MBA 3rd Semester

HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Study Material -4

(HR Analytics – HR301)

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Table of Contents

S. No. Topic Page No.

1 Linking Compensation and performance 1
2. Analyzing and classifying training needs 9
3. Measuring training effectiveness 14
4. Predicting training effectiveness with performance and compensation 19
5. Surveys on employee satisfaction 26
6. Surveys on engagement 30
7. Surveys on work life balance 35

I. Linking compensation and performance

Compensation in the workplace can be defined as remuneration given to an employee in exchange for their
services. The level of compensation offered is dependent on factors such as competitors, employee’s skill
set, productivity, and the organization’s projected market strength.
Compensation plays a fundamental role in any organization’s people and culture strategy and can be used
as a positive resource to improve motivation, productivity, performance, and job-satisfaction if
benchmarked correctly, while boosting performance and profitability.
Organizations are awakening to the concept that their people are their biggest asset and by investing in an
effective people and culture strategy they will gain a significant advantage over their competitors.
Compensation is a vital ingredient in recruiting quality talent and retaining high-performing employees.
Aligning compensation with organizational objectives is critical to achieving long-term success and
involves detailed design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation to positively
impact the workforce and direct their behaviour to achieving organizational goals. An effective
compensation and incentive package needs to be linked to company vision, strategy, culture, and business
models.
It goes without saying that neglecting to implement an effective compensation plan will have a negative
impact on overall performance, productivity, and revenue.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Employees need a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in achieving organizational
objectives and they must feel secure in performing these duties. An effective communication strategy needs
to exist to ensure unity and clarity for all involved.
Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
Compensation does not only constitute the monetary payments made to employees in exchange for work
but may consist of various benefits such as incentives, commission, overtime pay and bonuses along with
indirect benefits like pensions, insurance, time off, four-day work weeks, gym memberships and reward &
recognition programs. Every business has a unique set of benefits known as an Employee Value Proposition
(EVP) which is used to attract top talent to work at their organization and retain current employees.
Companies are becoming very creative with their EVP as they steer towards developing a more people
centred work environment and aligning their workforce with organizational objectives.
Compensation and Job Satisfaction
In today’s ever-changing working climate, it is fundamental to offer employees security and job satisfaction
in an environment where they feel safe and motivated to deliver on their responsibilities. Fair compensation
contributes significantly to job satisfaction for two reasons:
1. Money is essential for individuals to fulfil their needs.
2. Employees may determine their value to the organization by their salary.
Job satisfaction is most likely to be the result of a fair compensation plan based on job demands, skill level,
and pay standards.
According to the survey conducted by the Society for Human Resources Management (2021), it was found
that compensation and benefits are regularly among the top three factors affecting employee job
satisfaction.
The risk of having a poor workplace culture will have a negative effect on any organization as there is a
direct connection to performance. Employees will be demotivated, and this will impact quality of work,
punctuality, absenteeism, and staff turnover.
Compensation and Motivation
Individuals are naturally inclined to perform at a higher level if they feel they are being fairly rewarded
with a compensation package that aligns with their expertise and value.

Motivation can be ignited in various ways such as incentive schemes, reward & recognition programs,
commission, and a fair salary. Keeping staff motivated is an integral part of any organizations strategy as it
positively impacts the business as a whole and compensation is a key factor in that strategy.
It is important for organizations to understand their employees needs, desires, and goals to intentionally
structure an attractive Employee Value Proposition.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
2
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Money will always remain a major motivating factor as it symbolizes intangible goals such as security, a
feeling of accomplishment, and success.
Strategic Compensation
It is essential for organizations to develop an intentional and purposeful compensation strategy to attract
and retain talent, maximize return on human capital, maintain high-performance levels and ensure job
satisfaction at all levels.
The link between compensation and performance is a reality, thus it only makes sense to optimize it’s
potential by developing a fair compensation framework as part of the people and culture strategy to enhance
overall productivity.
To develop and operate an effective compensation system that promotes fair treatment an organization
should consider the following compensation strategies:
· The significance and value of each role.
· Identify and value employee knowledge and skills.
· Rewarding employee efforts and results.
· Promoting continued learning and development.
· Designing competitive compensation plans that compete in the specific market.
· Aligning employee compensation with organizational goals and objectives.
· Providing a compensation plan that enhances current lifestyles and provides long-term security for
employees and their families.
The quality and quantity of an organization’s output is directly linked to the skill, interest, and efforts of its
employees. Certainly, the more highly paid workers might be more critical contributors, however, the
productive efforts of all employees are essential, therefore companies should develop innovative
compensation strategies that positively impact organizational performance.
“Paying good wages is not charity at all—it is the best kind of business.” This phrase, attributed to business
magnate Henry Ford, may have been uttered one hundred years ago, but the statement remains valid today.
A robust model for business success involves connecting compensation to individual and organizational
performance. Companies that align their strategic expectations with compensation plans inspire and drive
outstanding employee performance.
In the past, many organizations based compensation on tenure. That may have worked during an era when
employees stayed with an employer for decades; however, in today’s employment environment, people
typically don’t stay with one organization for their entire career. As of January 2018, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported that the median time employees had been with their current employer was 4.2 years
Current data from Pay Scale tells the story of how companies are approaching compensation beyond
tenure:

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
3
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

 Retention, recruitment, and in-demand, job-specific skills are the top reasons for pay strategy
adjustments
 73% of organizations budget for variable/incentive pay, with bonuses being most common
 70% of organizations have a compensation strategy or are working on one
When building a compensation strategy or updating an existing one based on organizational growth, it’s
imperative to consider how compensation connects to performance, and how that connection can inspire
your employees to drive the organization forward.
Connecting compensation to employee performance
Regardless of strategic details, many companies tie compensation to performance, 75% of companies
surveyed by Salary.com said that’s their approach. Before looking at how compensation impacts other
elements of an HR strategy—such as recruiting, retention, and engagement—let’s consider what
compensation and performance include.
Compensation
Various factors contribute to your ability to recruit and retain the employees you need to drive your business
forward. An important factor is the compensation you offer. “In a shrinking labor market, getting
compensation right is a critical component of any strategic approach to talent acquisition and retention,”
according to Payscale.
Having a strategic compensation approach allows organizations to attract quality talent, especially when
there are more open jobs than employees to fill them. In a tight labor market, if compensation doesn’t meet
a candidate’s expectations, they will look for a better offer. Even if you’re able to attract an employee to
join your organization, a competitive compensation strategy is required to keep your workforce satisfied.
To retain employees for longer, and avoid the high costs of turnover, you need to continue to engage them
by offering a desirable total pay package.
Compensation may be the foundation for an employee’s rate of pay—however, it’s essential to remember
that compensation is not just a paycheck. A strategic total pay package includes all the benefits employees
receive from a company. In addition to salaries, compensation might also include:
 Bonuses
 Commissions
 Health insurance benefits
 Retirement investments,
or other company perks (transportation programs, gym memberships, product discounts) that an employee
receives from an employer.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends following a three-step process to
craft and implement a strategic compensation plan:

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
4
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

