Frequently Asked Questions

Employee voice is the ability of employees to express their opinions, suggestions, and concerns in the workplace.

It is an essential aspect of a healthy and productive work environment because it allows employees to feel valued and gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility for their work.

When employees feel that their ideas and perspectives are heard and considered, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work.

There are several key benefits to encouraging employee voice in the workplace:

1. Improved communication: Employee voice helps enhance communication within a company, as it allows employees to share their ideas and concerns directly with management. This leads to better decision-making, as management is able to better understand diverse perspectives amongst team members.

2. Increased innovation: Employee voice stimulates innovation and creativity by enabling employees to share new ideas and suggestions for improvement. 

3. Enhanced motivation and engagement: When employees feel that their opinions are valued and their ideas are heard, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work. This results in better productivity and performance.

4. Better problem-solving: Employee voice brings attention to problems or challenges people face in their work, which helps to identify issues sooner and enables more effective resolution.

Employee voice is essential in creating a positive and productive work environment. Companies must find ways to encourage and facilitate employee participation and input.

Yes, leaders should listen to their employees.

Listening is essential to understand the diverse needs, concerns, and ideas of any workforce and to create a positive and supportive work environment.

When employees feel that their leaders are genuinely listening to them and taking their perspectives into consideration, it results in increased trust, respect, and engagement.

Effective listening involves actively paying attention to what is being said (regardless of the medium), showing genuine interest in the speaker's perspective, and taking appropriate action in response (regardless of how small that action is).

When leaders actively listen to their people, it almost always results in a more open and supportive work environment, which in turn helps to foster a sense of belonging and connection among employees and contributes to their overall wellbeing.

Yes, leadership's attitude towards listening matters, and it can significantly influence how people behave.

As you will have seen on this site, when leaders listen to and value the opinions and ideas of their employees, they are more likely to feel valued and empowered, which leads to greater engagement and motivation.

Conversely, when leaders are dismissive or indifferent to employee voice, they're increasingly likely to feel disempowered and disengaged, leading to negative behaviours, low morale, decreased productivity, and even higher attrition rates.

Great leaders focus on creating a culture that encourages and values employee voice to foster positive behaviours right across the organisation.

Employee silence refers to employees choosing not to speak up or share their ideas, opinions, or concerns in the workplace. Employee silence can take many forms, including not speaking up during meetings or group discussions, not sharing ideas or feedback with supervisors or colleagues, and not voicing concerns or issues that may arise.

There are many potential reasons employees may choose to remain silent, including a lack of trust in the organisation or their leaders, a fear of retribution or negative consequences, or a lack of confidence in their own ideas or abilities. Employee silence can have negative consequences for both the individual employee and the organisation, as it can lead to a lack of innovation and creativity, a decrease in productivity and performance, and a decline in morale and engagement.

It's important for organisations to create a culture where employee voice is valued and encouraged to foster an open and supportive work environment and encourage employees to speak up and share their ideas and concerns. This can help to mitigate the adverse effects of employee silence and promote a more productive and successful workplace.

Employee silence is not always a bad thing, as there may be times when employees choose not to speak up or share their ideas or concerns for valid reasons. For example, an employee may remain silent to avoid disrupting group dynamics or causing conflict, or simply prefer to observe and listen rather than actively participate in discussions.

However, employee silence can be indicative of deeper issues within the organisation, such as a lack of trust, a fear of retribution, or a lack of support for employee voice. When employee silence becomes widespread or persistent, it can have negative consequences for both the individual employees and the organisation, including a lack of innovation and creativity, a decrease in productivity and performance, and a decline in morale and engagement.

Organisations need to create a culture where employee voice is valued and encouraged to foster an open and supportive work environment and encourage employees to speak up and share their ideas and concerns. This can help to mitigate the negative effects of employee silence and promote a more productive and successful workplace.

Listening is a critical component of employee wellbeing, as it allows leaders to understand their employees' needs, concerns, and ideas. When employees feel that their leaders are genuinely listening to them and taking their concerns and ideas into consideration, it can lead to increased feelings of trust, respect, and engagement. This, in turn, can contribute to overall employee wellbeing and satisfaction.

Effective listening also involves actively paying attention to what is being said, showing genuine interest in the speaker's perspective, and providing appropriate feedback and support. By practising active listening, leaders can create a more open and supportive work environment, which can help to foster a sense of belonging and connection among employees and contribute to their overall wellbeing.

Overall, listening is an essential skill for leaders to cultivate to effectively support their employees' wellbeing and create a positive work environment.

