'It's critically important that you have leadership executives who are brought into the process'
Engaged executive sponsorship is critical when it comes to employee listening programs.
That’s according to Rex Backes, the senior director of associate experience insights and engagement at TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America).
TIAA's employee experience program evolved from being part of talent management during a “pivotal shift” in 2022 when the company’s listening platform, approach and team were moved under the associate experience umbrella. This strategic partnership paved the way for a more holistic approach to understanding and addressing employee needs and was triggered by in TIAA's commitment to listening to their associates, Backes said.
“The associate experience team became front and centre in everything we did during the pandemic, as did our listening approach to how we heard what our employees and customers were saying,” he said.
As part of its evolution, the program now goes beyond traditional pulse surveys and features an expanded listening repertoire, from biannual engagement surveys to lifecycle surveys, ad hoc listening, and CEO listening sessions. This multifaceted approach ensures that TIAA captures the full spectrum of associate sentiments, from onboarding to exit.
The impact of executive involvement
Involving executive leaders is an essential component of TIAA’s listening program. This started in 2018 when the company’s new CEO expressed wanting to meet with a small segment of employees on a monthly basis to listen to their feedback.
“That is one of the most meaningful conversations our employees can have, when they are able to share their thoughts with their CEO; it makes a big deal for associates who are randomly selected to participate in that,” Backes said.
With only eight to 10 employees being selected to participate each month, TIAA expanded this initiative to include more members of the senior leadership team. The company will be delivering 75 sessions over the course of the next year featuring small, focused listening sessions between senior leaders and associates to give them the opportunity to “make a connection with the senior leadership that they might be missing,” he said at Qualtrics’ X4 Summit in Salt Lake City.
“It's critically important as you watch these types of programs that you have leadership executives who are brought into the process and are actively involved in the solutioning that occurs through that process. We found that active participation from senior leaders helps to reinforce the organization,” he said.
Measuring survey results
When it comes to deciphering response data, TIAA has shifted from key driver analysis to identifying overarching themes that cut across key performance indicators like engagement, inclusion, ease of experience and meeting expectations, Backes said.
"By identifying these underlying themes, we gain deeper insights into the factors shaping associate sentiment," he said.
But perhaps the most impactful aspect of TIAA's approach is their emphasis on action. Backes highlights the establishment of focus teams around key driver themes, comprising executives, senior leaders, program leads and frontline associates.
"These focus teams serve as incubators for innovative solutions, driving tangible initiatives aimed at enhancing associate experience," he said.
However, success doesn't come without its challenges. Backes acknowledges that aligning diverse business areas and navigating varying ease of experience preferences posed initial hurdles. Yet, TIAA's approach enabled them to adapt and drive continuous improvement.
"Leadership buy-in, diverse representation, and transparent communication are the cornerstones of an effective associate experience strategy," he said. "Our initiatives aren't just theoretical concepts; they're concrete manifestations of our commitment to our associates' well-being."
Consistent survey engagement
TIAA sees a consistent survey response rate around the mid-80s, with the company’s November survey achieving a response rate of 85 per cent, Backes said.
Despite the successful response rate, Backes emphasizes that response rate is a “means to an end,” not the most important part of the survey. For this reason, TIAA is explicit about these surveys being voluntary so as not to drive participation around response rate.
“What we found years ago, when we really pushed people to participate in these surveys was that when you have leaders say, ‘I want 100% participation from my business area,’ that actually has a negative effect on your survey results because people don't feel like it's confidential; they don't feel like it's anonymous. All of a sudden, they feel like somebody's tracking them, and that's not what we want; we want honest employee feedback,” Backes said.
With this in mind, TIAA created a cultural liaison team, embedded in each business area, to help communicate how things are progressing with regards to survey response rate. Instead of mandating or incentivizing responses, the company created a dashboard where response rate can be monitored in real time.
“The response rate dashboard can show how business areas are doing, and then if we see that there are certain leaders who are 10 or 15 per cent behind the company average at a certain point in time, we can send a gentle reminder to them to help push response rate,” Backes said.
