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This item is filed under these categories:
Satisfaction Surveys Responsiveness Feedback Communication Interrupting

I am trying to run my department, but I keep getting questionnaires, surveys, and other interruptions from our human resources department. I know they have a job to do, but they do not seem to realize how busy we are. I have spoken to the H.R. people and to my own manager, but the interruptions continue. Any suggestions?



The irony in this situation is that your human resources department is using surveys in part to measure satisfaction, and one of the key sources of dissatisfaction is the quantity of surveys in the first place. If you and your associates mentioned this dissatisfaction in any of the surveys, and H.R. failed to provide an adequate response, then it appears that your H.R. department has clearly put forms over substance.

It sounds like your H.R. department is quite effective at gathering data, but the real objective is to take that data and implement some changes and improvements as a result. If that were going on, the interruptions would more likely be viewed as interventions that help improve the effectiveness of your department and the organization itself.

If there are other department managers who feel as you do, all of you should meet with the H.R. leadership to discuss the situation. Perhaps by increased communication, batching some of the surveys, timing them more suitably for your departments, and providing you with more feedback on the survey findings and follow-up actions, there can be an understanding through which each department, including human resources, will be better able to meet its objectives.



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