There is evidence to suggest that listening can improve engagement at work. Research has shown that employees who feel that their leaders are genuinely listening to them and considering their concerns and ideas are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work.

One study found that employees who reported having a "voice" at work, or the ability to share their ideas and opinions freely, had higher levels of job satisfaction and were more likely to stay with the organisation. Another study found that employees who felt their leaders were open to hearing their ideas and concerns were likelier to report higher job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation.

Additionally, research has shown that effective communication, including active listening, is a critical factor in creating a positive and supportive work environment, leading to increased employee engagement and satisfaction.

Overall, the evidence suggests that listening is an essential aspect of employee engagement and can play a role in creating a positive and supportive work environment.

Good Day Ratio (GDR) is the proportion of good days to bad days that employees experience. We consider it a measure of the quality of your people's days. 

On Harkn, GDR is expressed as a single number.

A good day is generally when employees feel satisfied and motivated and are likely to be engaged and work effectively and efficiently. When we experience lots of good days at work, positive outcomes are likely for individuals and teams alike.

A bad day is when an employee is experiencing challenges or negative feelings that are likely to hinder their ability to work effectively. Too many bad days are associated with negative outcomes for individuals and teams.

With this in mind, the objective of management should be to help foster the conditions in which people experience more good days and fewer bad days - and this is expressed in the GDR.

That said, it is important to recognise that no company, team or person has a perfect ratio of good to bad days, and it is normal to have both good and bad days in any job - and our good and bad days are not always the result of work.

Recognising that people have different definitions of what constitutes a good or bad day, Harkn normalises data to ensure you have the best possible appreciation of the quality of your people's experiences at work.

The number of good and bad days employees experience can significantly impact overall wellbeing, job satisfaction, and numerous other critical people-related metrics.

Having more good days typically results in increased job satisfaction and motivation, as well as contributing to a positive work environment. This, in turn, leads to higher productivity, engagement, and better performance, and fewer adverse outcomes like burnout, stress, sickness absence, and attrition. It's a virtuous circle.

On the other hand, too many bad days can often lead to decreased engagement, negative emotions, and lower motivation. Not only does this negatively impact an employee's performance and productivity, but it increases the risk of burnout, sickness absence, and turnover. 

Real-time information can be a game-changer in preventing burnout in employees. It allows you to identify and address issues or concerns as they arise rather than waiting for a potentially more serious problem to develop.

Real-time information can also provide a more accurate picture of what is happening in the workplace, reflecting current conditions and circumstances rather than relying on historical data.

That being said, it's important to note that the real-time insights available from Harkn represent just one tool that can be used to prevent burnout in employees, and it should be used in combination with other strategies, such as providing support and resources, promoting a healthy work-life balance, and fostering a positive and supportive work culture.

Overall, the key to preventing employee burnout is creating a supportive and healthy work environment that promotes well-being and resilience. This requires a holistic approach that considers the needs and concerns of individual employees and the organisation's overall culture.

Yes, a sense of community is very important at work.

A sense of community within an organisation can contribute to a positive and supportive work environment, which can benefit employees and the organisation. When employees feel part of a supportive and inclusive community, they are more likely to feel connected and engaged in their work, leading to increased job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.

A sense of community can also help to foster collaboration and teamwork, as it creates a sense of shared purpose and mutual support among employees. This can lead to increased productivity and performance, as well as improved innovation and problem-solving.

Finally, a sense of community can be vital in times of change or uncertainty. It can provide employees with stability and support and help them navigate challenges more effectively.

Fostering a sense of community within an organisation can be essential to creating a positive and supportive work environment that promotes employee wellbeing and success.

Yes, employee wellbeing can be related to a sense of community.

A sense of community within an organisation can contribute to a positive and supportive work environment, which can, in turn, positively impact employee wellbeing. When employees feel part of a supportive and inclusive community, they are more likely to feel connected and engaged in their work, leading to increased job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.

On the other hand, a lack of sense of community within an organisation can contribute to a hostile work environment and may have a negative impact on employee wellbeing. When employees feel isolated or disconnected from their colleagues, they may be more prone to stress and burnout, and may be less motivated and engaged in their work.

Organisations need to foster a sense of community and belonging to create a positive and supportive work environment that promotes employee wellbeing. This can involve creating opportunities for employees to connect and collaborate, promoting inclusivity and diversity, and fostering a culture of trust and support.

It's all about nuance.

