[kag123]

My company is a small (200 employees) company. I am a manager. The HR department recently sent a 20 page survey to every employee and asked that we complete it by the end of the week. The survey asks very in depth probing questions about the nature of your job, how is your relationship with your superiors, why are you important to the company, how is what you do different than what anyone else does, what is your impression of your coworkers, etc.

My first thought was...this is just like the "Bobs" from Office Space. Only I would be surprised if we were going thru layoffs because we are rapidly growing and I just received authorization to hire 10 more people.

My second thought was...this was clearly written by the company lawyers (questions are circular, asking the same question many different ways, feels like a test you can't possibly pass). We are under litigation by a former employee with the dep't of labor for unpaid overtime wages. There are not enough questions on the survey about working overtime to make me think that's entirely what this is about.

I feel uneasy and suspicious. We were told that if we don't return the surveys, we wont get a year end review until we do, and that means no merit raises, bonuses or 401k profit sharing.

Has anyone else ever had to do something like this? Am I paranoid or does this seem a bit fishy to anyone else? I don't really have anyone else IRL to get a good perspective from. H is telling me I am making a big deal over nothing, shut up and do it so I don't miss out on bonus time.

Maybe I am making a big deal.

I have started to fill out the survey three times so far and stopped each time, there is no way I feel I can answer these questions without throwing someone under the bus, and I feel uncomfortable doing that. I don't trust that this will remain confidential, either.
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[So Sad Lady]

My company started sending out confidential surveys a few years ago..Five years, I believe. Granted, I work for a large company (over 55,000 employees across the US), but they hired an outside survey firm to do this.

The results were recorded, and numbers were given to management. I have a few people that report to me, so I was shown the results. However, I was only shown the numbers and averages of the answers. And we are encouraged by company executives to use the results to improve employee satisfaction.

But, we were also notified prior to the survey that it was coming out, and that it was being done by an outside firm.

I don't like the part where you say you're penalized for not completing it though. And if it's internal, I guess I would also be leery of confidentiality.

Can you ask your immediate manager to explain what this is, why it's there and what they expect to do with the results?

 

[Toffer]

Sounds a little fishy

Would answering some of this allow them to figure out who you are?

 

[COGypsy]

Sounds like there may be more than just unpaid overtime issues going on. Those questions make it sound like a response to either some sort of corporate strategic planning initiative or else response to a hostile work environment complaint.

 

[studley]

Do you have to sign it or can you remain anonomous?

 

[F-102]

In this economic environment, companies can afford to be picky about whom they hire and keep.

If there are plans to "trim the fat" then there will also be plans to "clean house", and it is a well known fact that many companies will use these "confidential" surveys to identify those who they think are not being "team players" or potential lawsuit-generating troublemakers.

 

[the guy]

I never got one but if I did, I'd say; everything is great, everyone is great, the company is great, and I'm great.

Be as vage as possible and don't stir anything up!

 

[fortheloveofit2]

I would not be to stressed about it. The Lawyers could be trying to gather some information to show some statistics in court.

 

[kag123]

For those who asked - it is not anonymous. They ask you for name, title and job description. It even says something along the lines of "if you do not know what your job description is per your personnel file, describe what you think it is"

Then for managers, I have to name each of my employees, their titles and describe each of their duties individually as well as give a brief review of how good I think they are at their job.

The thing that is tripping me up is, I actually DO the jobs of about 3-4 people on a daily basis, including my bosses job most days. I pull the weight of many. I am aware of what my actual job description states that I do...it only covers about 25% of what I actually do day to day. So, do I tell the truth about what I really do (and basically rat my coworkers out for the lazy SOBs they are, plus bring attention to myself ) or, do I follow only what my job description says, and risk being seen as more expendable/less important. ?

Still find it hard to believe something like this is ethical.
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