1. Determine the sources of external market data

2. Conduct market analysis, develop pay structures
3. Calculate their cost
As part of the process, employers should evaluate and analyze elements such as market location, industry,
workforce size, and healthcare costs. To get an idea of standard salaries, many employers purchase
competitive salary data or reach out to peer organizations to gather benchmarks. Industry or geographic
surveys can also help determine competitive compensation packages.
Performance
In human resources, the word “performance” is almost always followed by the word “management.” The
world of work focuses on managing and driving employee performance to help the organization achieve its
goals. It’s nearly impossible for an organization to succeed if they don’t address both good and bad
performance.
Performance is defined as the execution of an action. In the context of employment, performance describes
how an employee completes job tasks. Each job has a set of requirements—knowledge, skills, and
abilities—which someone must possess to perform well.
Until recently, conversations about employee performance were often reserved for the annual review.
Organizations have realized that delaying feedback for a year not only makes it hard to implement changes.
Even with yearly reviews in place, many organizations are now asking managers to conduct more
frequent performance conversations to provide timely, relevant, and actionable feedback.
Continuous performance conversations are also driven by today’s workforce, which has a desire for
meaningful feedback. According to a study conducted by Gallup, employees who have regular meetings
with their managers are nearly three times as likely to be engaged than employees who don’t regularly
connect with managers.
Employers need practices that enable productivity, feedback, and engagement while ensuring employees
are effectively compensated for their work to adapt to this approach. The important relationship between
performance and compensation is what we’ll consider next.
Performance feedback should be ongoing and frequent
Address compensation and performance as part of your HR strategy
Compensation is a critical component of any HR strategy. With the right approach, you can use
compensation to attract top talent, retain employees who support your mission, and develop a workforce
that drives your mission forward.
Each organization’s compensation approach should ultimately match the conditions and requirements for
its business environment, budget, and key motivators of its desired workforce.
For example, a tech organization with operations in urban areas with a high demand for engineers may
require a strategy that enables them to pay above market rate to secure the engineering talent they need to
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
5
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

operate. Meanwhile, a top employer with operations in smaller communities may have lower turnover and
lower cost of living requirements, which allows them to remain competitive, even with lower rates of pay.
As you assess what works for your organization and your employee base, start by evaluating the variety of
compensation methodologies that exist.
Transparent compensation framework
One option for a compensation strategy is complete transparency between HR, managers, and employees.
Some might fear this level of transparency due to the long-held assumption that when employees talk about
their pay, it creates problems. But adopting a transparent pay model hasn’t created issues for the social
media management company Buffer.
Since 2013, the San Francisco-based firm has brought the pay discussion out in the open. They have a
system of levels and steps for each role “to make sure teammates can develop in a variety of ways.”
As part of its transparent strategy, Buffer has a public salary schedule that includes data around levels, steps,
and cost of living tiers. The company is also very open about their formula and is committed to reviewing
comparable compensation and using data from experts. Why has Buffer adopted this transparent method?
They explain
“Teammates no longer have to wait for a promotion to the next level in their career framework to see a
raise. Raises can happen more organically as a way to reward teammates for their contribution to the team.
The idea is that teammates can have a clear path for compensation and recognition without waiting several
years for a promotion.”
Buffer isn’t the only organization adopting a transparent pay model. One reason organizations implement
this model is that if employees know their compensation is at market rate, they’ll spend less time worrying
and more time focused on work.
In one study, reports Business Insider, researchers at Tel Aviv University shared pay information with some
student subjects, while keeping it secret. They found that the students who did not have access to salary
information performed worse than those who were informed.
As the trend toward pay transparency continues to rise, organizations need to examine how transparency
and performance might intersect within their compensation strategy.
Team-based compensation incentives
Another approach to compensation involves the use of team-based incentives. A survey from PwC found
that team-based bonuses were used in many organizations to encourage collaboration and drive results. In
looking at the structure for these compensation methods, the researchers found two essential design
considerations: team size and team composition. They found that the return on investment for team-based
compensation is less effective with larger teams.
Basing pay on team performance is ideal for teams with fewer than five employees, as 60% of people said
they were demotivated with more than five team members, and 90% were demotivated in a team of over

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
6
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

ten. The research also indicated that colleagues who were familiar with each other had better results with
this team-based compensation model.
For an organization that wants to encourage staff members to work together in a collaborative environment
to achieve group goals, the team-compensation model can be useful, reports HR Daily Advisor. If the right
structure is in place, the approach can establish a sense of project ownership and partnership between all
members of the team.
Individual performance-based compensation
Many organizations use a compensation strategy based on individual performance ratings or assessments.
In this model, employees receive a percentage increase, bonus, or incentive, based on their demonstrated
achievements. Typically, performance assessments and compensation increases occur during the same time
of year, but the growing trend is to discuss performance and compensation separately.
The software firm Adobe updated its performance-based compensation approach when they noticed a
yearly spike in employees leaving the company after each annual review cycle, according to SHRM. To
address this unwelcome turnover trend, the team at Adobe created a new system which requires quarterly
conversations between managers and employees, instead of a single annual review. These quarterly check-
ins provide a chance to talk about ongoing goals and expectations and professional growth and development
without including the pressure of pay in the conversation.
This type of ongoing feedback is essential to help reinforce and redirect employee behavior. Frequent and
timely conversations also make it easier for employees to connect how their work directly impacts the
organization’s results. That connection can ultimately serve to inspire and drive immediate performance
improvements.
When performance conversations happen frequently, an annual compensation conversation becomes a time
when managers focus on pay, celebrate milestones, and highlight organizational performance. With one
compensation discussion and ongoing performance conversations, employees already know where they
stand for pay adjustments. In this model, they’ve received continuous performance feedback, which is
reflected in their compensation. It creates a clear, easy-to-understand connection between performance,
compensation, and results.
5 steps to connecting performance and compensation
To retain talent and address current business needs, organizations take various approaches to connecting
performance and compensation. According to the 2020 Compensation Best Practices report, organizations
are rewarding top talent performance in multiple ways, the top five being:
1. Higher base pay increase than overall employees
2. Promotions
3. Bonus or incentives (no formal plan)
4. Career development opportunities

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
7
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

