How engage are you to your company?

Today I made a phone call to my former colleague to discuss about some happenings. He then said "Hey write something in your blog lah.. it has been along time since I am able to read your posting". I told him that I did not have much to write about nowadays other than posting some photos which I shot and want to share it with them. I told him I do not want to write anything about politics or else I will end up being sued or even worse remand for sedition or write nonsense.
"Write something lah, maybe something that we have chat about today. I really would love to read your posting in your blog" he said.

OK, ok, since he has requested I would like to write that we have chat about today.

Today I called him to talk about the sudden resignation of 4 persons. These 4 persons tendered their resignation within 24 hours and have moved on to another organization. From my sources, the four of them are joining the new organization which have been granted to set up a new commercial bank in Cambodia. The license to operate the commercial bank was granted in late April and the condition is that the bank is to commence on or before 31 October 2008. That's six months from the date the banking license was granted.

These 4 persons who had tendered their resignation have been with the bank for more than 20 years each (except for one of them).

I looked back from the day I left my former organization, there have been numerous people who had served the organization for a long time have left and joined other organization. Like me, some of them had served the company for more than 20 years, still they would leave to seek greener pasture. For better or worse, they would be happy in their new organization currently, just like me.

On the other hand, there have been many who have promotions. Those who choose to stay do get promoted maybe due to their work performance or...I better not say anything or else some people might get offended (the consequences may be worse than being sued).

In my current organization, we have an annual survey that we need to do. It's called the Q12. It is a set of 12 questions that was invented by The Gallup Organization (a famous consulting company) after their study of why successful people work in successful companies. The Q12 is a measurement of how engage a staff is to the company. See the word "engage".

Basically, the 12 questions are based on the basic of principles of management which is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The respondent (in this case the employee) will make from a rank of 1 to 5 which is from strongly disagree to strong agree to the following questions:

1. I know what is expected of me at work.
   
   
2. I have the material and equipment I need to do my job right.
   
   
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do do best every day.
   
   
4. In the past seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good job.
   
   
5. My superior, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
   
   
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
   
   
7. At work, my opinion seems to count.
   
   
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
   
   
9. My associates, or fellow employees are committed to do quality work.
   
   
10. I have a best friend at work.
    
    
11. In the past six months, someone at work has talked to me to me about my progress.
    
    
12. This last year, I have had the opportunities at work to learn and grow.
    

Compare the above question to the diagram of Maslow's Hierarchy of Need below and you could relate each question to each level of the hierarchy.
You can read more of Q12 by Gallup by clicking on this link.

The result of the survey links up from the employee to their respective superior or supervisor and ultimately to the organization. The survey provide vital information on how "engage" an employee is and at the same time for the employer to take the appropriate action to improve on any laxity in its policies or benefits to ensure that the staff are well taken care of.

However, some dis grunted employee may use the survey to "get back" at their superior or supervisor.

I would stop here to let you ponder on the above.
Please do write your comments about this posting.