When we tested a 0-10 scale in an early version of Harkn, we got lots of 7s. When we switched to 0-100 we found that those 7s didn't translate to 70s but a more nuanced and varied response.

The wider range offers wider options and seems to encourage deeper consideration for most people.

You'll also notice that the slider always starts at 50, encouraging deliberate action towards either higher or lower scores.

Our chosen palette reflects a mood based range of colours.

The lower numbers attracting purple and blues, the middle of the range shows greens, and the higher end of the range moves through yellow to warm orange.

We are also trying to avoid any association with right or wrong, typically displayed as red, amber, green in most work settings.

The daily check-in is the most effective way to understand day-to-day experiences, how people are doing, and what's happening for your people and teams in real time.

There are other reasons, too, like it reduces reliance on our memories or reflections. Reflecting on experiences triggers a different part of the brain than that which experienced them, potentially giving us a distorted view from the outset.

From a wellbeing perspective, our high-frequency approach is crucial. Not only to ensure people can receive the support they require (that's where the Wall can be helpful) but also to improve our chances of noticing a change (particularly a decline) early.

All that said, you can reduce the frequency Harkn asks you to check in by choosing a different schedule in your personal account. 

Put simply, as often as you can.

Like many things in life, the more you put in, the more you're likely to get out. If nothing else, think of it as your contribution to helping your colleagues and your company to make work as good as it can be for everyone.

It can be easy to use Harkn to report only our highs and lows, but there's value in checking in our 'okay' days too.

When you've got nothing much to share, check-in, rate how you're feeling and click "no comment" or "prompt", which will offer a suggestion for something you might share, normally in the form of a "complete the sentence" or a question. 

And here are two reasons to check in anyway.

1. Normal (okay) days set our good and bad ones in context for ourselves and our colleagues.
2. You're more likely to spot a colleague in need of support by participating frequently.  Interaction between colleagues on the Wall in the form of reactions or responses helps keep people connected, feeling heard, and valued.

Yes. And yes.

Everything you share on Harkn is anonymous and visible only in aggregate amongst your colleagues. When it comes to The Wall, your ratings and comments will appear individually but only in a group context, so as long as you don't identify yourself within your comments then it's anonymous.

Anonymity is a really important enabler for honesty and safety. We'll protect and respect your privacy and anonymity, you should do the same for your colleagues.

We believe that anonymity is a critical factor in successfully enabling employee voice.

Primarily, it provides a sense of security that encourages people to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of retribution or negative consequences.

This is especially important when employees feel their opinions differ from those of their colleagues and, in particular, superiors. Challenging the status quo is often perceived as risky and, therefore, better safe than sorry remains a powerful mantra for many. 

In any hierarchy, there are power imbalances that influence the way feedback is given and received. Harkn uses anonymity to reduce the effects of hierarchy and enables 'equal voice'.

We know that anonymity is not always necessary for employees to speak freely, and there may be situations where employees feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas openly. Still, it's essential to recognise that not everyone feels comfortable speaking openly.

Ultimately, it would be best if you looked to enable multiple channels for employees to share their thoughts and ideas, including anonymous and non-anonymous options, to give employees a range of options for expressing themselves depending on the specific needs and context of the individual employees and the overall culture of the organisation.

Transparency is an integral part of the way Harkn works.

That means that you'll see how your teammates have rated their days, responses to surveys (if you're using them), and comments they share on the Wall.

You will not, however, be able to identify the individual from the data unless the comment written by someone identifies themselves.  In the same way, others will not be able to identify you.

Given it only takes a matter of seconds each day to share what's going on for you, time isn't the issue... but if it's a matter of prioritising your efforts, check with your line manager. We hope they'll say, "share what you can as often as you can."

There are several benefits to employees of real-time employee voice methods, particularly when compared to more traditional periodic methods:

1. Empowerment: Real-time employee voice can give employees a greater sense of ownership and control over their work and make them feel more valued and included in the decision-making process.

2. Engagement: Real-time employee voice methods can encourage greater engagement and participation from employees, as they can feel more connected to the company and have a greater impact on its direction.

3. Communication: Real-time employee voice methods can facilitate more open and effective communication between employees and management, leading to a better understanding of concerns and needs.

4. Collaboration: Real-time employee voice methods can foster greater collaboration and teamwork within an organisation, as employees can work together to address issues and come up with solutions in real-time.

5. Efficiency: Real-time employee voice methods can allow for more efficient problem-solving and decision-making, as issues and ideas can be quickly addressed and implemented.