5. Goal-based bonuses
Connecting performance to compensation doesn’t happen without some planning. Start with the following
five steps to create a framework that works for your organization.
1. Identify the metrics.
You need to determine the parameters on which performance will be measured. Will there be a rating scale?
Who will rate employee performance: their manager, 360° feedback from peers, or others? Are the metrics
based on subjective assessment, outcomes achieved, or both? The parameters need to be clear for
management and employees to avoid confusion that can quickly lead to broken trust.
2. Establish time-frames
Just as methods of measurement need to be clear, so do the timelines for measurement. Performance data
should be available to track progress, use for decision-making, and to evaluate results. Identify a
compensation and performance assessment cycle that makes sense with your business and helps you drive
performance.
3. Track performance against goals
Goals are a critical part of setting performance expectations. Managers should work with their teams to set
goals and then track progress and performance against those goals. Ideally, your organization has an HR
information system where managers can capture the goals, share them with employees, and continue to
check in on those goals throughout the year.
4. Include recognition and rewards
Performance isn’t just about what employees earn. They are also looking for intrinsic rewards—a sense of
purpose, autonomy, connection. Make sure your compensation and performance strategies include a focus
on recognizing employees for everything they contribute. Recognition for contributions can positively
impact your bottom line— 70% of employees said they would work harder if their efforts were appreciated.
5. Highlight the entire compensation package
Make sure to communicate everything in your compensation package. Without prompting, it’s easy for
employees to forget everything else you’re providing—from healthcare to transportation, to flexible work
options. Those benefits are significant and are part of their total compensation.
Use HR tech to maximize compensation and performance management
Managing employee performance and compensation doesn’t end with performance conversations. To
accomplish this part of your HR strategy, you need a way to ensure that employees receive ongoing
feedback, recognition, mentoring, and coaching. Employees and managers also need visibility to
compensation and their earning potential if they stay with the organization.
If important HR data points such as these are stored in spreadsheets, they’re out of sight, and they’re out of
mind. By comparison, the right HR tech can provide companies with an integrated method to ensure the

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
8
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

data is accessible and that employees have a framework through which they receive the direction and
support they need.
Within an HR information system (HRIS), many vital components help organizations handle every part of
the employee lifecycle. From recruiting to onboarding to benefits and culture, this system makes the
successful execution of an HR strategy possible.
For compensation, the ideal HRIS will:
 Allow leaders to collaborate, plan, and manage compensation cycles
 Ensure relevant and reliable compensation data is stored in one location
 Streamline the compensation process for timely execution
 Use employee performance data to inform decisions
Related to performance management, the optimal HRIS:
 Provides managers with a dashboard they can use to identify and track top performers
 Offers the option to conduct reviews, self-assessments, and peer reviews
 Runs reports that managers can use to analyze strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
 Enables employee-manager alignment around goals
Today’s HR professionals are tasked with creating a compensation and performance strategy that meets
business needs and exceeds employee expectations. Due to the increasing labor shortage, HR leaders need
a compensation and benefits strategy that flexes and evolves.
A fluid compensation and performance approach, supported by the right HR tech, positions the organization
to find the best talent and attract them with their compensation strategy. Companies focused on the
connection between compensation and performance will be able to hire the right people and see the results
in their business success.

II. Analyzing and classifying training needs

Today's work environment requires employees to be skilled in performing complex tasks in an efficient,
cost-effective, and safe manner. Training (a performance improvement tool) is needed when employees are
not performing up to a certain standard or at an expected level of performance. The difference between
actual the actual level of job performance and the expected level of job performance indicates a need for
training. The identification of training needs is the first step in a uniform method of instructional design.

A successful training needs analysis will identify those who need training and what kind of training is
needed. It is counter-productive to offer training to individuals who do not need it or to offer the wrong
kind of training. A Training Needs Analysis helps to put the training resources to good use.
Types of Needs Analyses
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
9
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Many needs assessments are available for use in different employment contexts. Sources that can help you
determine which needs analysis is appropriate for your situation are described below.
 Organizational Analysis. An analysis of the business needs or other reasons the training is desired.
An analysis of the organization's strategies, goals, and objectives. What is the organization overall
trying to accomplish? The important questions being answered by this analysis are who decided
that training should be conducted, why a training program is seen as the recommended solution to
a business problem, what the history of the organization has been with regard to employee training
and other management interventions.
 Person Analysis. Analysis dealing with potential participants and instructors involved in the
process. The important questions being answered by this analysis are who will receive the training
and their level of existing knowledge on the subject, what is their learning style, and who will
conduct the training. Do the employees have required skills? Are there changes to policies,
procedures, software, or equipment that require or necessitate training?
 Work analysis / Task Analysis. Analysis of the tasks being performed. This is an analysis of the
job and the requirements for performing the work. Also known as a task analysis or job analysis,
this analysis seeks to specify the main duties and skill level required. This helps ensure that the
training which is developed will include relevant links to the content of the job.
 Performance Analysis. Are the employees performing up to the established standard? If
performance is below expectations, can training help to improve this performance? Is there
a Performance Gap?
 Content Analysis. Analysis of documents, laws, procedures used on the job. This analysis answers
questions about what knowledge or information is used on this job. This information comes from
manuals, documents, or regulations. It is important that the content of the training does not conflict
or contradict job requirements. An experienced worker can assist (as a subject matter expert) in
determining the appropriate content.
 Training Suitability Analysis. Analysis of whether training is the desired solution. Training is one
of several solutions to employment problems. However, it may not always be the best solution. It is
important to determine if training will be effective in its usage.
 Cost-Benefit Analysis. Analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of training. Effective training
results in a return of value to the organization that is greater than the initial investment to produce
or administer the training.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Today's workplace often requires employees to be independent thinkers responsible for making good
decisions based on limited information. This kind of work may require training if the employee does not
have these skills. Below is a list of various competencies that employees may be required to posess in order
to perform their jobs well.
 Adaptability
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

 Analytical Skills
 Action Orientation
 Business Knowledge/Acumen
 Coaching/Employee Development
 Communication
 Customer Focus
 Decision Making
 Fiscal Management
 Global Perspective
 Innovation
 Interpersonal Skills
 Leadership
 Establishing Objectives
 Risk Management
 Persuasion and Influence
 Planning
 Problem Solving
 Project Management
 Results Orientation
 Self-Management
 Teamwork
 Technology
Are any of these KSA's required before the employee is hired? Are the required KSA's included in any job
postings or advertisements? Do they need to be?
Techniques
Several basic Needs Assessment techniques include:
 direct observation
 questionnaires

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
11
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

 consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge

 review of relevant literature
 interviews
 focus groups
 assessments/surveys
 records & report studies
 work samples
Conducting an Organizational Analyses
Determine what resources are available for training. What are the mission and goals of the organization in
regards to employee development? What support will te senior management and managers give toward
training? Is the organization supportive and on-board with this process? Are there adequate resources
(financial and personnel)?
Conducting a Work / Task Analysis
Interview subject matter experts (SME's) and high performing employees. Interview the supervisors and
managers in charge. Review job descriptions and occupational information. Develop an understanding of
what employees need to know in order to perform their jobs.
Important questions to ask when conducting a Task Analysis:
1. What tasks are performed?
2. How frequently are they performed?
3. How important is each task?
4. What knowledge is needed to perform the task?
5. How difficult is each task?
6. What kinds of training are available?
Observe the employee performing the job. Document the tasks being performed. When documenting the
tasks, make sure each task starts with an action verb. How does this task analysis compare to existing job
descriptions? Did the task analysis miss any important parts of the job description? Were there tasks
performed that were omitted from the job description?

Organize the identified tasks. Develop a sequence of tasks. Or list the tasks by importance.

Are there differences between high and low performing employees on specific work tasks? Are there
differences between Experts and Novices? Would providing training on those tasks improve employee job
performance?
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
12
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Most employees are required to make decisions based on information. How is information gathered by
the employee? What does the employee do with the information? Can this process be trained? Or, can
training improve this process?
Cognitive Task Analysis
Develop a model of the task. Show where the decision points are located and what information is needed
to make decisions and actions are taken based on that information. This model should be a schematic or
graphic representation of the task. This model is developed by observing and interviewing the employees.
The objective is to develop a model that can be used to guide the development of training programs and
curriculum.

