why it’s so important to be benchmarked to other electric co-ops. Finally, our survey is the most comprehensive and scientifically valid available exclusively to electric co-ops, ensuring you get the data you need to make key decisions about your people and culture.
How much work will this cause for me and my senior staff?
Not much at all. We work very hard to minimize your workload on this project. It should take no more than three hours per year for the CEO or his/her designee to handle the whole thing, including reading our report and having a call with us to discuss the results.
How do we get started?
Easy! Just sign up below, and we will be in touch ASAP to talk about next steps!
Ready to Learn More About Your People and Culture?
Harness the power of employee insights by partnering with GreatCo-Ops for your next survey. Sign up for the VitalSigns Cooperative Assessment®.
