A Great Pretend - The Hoax Of Employee Engagement Instruments

Considerable research has supported the link between “employee engagement” and factors critical to an organization’s success. But do engagement instruments really tell the truth?

- Paul Marciano

Over the past 20 years, considerable research has supported the link between “employee engagement” and factors critical to an organization’s success, e.g., productivity, profitability, efficiency, quality, tenure, customer service, and employee well-being. Unfortunately, a vast majority of this research lacks basic scientific rigor and its value is highly suspected. The most fundamental issue centers on the construction of a valid self-assessment engagement instrument. In fact, I contend that the creation of such an instrument is likely impossible and the sale of current ones verges on fraud. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, it is questionable that such a tool would be of significant value. The numerous issues related to employee engagement research are discussed herewith.

Most employee engagement surveys ask some version of the following: “To what extent are you willing to go above and beyond your job requirements?” The problem is that nearly all employees report “going above and beyond,” especially when asked to compare themselves to colleagues. A friend recently hired a large consulting firm to conduct an engagement survey in his organization. On their version of this item, 99 percent of respondents answered positively. Obviously, such a response automatically disqualifies the item as valid in distinguishing levels of engagement. (Based on responses from several other poorly chosen and constructed items, the report concluded that the company had an engagement problem. I’m not kidding!)