Since the training is based on specific job tasks, employees may feel more comfortable taking the effort to
participate in training.

Gather information about how the task is performed so that this can be used to form a model of the task.
Review job titles and descriptions to get an idea of the tasks performed. Observe the employee
performing the job. Review existing training related to the job. Make sure you observe both experts and
novices for comparison.
Conducting a Performance Analysis
This technique is used to identify which employees need the training. Review performance appraisals.
Interview managers and supervisors. Look for performance measures such as benchmarks and goals.
Sources of performance data:
1. Performance Appraisals
2. Quotas met (un-met)
3. Performance Measures
4. Turnover
5. Shrinkage
6. Leakage
7. Spoilage
8. Losses
9. Accidents
10. Safety Incidents
11. Grievances

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

12. Absenteeism
13. Units per Day
14. Units per Week
15. Returns
16. Customer Complaints
Are there differences between high and low performing employees on specific competencies? Would
providing training on those competencies improve employee job performance?

III. Measures of Training effectiveness

What is training effectiveness?
Training effectiveness measures the impact of training on the trainee’s knowledge, skills, performance, and the
company’s ROI. The training’s goals and objectives should be determined before training occurs, allowing these to
be clearly and accurately measured.
For example, the trainee’s productivity, sales numbers, and overall mood and happiness might be measured before
the training occurs, and then once again after it has taken place. This demonstrates the quality and effectiveness of
the training provided and enables businesses to either continue doing more of the same or pivot their approach.
Using scientifically validated techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs is known as training
effectiveness management.
Why measure training effectiveness?
There are many reasons why organizations (large and small) consistently measure training effectiveness.
1. To determine if the training benefits employees.
Perhaps the most important reason for evaluating training effectiveness is to see if it benefits your employees’ skills
and performance. Additionally, it provides them with a clear idea of what they’ve achieved and the path they need
to take to get to the next level.
When it comes to learning and development (L&D), feedback and encouragement are crucial. Virtually all
employees need positive encouragement for the things they’ve done well and want to know how to improve.
Without measurements in place, your employees are likely to feel that their learning at work is
purposeless. Evaluating your training effectiveness helps you communicate to your employees where the company
is today and where it aims to go, along with the skills necessary to get there. Consequently, managers and
employees can come together and discuss the results, helping employees feel empowered and part of the broader
vision.
2. To see the effect on business performance and determine the training’s ROI.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
14
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

The ultimate goal of all training programs is to boost business performance and see a return on your investment.
Changes in productivity, sales, and profits can all be tracked and measured, and you would hope to see an increase
in all of the above.
Studies have shown that organizations who regularly invest in training perform higher than those who don’t, but it
must be the right type of training, and it must be meticulously tracked and measured.
For example, it’s difficult to determine whether the training in question was responsible for an increase in sales, or
if it was the result of something else, like a marketing campaign or a boost in the economy. This is why it’s
important to examine things like learning transfer and noticeable behavioral changes that may have taken place
since the training program.
3. To uncover issues in the training process and improve it.
When you invest valuable resources like time, money, and energy into your training programs, it’s essential to
measure whether they’re working or not. But your intentions for your training will be unique to your business and
your long-term goals. This is why you need to define clear objectives at the start. If you fail to do this, then any
results you receive will be meaningless because you don’t have a target in sight.
Once you know where you’re heading and your desired outcome, measuring training effectiveness will help you
see if you’re on the right track or if you need to make any adjustments.
If a particular training program is highly effective, it can be implemented across the board, from executives to
managers and new hires. This helps unite the company with shared goals. And if training fails to produce any
desirable results, you need to determine why and where this breakdown happens and then make adjustments
accordingly.
For example, in the ADDIE model of instructional design, evaluation is an integral part of each phase of learning
development process. That enables L&D professionals and trainers to continuously improve the training to achieve
learning goals.
How to measure training effectiveness?
Measuring training effectiveness can be conducted through 1:1 discussion, surveys and questionnaires, post-
training quizzes, assessments, and examinations. Before training commences, it’s essential to decide how you will
measure and assess the data you collect.
Here are five proven evaluation models that are most often trusted by companies today:
1. Kirkpatrick’s Four-level Training Evaluation Model
2. The Phillips ROI Model
3. Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation
4. Anderson’s Model of Learning Evaluation
5. Summative vs. Formative Evaluation
In this article, we’ll be focusing on the Kirkpatrick model. This is based on a four-level approach, which we can use
for measuring any course or training program’s effectiveness.
Here’s what it looks like:

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 2023
2024-2025

 Level 1: Reaction – The first step is to evaluate the learners’ reactions and responses to the training.
 Level 2: Learning – The second step is to measure the knowledge and skills learned during the training.
 Level 3: Behavior – Step three assesses the behavioral change (if any and to what extent) due to the
training.
 Level 4: Impact – The final step is to measure the training’s impact on business goals and results.
Some professionals have suggested that this model can be reversed by beginning with the desired impact and
results you wish to achieve and working backward.

Regardless of how you wish to approach it, variations of the Kirkpatrick model can be used to build a KPI (key
performance indicator) framework for your training.
Let’s explore each level of the model in more detail, including examples of goals, KPIs, and how best to measure
these.
Level 1: Reaction
The goal of the reaction stage is to get a good grasp of how satisfied your participants are with your training. In the
process, you also notice recurring themes or patterns and potential areas for improvement.
Example KPIs
 Participation rates
 Completion rates
 Net promoter score
How to measure
Qualitative data: Survey questions for training effectiveness, with open-ended questions.
For example:
 If you could improve anything about this training, what would it be and why?
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
16
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

 What topic/section did you find the most valuable?

