It is said that employees can be an organization's best or worst ambassadors. And it is axiomatic that a well-informed work force is more productive than a poorly informed work force. Listed below are five topics for employee communications. Our objective is (1) to assess the importance of communicating information about each topic from the perspective of employer and employee, (2) to identify the communication tools used by employers in each case, and (3) to gauge the relative effectiveness of communication regarding the five topics. (Items in blue are required.) (1) How important to top management is communicating information to employees about your organization's mission, vision and values? (Please rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (2) In the minds of your organization's employees, how important is receiving communication about the organization's mission, vision and values? (Rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (3) Which, if any, vehicles does your organization use in communicating to employees information about its mission, vision and values? (Please list in the comment box below.)   (4) How effective is your organization in communicating to its employees information about its mission, vision and values?   Very effective Effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Ineffective Very ineffective (5) How important to top management is communicating to employees information about your organization's financial health and operating performance? (Please rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (6) In the minds of your organization's employees, how important is receiving communication about the organization's financial health and operating performance? (Rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (7) Which, if any, vehicles does your organization use in communicating to employees information about its financial health and operating performance? (Please list in the comment box below.)   (8) How effective is your organization in communicating to its employees information about its financial health and operating performance?   Very effective Effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Ineffective Very ineffective (9) How important to top management is communicating information to employees about your organization's record of corporate social responsibility and community involvement? (Please rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (10) In the minds of your organization's employees, how important is receiving communication about the organization's record of corporate social responsibility and community involvement? (Rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (11) Which, if any, vehicles does your organization use in communicating to employees information about its record of corporate social responsibility and community involvement? (Please list in the comment box below.)   (12) How effective is your organization in communicating to its employees information about its record of corporate social responsibility and community involvement?   Very effective Effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Ineffective Very ineffective (13) How important to top management is communicating information to employees about your organization's health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs? (Please rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (14) In the minds of your organization's employees, how important is receiving communication about the organization's health-care, 401(k)retirement and/or compensation programs? (Rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (15) Which, if any, vehicles does your organization use in communicating to employees information about its health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs? (Please list in the comment box below.)   (16) How effective is your organization in communicating to its employees information about its health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs?   Very effective Effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Ineffective Very ineffective (17) How important to top management is communicating information to employees about your organization's career development and advancement opportunities? (Please rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (18) In the minds of your organization's employees, how important is receiving communication about the organization's career development and advancement opportunities? (Rate on a 7-pt. scale, with 1=low importance and 7=high importance.)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (19) Which, if any, vehicles does your organization use in communicating to employees information about its career development and advancement opportunities? (Please list in the comment box below.)   (20) How effective is your organization in communicating to its employees information about its career development and advancement opportunities?   Very effective Effective Somewhat effective Somewhat ineffective Ineffective Very ineffective (21) TOP MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE: In terms of the relative importance top management attaches to communicating information to employees about each of the five topics outlined in the previous questions, please prioritize by typing each topic in the comment box below and assigning a unique number (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) to each, with 1=most important, 2=second most important, 3=third most important, 4=fourth most important and 5=fifth most important. (REMINDER: DO NOT USE THE SAME NUMBER FOR TWO OR MORE TOPICS!) Example of proper answer format: Mission, vision and values = 1; Financial health and operating performance = 2; Corporate social responsibility and community involvement = 3; Health-care, retirement and compensation programs = 4; Career development and advancement = 5.   (22) EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE: In terms of the relative importance your organization's employees attach to receiving information about each of the five topics outlined in the previous questions, please prioritize by typing each topic in the comment box below and assigning a unique number (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) to each, with 1=most important, 2=second most important, 3=third most important, 4=fourth most important and 5=fifth most important. (REMINDER: DO NOT USE THE SAME NUMBER FOR TWO OR MORE TOPICS!) Example of proper answer format: Mission, vision and values = 1; Financial health and operating performance = 2; Corporate social responsibility and community involvement = 3; Health-care, retirement and compensation programs = 4; Career development and advancement = 5.   (23) For which topic does your organization do the most effective job of communicating information to employees?   Mission, vision and values Financial health and operating performance Corporate social responsibility and community involvement Health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs Career development and advancement opportunities (24) For which topic does your organization do the least effective job of communicating information to employees?   Mission, vision and values Financial health and operating performance Corporate social responsibility and community involvement Health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs Career development and advancement opportunities (25) For which topic is it most critical for your organization to improve its communication to employees?   Mission, vision and values Financial health and operating performance Corporate social responsibility and community involvement Health-care, 401(k)/retirement and/or compensation programs Career development and advancement opportunities (26) Which answer below best reflects the overall productivity of your organization's work force?   Very productive Productive Somewhat productive Somewhat less than productive Unproductive Very unproductive (27) Which letter grade below best reflects the overall relationship between your organization's management and employees?   A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F In order to generate robust research data, we ask that you complete the profile section below. Your individual survey responses are kept in strictest confidence and only aggregate results are passed along to Charet & Associates. Your information will not be sold or otherwise passed along to any third party, and will not be used by our firm for any purpose other than to prepare a report on research findings. Full Name Company Street Address City State / Province Zip/ Postal Code Email Address Position Held Select One: Chairman/President/CEO/Owner/Principal/PartnerCFO/Treasurer/Controller/FinanceStrategic Planning / Business DevelopmentHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyR&D / TechnologyProduct ManagementSales & Marketing / Business DevelopmentPR / CommunicationManufacturing / OperationsOther Company Size (by annual sales) Select One: <$5M$5-9M$10-99M$100-499M$500-999M$1-5B>$5B Company Size (by employees) Select One: <2020-99100-499500-9991000-49995000-9999>10000 Ownership Select One: Privately OwnedPublicly HeldSubsidiary or Division of Private CompanySubsidiary or Division of Public CompanyPartnershipSole ProprietorshipNot-For-Profit OrganizationAcademic InstitutionGovernment Agency or UnitSelf-Employed Business’s country of origin Select One: U.S.Other North AmericanOverseas Geographic market reach Select One: GlobalInternationalNationalLocal / Regional Industry Segment: Select One: Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing SIC 0111-0971Mining SIC 1011-1499Construction SIC 1521-1799Manufacturing SIC 2011-3999Transportation SIC 4011-4789Communications SIC 4812-4899Electricity, Gas & Sanitary Services SIC 4911-4971Wholesale Trade (Durable Goods) SIC 5012-5099Wholesale Trade (Nondurable Goods) SIC 5111-5199Retail Trade SIC 5211-5999Finance, Insurance & Real Estate SIC 6021-6799Svcs (incl Govt/Educ/Not-for-Profit) SIC 7011-8999   Manhattan-on-Rouge Communications, LLC  © 2004