 Would you recommend this training program to colleagues?
 What resources or support do you need to apply what you’ve learned?
You may also conduct an interview with learners to field similar information.
Quantitative data: Surveys and/or questionnaires using a scale method.
For example:
 On a scale of 1-10, how valuable did you find this training?
 On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to recommend this training program to a colleague?
Level 2: Learning
The learning stage’s goal is to ensure your training has met its intended objectives, identify the skills that your
training can develop within learners, and note any knowledge and/or skills that have been learned as a result.
Example KPIs
 Acquired knowledge and/or skills
 Transfer of training into daily performance
How to measure
It can be useful to test learners in the key areas you want to evaluate before the training commences and after. This
will bring clarity to what the training has specifically contributed to your learner.
Qualitative data: Pre- and post-interviews with employees. Questions might include:
 How confident are you in your ability to perform in your job since your training?
 What did you learn from your training to help you perform at a higher level in your role?
A peer review would be another way to measure at this level. The trainers or other participants could do this.
Quantitative data: This could include tests and examinations after the training (paper or digital ones) or
assessments of learning projects.
Level 3: Behavior
The behavior stage’s goal is to see whether or not the employee’s behavior has changed due to the training received
and to what degree. In particular, how has the training influenced their performance and general attitude?
Example KPIs
 Employee engagement
 Higher morale
How to measure
Behavior change is most commonly measured through observations and reviews, pre- and post-training.
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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
17
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Qualitative data: This would include open-ended questions from observers such as:
 How have you put what you learned in training to use in your job?
 How confident would you be teaching your acquired knowledge and skills to someone else?
 Do you feel like your behavior is different now than it was before the training?
Quantitative data: This may include third-party observation and text mining or analysis from email conversations
or personal development plans.
In this stage, the work environment the trainee returns to plays a large role in whether they can apply their newly
acquired skills. If the management and culture don’t support the new behavior, it will likely revert and be lost.
Level 4: Results
The final stage’s goal is to evaluate how effective the training program has been in driving results in your business.
In this stage, it’s common to measure results like productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Example KPIs
 Employee retention
 Increased productivity and quality of work
 Increased sales
 Customer satisfaction
How to measure
Qualitative data: This may include interviews or focus groups.
For example, customers might be brought in for a focus group and asked about their customer experience and how
this has changed over time.
Managers may be interviewed to determine whether they feel their employees are noticeably more productive or
producing higher quality work since the training.
Quantitative data: This includes surveys to measure the perceptions of customers and stakeholders, comparing
data on employee turnover and retention rate, and analyzing sales and profits before and after the training.
Best practices for measuring training effectiveness
The following five best practices will make sure you will be able to assess training effectiveness:
1. Have a reasonable number of KPIs. Be selective when making your choice. The more measures you
include, the more information you’ll have to work with. But don’t overwhelm yourself with too many.
2. Identify your KPIs before the development phase of your training. Knowing what you want to measure
first will enable you to select the most suitable measuring effectiveness method. You may want to consult
with key stakeholders first to know which metrics are most important to them.

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
18
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

3. Plan your data collection schedule in the design phase of your training. Know when you want to
measure effectiveness and how you will do this, and build it into your training timeline to ensure you stay
organized and manage stakeholder expectations.
4. Customize your evaluation framework. It might not be necessary for you to measure all four Kirkpatrick
model levels; plus, this can be a lengthy and expensive process. Spend time conducting your training needs
analysis, and choose the training effectiveness evaluation model that best suits those. For example, you
might find that it only makes sense for you to measure the second and fourth levels of the Kirkpatrick
model. Do what you need to make a confident, informed decision on the effectiveness of your training.
5. Act on your findings. Perhaps the most important practice for measuring training effectiveness is to make
sure you put your findings into practice. That means making changes and improvements where necessary
and being quick to take action.

IV. Training effectiveness and Performance

Training effectiveness measures how well a training program helps learners improve their performance and apply
their new knowledge and skills in the workplace. It also assesses the program's impact on the organization and its
return on investment (ROI).
Here are some ways to measure training effectiveness:
 Pre- and post-training assessments: These can include tests, examinations, or learning project
assessments.
 Performance metrics: These can include key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the
organization's goals.
 Return on investment: This can include analyzing sales and profits before and after the training.
 Feedback tools: These can include surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
 Data analytics: This can include text mining or analysis from email conversations or personal
development plans.
To accurately measure training effectiveness, organizations should clearly define the training's goals and
objectives. They can also identify stakeholder expectations and the training needs by meeting with stakeholders and
training course providers.
Understanding and measuring training effectiveness can help organizations make informed decisions to improve
training strategies and allocate resources more effectively.

Pay-for-performance compensation programs

Pay-for-performance compensation programs are increasingly popular with employers and also
employees who are attracted to the potential for lucrative payouts based on their individual performance.
According to a survey from salary.com, 75% of organizations indicate that performance-based pay is part
of their compensation philosophy. Likewise, 65% of employees indicated a preference for bonuses based
on personal performance.
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
19
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

But before you go all in for a performance-based compensation policy, it’s important to think about it
from all angles.
While research has proven that successful performance-based compensation programs can “raise job
satisfaction, lower absenteeism and turnover rates, and have a sizable effect on company performance,” a
poorly designed or executed plan can be counterproductive to your organization’s performance and
harmful to your employees’ morale.
It’s essential that you ensure your compensation philosophy fits your current business model and
employees' wants and needs.
In this article, I explain what pay for performance is and give you the full details so you can go ahead and
make an informed choice.
What Is Performance-Based Compensation?
Performance-based compensation is when an employee's pay, bonuses, and/or financial incentives are
directly tied to both their individual work performance and/or the business’s overall performance.
The main aim behind this approach is to motivate employees to excel in their roles and positively impact
a business’s success by linking their financial rewards to their results. Performance-based rewards
within employee compensation plans encourage high achievers and reward excellence.
Some common methods for performance-based compensation include:
Merit-based pay raises
In a merit-increase compensation structure, employees receive increases to their base salary based on their
individual performance.
This pay-for-performance mode is implemented by conducting set performance reviews to assess
employees’ successes and agree on salary increases.
Bonuses
Bonuses are one-off financial rewards given to employees because they’ve achieved certain targets or
demonstrated excellent performance. Incentive bonuses can be linked to individuals, teams, or your entire
organization.
Performance metrics can be based on financial performance (i.e., hitting a certain point of profitability),
customer satisfaction results, or any other key metrics your organization is trying to drive (for instance,
some organizations include diversity, equity, and inclusion metrics as part of their executive bonus
targets).
Bonuses can be structured in various ways, but are usually a combination of both company performance
and individual performance and can be paid on regular intervals (monthly, quarterly, annually, for
holidays) or even given on the spot. To streamline the distribution of these bonuses, consider using top-
tier payroll software that can automate the process.

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
20
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

It’s also common for bonus targets to be specified by job level (i.e., as a percentage of your base salary)
with more senior-level roles being allotted higher bonus targets.
This is especially true in bonuses tied to your annual performance review process. Your employees set
goals, are assessed based on their performance, and allocated a bonus payout based on an algorithm
combining both the organization’s and their successes.
Commission
Frequently found in sales teams, commission-based compensation means that employees earn a
percentage of the sales they generate.
An effective method of increasing their take-home pay based on the effort they make. Commission plans
incentivize and reward employees for generating sales, acquiring new customers, or achieving specific
sales-related objectives.
Commissions are typically calculated as a percentage or “commission rate” of the revenue or sales
volume generated by the employee.
Commission plans can be structured in a number of ways, but a few common setups include
 Straight commission: Wages are completely allocated based on sales.
 Salary + commission: An employee receives a base salary, plus a commission on top based on
sales.
 Graduated commission: An employee’s commission rate goes up after hitting specific thresholds
or tiers.
Recognition and awards
Public awards and recognition for employees who excel might not always be purely monetary-based, but
they can certainly elevate motivation and morale in your workplace.
Employee recognition programs can provide social, monetary, and even peer-to-peer recognition.
There are a variety of ideas for recognition programs you can build of. For example, some more advanced
recognition programs allow colleagues to receive points as part of their public recognitions that then can
be redeemed for rewards of their choice (i.e., gift cards).
You can offer nice things like travel vouchers, gift cards, experience days, or other non-monetary rewards
(just be careful you follow your local tax laws in providing your employees with any incentives of
monetary value).
Profit-sharing
This is when your employees receive a portion of your business’s profits. This approach can generate a
sense of ownership and inclusivity—often influencing employees to contribute to your organization’s
financial success.

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
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HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Profit-sharing allocations can be equally distributed to all eligible employees or allocated as a proportion
of their salaries, based on job level or performance.
For further guidance, check out how to set up a profit-sharing plan.
Pros of Performance-Based Compensation
A pay-for-performance system can offer many advantages—both for your business and your employees.
They’re particularly effective in larger companies with more predictable metrics.
“While salaries, in my opinion, should always be based on market comparisons for similar roles at similar
sized companies, bonuses can be used to reward those who go above and beyond,” said Compt CEO and
founder, Amy Spurling. “This works best when the achievement goals are quantifiable and clear so that
there is no subjectivity and bias is removed.”
Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of implementing such a pay structure.
a. Motivates team members and increases productivity
Money is a major motivating factor when it comes to employee retention and pay-for-performance
compensation can significantly increase employee engagement and motivate your team to work harder.
For instance, a manager might introduce a performance-based compensation strategy for a team of
software developers.
A relevant goal might be to complete a complex project within a tight deadline—with project bonuses up
for grabs if they successfully deliver the project defect-free, on time, and on budget.
This incentive plan offers high motivation for team collaboration and encourages the creation of
innovative solutions while still meeting quality, time, and budget requirements.
b. Provides clarity on both performance expectations and compensation
Performance-based pay provides a clear system of how an individual’s performance is tied to increases in
their base salary.
Linking how an individual’s performance impacts their compensation removes ambiguity about how pay
increases and bonuses are earned and empowers them with the feedback needed to be successful in the
future.
c. Helps attract and retain talent
Offering a performance-based compensation model can attract top talent seeking to enhance their
recognition and financial growth.
If you can demonstrate that your business has a track record of financial success and leverages that
success to reward top performers, you can both attract and retain top talent at your organization.
d. Identifies areas for improvement

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Brainware University, Kolkata
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HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Regular and effective performance management strategies helps not just in addressing performance
opportunities for your employees, but also allows you to pinpoint areas of your company that might need
improving.
Additionally, aligning compensation perks that are designed to incentivize improving performance in
struggling areas of the business can provide added motivation for your employees and leaders to turn their
business area around.
e. Helps develop skills
When your team is regularly rewarded for high performance, it can incentivize them to up their individual
performance levels. High performance actually can be contagious—your employees will feel motivated
and empowered to perform at their full potential.
As John F. Kennedy once famously said, “A rising tide lifts all boats” and a high-performing environment
can do exactly that.
Providing clarity into performance expectations and rewarding hitting those expectations with
competitive compensation encourages your employees to grow and develop the skills they need to be
successful now and into the future.
Cons of Performance-Based Compensation
While performance-based compensation can be an effective way of increasing employee motivation and
driving productivity, there are some potential pitfalls to consider.
a. Subjectivity
It’s important to acknowledge that there can be some level of subjectivity in year-end performance review
processes.
Biases, like recency bias (giving more weight to recent events) and the halo/horns effect (having a
positive or negative impression of someone that causes them to be treated more/less favorably), can
introduce variability that you do not want to have in your year-end review process.
If your employees perceive the pay-for-performance process to be unfair, it can have a significant impact
on their morale, job satisfaction, and overall perception of leadership and the organization.
In order to have a successful performance-based compensation program, it’s essential that your managers
are aligned on goals and role expectations going into the year-end review process and that your leaders
properly calibrate their results across the organization to ensure consistency (this is where performance
management software or other performance-related tools can really help).
b. Complexity
Related to the above, implementing a pay-for-performance model can be administratively complex, as HR
leader Angela Justice points out.

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Brainware University, Kolkata
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HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

“Especially in the beginning, the administrative complexity of such systems can pose challenges. There's
also the risk of employees perceiving unfairness, and if not managed well, pay inequities can emerge.”
Creating and running an effective pay-for-performance model is, as Jessica Zwaan puts it, “haaard”.
It requires a combination of forecasting, budgeting, and performance management which, let’s face it,
needs a significant amount of due diligence, oversight, time, energy, and effort to get right.
c. A toxic work culture
Incentive pay schemes can result in unhealthy competition in the workplace. For instance, when
individual incentives are only linked to personal productivity, some team members might just look out for
themselves and not engage in teamwork and collaboration.
In this kind of negative environment, individuals can hesitate to help each other or share knowledge—
impacting overall team dynamics and potentially the business’s overall success.
“If everyone knows there is one pie and it can only be divided so many ways, competition could be
toxic,” Spurling said. “It also means that those who know they are not in the running may just give up and
not perform.”
To avoid this, she suggests some performance-based bonuses to incorporate both the team and individual
achievement into the calculation. For example, if you must exceed your quota (50% of your bonus) and
the team must also exceed theirs (50%) in order for you to be paid, you will foster collaboration.
Another consideration here is that it could lead to some employees burning themselves out to meet
targets.
Short-term focus
Lastly, another possible downside of this pay strategy is that your team focuses solely on short-term goals
that offer immediate incentives.
“If a salesperson is only compensated for numbers of sales made, for example, that person has no
incentive to consider the long-term needs of the enterprise, behave ethically, or consider the organization's
needs over their own,” says Robert Bird, professor of Business Law at the University of Connecticut.
You might also find individuals deprioritizing professional development in favor of more concrete
financial rewards.
Considerations For Making Performance-Based Compensation Work
Implementing a performance-related pay system can certainly offer many benefits, but its success
depends on a strategic approach.
For example, early-stage companies may struggle with performance-based compensation.
“Their business models are frequently in flux and it is very hard to define clear, measurable, objective
goals,” Spurling said. “It’s better to work with a market-based compensation approach until your business

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Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
24
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

model matures, has more predictability, and can be better quantified. This is typically more attainable for
later-stage companies.”
To make sure your system is effective, consider the following factors:
 Address potential biases by being consistent with your performance review metrics and processes.
This helps your employees maintain trust in the system.
 Be objective and ensure your performance metrics fit with your overall business aims. Set clear
criteria and ensure your teams know what's expected of them.
 Give regular feedback to employees in relation to their performance. Timely feedback helps
employees ensure they meet their goals and are on the right path.
 Provide skills development opportunities to help employees reach their potential.
 Foster team collaboration by balancing individual performance incentives with team contribution
recognition. Create a culture of knowledge sharing to boost teamwork opportunities.
 Be transparent about your performance-based compensation structure and how it links with
performance. Transparency reduces uncertainties and builds employee confidence levels. Here's
some advice on how to discuss compensation.
 Be flexible with your strategy and be prepared to make changes when your business needs change.
Accept feedback and refine your compensation system regularly.
 Be vigilant about negative impacts such as employees only working on short-term goals or
unhealthy competition and address issues promptly.
We might even consider having someone on your team become benefits certified to better understand how
to align performance-based compensation with comprehensive employee benefits.
So, will performance-based compensation work for my business and team?
It certainly offers an effective way to give your employees rewards for productivity and can be a great
motivation tool. The upsides include better retention and recruiting opportunities, enhanced employee
engagement, and sustainable business growth.
But it’s vital to introduce such a scheme clearly and carefully to avoid alienating your employees or
adding pressure to their roles.
Considering your organization’s current pay philosophy, current compensation review processes,
overarching goals, and employee hierarchy is essential when choosing to go down this path.
A performance-based compensation system can be as unique as your business and employees; so don’t
feel you have to follow a set structure.
That said, many organizations offer some combination of merit increases and performance-related
bonuses—it’s important to offer a market-competitive compensation program to attract the best and
brightest talent.
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
25
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Your goal is to engage your employees without creating an unhealthy, overworking mindset. If you decide
to go ahead, set aside time to discuss the scheme with your teams once you’ve established the potential
costs.
Create the most relevant performance metrics to track the goals you want to set to ensure a successful and
smooth performance-based compensation scheme.
Effective HR leadership includes understanding the purpose of compensation management to drive
employee performance.

V. Survey on employee satisfaction

What Are Employee Satisfaction Surveys?
Businesses spend a lot of resources evaluating employee performance, trying to figure out what workers
can do to perform better. It’s a way of asking employees, “How can you help our business succeed?” But
many employers are starting to recognize the value of turning that question around by inquiring about
employee satisfaction and asking, “What can we do to make you happier?”
It’s a strategy designed to boost employee engagement, which can lead to increased productivity. And one
of the best ways to measure employee happiness is with well-designed employee satisfaction surveys.
Ready to get started?
What is an employee satisfaction survey?
An employee satisfaction survey is a direct feedback tool that lets staff members share their opinions and
experiences. This type of survey measures workers’ feelings of contentment and empowerment. It asks
questions about how they feel about company culture, employee growth, coworker relationships,
recognition by superiors and other key issues. Surveys can be accessed via an internal online link and are
usually anonymous so that workers feel uninhibited in expressing their views.
The benefits of conducting a job satisfaction survey include:
 Identifying consistent issues
 Letting employees be heard
 Having direct feedback from workers instead of guessing how they feel
 Encouraging open communication with employees
 Using positive stats in recruiting materials
 Quantifying employee feedback
 Creating a record to monitor how staff satisfaction changes over time
 Anticipating and potentially preventing upcoming turnover
 Creating a positive feedback loop where you use the feedback you receive to make improvements
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Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 2023
2024-2025

Why employee satisfaction matters

Evaluating the needs and desires of workers is critical to boosting employee engagement and business
productivity. According to a study by the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, happy employees
were 12% more productive than unhappy employees on average. That productivity stretched as high as
20% above a control group.
At the same time, employers that fail to improve workplace satisfaction can suffer from reduced
productivity, high turnover, low morale, decreased ability to recruit good talent and negative interactions
between employees and customers.
What to measure in an employee satisfaction survey
Employee satisfaction surveys vary from company to company, depending on the size and type of
business. Overall, surveys should measure worker happiness, feelings of empowerment and
attitudes toward:
 Getting work done
 Communication and instruction
 Employee support
 Distribution of workload
 Appreciation and recognition by management
 Company culture
 Company mission
 Other team members
 Opportunity for advancement
Offering anonymous surveys helps generate honest responses, but companies can choose methods most
suitable for their workforce. For example, managers can verbally ask questions in small groups or conduct
exit interviews of departing workers to get feedback on particular issues.
Designing effective employee satisfaction survey questions
Surveys are designed to produce honest, genuine responses, so the questions should be easy to
understand.
Keep these additional tips in mind when creating questions:
 Be careful to avoid questions that try to elicit a particular response. The wording can make
employees feel like they should choose a particular answer, which makes the feedback inaccurate.
 Aim for a conversational and straightforward tone without corporate jargon.

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2024-2025

 Try to offer an option that reflects no emotion (“it doesn’t matter to me”), no knowledge (“I am
not familiar with this topic”) or no certainty (“I’m not sure”) for each question.
 Combining multiple-choice options and narrative writing can give you more well-rounded
information.
 Questions can use a ranking system with scores from 1 to 5 or 1 to 10, or they can be open-ended.
Sample questions
Here are some sample questions that aim to measure employees’ feelings about their overall job
satisfaction, a company’s mission and culture, passion for performing well, being appreciated and
supported by management and working with others.

CATEGORY QUESTION

Overall job satisfaction On a scale of 1 to 5, rate how you feel about your job overall. Please explain.

How do you feel about the company’s vision and mission? Would you say it’s:
Company’s mission extremely important, important, neither important nor unimportant, unimportant
or extremely unimportant?

Would you describe the company’s culture as welcoming to all people

Company culture regardless of their backgrounds? (Answers can be “yes,” “no” or “not sure.”)
Please explain.

What best describes your feelings about doing your job well, generally
Passion for quality work
speaking? Passionate, good, so-so, bad, disgusted.

Being recognized or When I perform a task to the best of my ability, my manager gives me: as much
appreciated by supportive and helpful feedback as I need, sometimes helpful feedback but I
management could use more support, I need a lot more support than I am getting.

Feeling informed and For most of my tasks, I feel I receive all the information I need to perform my
supported job well ____ % of the time.

Working with other I feel most/nearly all/some/almost none/none of my coworkers communicate

employees with me respectfully.

Employment satisfaction survey questions

Consider these additional employee survey satisfaction questions:
 Do you feel like your colleagues work as a team?
 Do you feel our company is open to change?
 Do you think your work is meaningful and valued?

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Brainware University, Kolkata
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MBA 2023
2024-2025

 Does your manager ask for your feedback and value it when it’s offered?
 How well do you think our company communicates news and important information?
 Do you get the learning and development opportunities you want?
 Do you feel like work is distributed fairly among your team?
 Do you feel you have room to grow with the company?
 Do you feel the company is transparent with employees?
 Do you get the support and tools you need to do your job well?
 Would you encourage someone to apply to work for our company?
 Would you apply for your job with us again if you had to do it all over?
 Do you feel like you have a good work-life balance at our company?
 How would you describe the company culture?
 Do you have fun at work?
 Do you feel like all of your talents are being used in your position?
 Do you feel like our expectations of you are clear?
 When problems arise, how well does the company handle them?
 Does your job cause you excessive stress?
Following up on job satisfaction survey results
Once you collect and tabulate employee satisfaction survey data, you have valuable information on what
is going well and what needs to change to boost workplace satisfaction. The worst thing to do with that
data is nothing. Appropriate and timely follow-up helps workers believe that management cares about
their needs and shows them that surveys aren’t just for show.
Companies that give workplace satisfaction surveys should be prepared to:
 Be transparent. Report company-wide results of the surveys to your employees.
 Plan for meaningful change. In reviewing the data, identify issues and sensible requests for
change that would benefit the company overall.
 Involve employees in making changes. Designate employee committees to give input as the
company moves toward making changes.
 Follow up with more surveys. Once changes are implemented, survey employees again about
how they feel about them.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
29
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

If companies give employees surveys with a sincere desire to evaluate workplace satisfaction and
determine what changes will make them happier, employers can be rewarded with increased engagement
and productivity. As trust grows, team members are likely to continue to provide honest input that can
lead to a mutually beneficial relationship.

VI. Surveys on Employee engagement

What is employee engagement and why is it important?
Employee engagement refers to how happy, motivated, and satisfied an employee is at work. According
to Gallup, engaged employees outperform unengaged employees by a staggering 147%, as engaged
employees are likely to be more productive and committed to their work. This makes monitoring and
improving employee engagement vital to any organization’s success.

What is the goal of employee engagement survey analysis?

An employee engagement survey is designed to measure employee engagement across an organization’s
workforce. The results will provide valuable insights into how your employees feel, think, and behave at
work across departments, branches, and roles.
An anonymous survey is the best way to get a realistic picture of how engaged your employees are. It’s
likely to reveal opinions or attitudes they may be hesitant to share with managers and leaders for fear it
may be used against them and affect their career progression.
Conducting a survey also helps your employees feel heard and understood, but this alone is not enough.
According to TINY pulse, only 25% of employees believe their organization takes effective action based
on the feedback they provide through surveys. This, in turn, can lead to increased disengagement, which
has a knock-on effect on productivity and profits.
Analyzing the data you collect from employee feedback helps you notice patterns, challenges, and
problems. This data is highly valuable, but only if you collect and analyze it effectively and take action.
You can then find solutions to these problems and implement them across the organization.

What are the challenges of analyzing employee surveys?

Although there are many benefits to analyzing employee surveys, it’s important to be aware of certain
challenges.
The first challenge is creating a survey with too many questions, which becomes overwhelming for the
participants to complete. This can decrease the accuracy of the results, which can lead to you taking
actions that don’t suit the organization.
The second challenge is when a survey has too many themes. This can make it hard to benchmark the data
and lead to too many possible courses of action.

How to analyse employee engagement survey results?

1. Start by designing your survey well
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
30
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

As mentioned above, if your survey has too many questions or an overly varied mix of question types, it
can be difficult to draw conclusions from the results. In addition, sending out an employee engagement
survey just once a year may not give you a clear picture of how your staff feels. Hence, sending shorter
surveys more frequently is likely to be more effective.
Asking the right questions is key to collecting valuable, tangible data on employee perceptions you can
act upon. According to Visier, four factors most consistently impact employee engagement: leadership,
enablement, alignment, and development. Therefore, asking questions related to these factors could be an
excellent place to begin designing your survey.

Here are some examples of effective survey questions:

 I feel inspired and motivated by the vision of the organization
 I have everything I need to perform well in my role
 I know what I need to do to be successful at work
 Do you get excited about going to work?
 Would you recommend working at this organization to your personal network?
 Do you enjoy working with your team?
 Are you happy with the compensation and benefits you currently receive?
Some are questions, while others are statements. But both can be effective as you can obtain responses
based on a numerical scale (e.g., “On a scale of 1-5, how much do you agree or disagree with this
statement?”). This is an example of a closed question as it has a finite number of potential answers. While
open-ended employee engagement survey questions can also provide important insights, relying on them
solely can produce an excessively large volume of data that’s far too difficult to analyze.

2. Set clear goals

Before creating your survey, it’s essential to have clear goals and focus areas in mind and ensure the
questions you choose help you fulfill these goals.
Take time to consider what the purpose of the survey is:
 What do you want to learn?
 What results do you hope to collect?
 What is the ultimate driving force behind the survey?
 Why is this important to our organization and employees?
It’s also beneficial to look at past surveys and use these learnings to inform your next survey.
 What didn’t work last time?

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
31
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

 How can we do things more effectively this time?

 Are there any questions we included previously that we want to use again?
 Are there any questions we should eliminate?
Your HR team must also consider what the rest of the organization is measuring. Although you may be
focused on metrics like turnover and time to hire, the business may be more concerned with sales, profits,
and client satisfaction. Make sure you know what your organization’s core metrics are and why they
matter.

3. Quantify the data

Numeric scores are a simpler way to express results and make it much easier to compare data. Numbers
are tangible and leave no room for misinterpretation or grey areas. This is why it’s necessary to obtain
numeric scores wherever possible.
When analyzing employee engagement survey results, present data as a numeric score or percentage. This
enables people to see patterns and trends in the results with ease.

4. Segment your data

Each of your employees will have a slightly different experience at work. This is why segmenting your
data is a key part of employee engagement survey analysis. Tracking and comparing different employee
groups and demographics will offer you deeper insight into each group’s unique challenges at work.
You can measure the performance of specific teams, understand why some perform better than others, and
create a plan of action for the areas that matter most. This is particularly useful if time or budget
constraints mean you must be more selective with your resources.
Bear this in mind when creating your survey, and include optional questions on age, gender, and team.
You can also explain why you need this information and assure employees you’ll maintain their
anonymity.

5. Identify patterns and trends

Next, look for and identify patterns and trends within your survey results. You can do this by looking at
certain demographics, employee status, tenure, etc.
For example, are most of your senior staff relatively happy at work, but not your lower-level employees
and trainees? Is there a difference in results between those paid a fixed monthly salary and those who
receive hourly wages?
If most of your employees feel the same way about a particular issue, that’s a strong indication you need
to investigate further and something needs to change. If a handful of employees are frustrated or
requesting something, take into account factors such as their departments, roles, teams, compensation
packages, and work arrangements to see if you can spot any meaningful patterns.

6. Complement quantitative data with qualitative data

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
32
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

While numbers are important, it’s equally crucial to collect qualitative responses to complement your
quantitative data and ensure you don’t miss any major concerns. Qualitative data can capture an
employee’s thoughts, motivations, and attitudes.
For example, if an employee is asked how happy they are at work and gives a score of 4 out of 5, this may
suggest they are generally satisfied. However, they may not have given a score of 5 because they have a
specific concern or criticism. It’s vital to find out what this concern is so you can resolve it.
You may want to consider organizing a series of employee focus groups or reaching out to individuals for
deeper conversations. Certain survey software enables you to do this even when surveys are completed
anonymously.

7. Connect employee engagement to business outcomes

It’s important to remember that analysis is different from producing static reports. Analysis centers on
combining several different metrics and processes and displaying and sharing the data in various ways.
This helps answer critical business questions. For example, do the frequently changing managers within a
team affect employee engagement?
Many organizations have high employee engagement levels but still suffer from high turnover rates in key
roles. This suggests that employee engagement may not be related to work or individual roles but rather
generous compensation packages.
This is where data analysis becomes invaluable and can help you understand what your employee
engagement survey results mean for the business. Combine and analyze your engagement data with other
critical information from your HR management systems, as well as business data from your ERP system.

8. Benchmark your results

Benchmarking can help you better understand your results and how your organization is performing
compared to your previous results and industry standards and pinpoint key areas for improvement.
Essentially, HR benchmarking involves comparing one set of survey data with another that measures
something similar.
There are three types of benchmarks you can use:
 National: Benchmarking your results against national results will help you understand where your
organization sits compared to others in the same country.
 Industry: An industry benchmark helps you determine how your organization compares to others
within your industry. Because it accounts for industry factors, industry benchmarking is generally
more reliable than national benchmarking.
 Internal: The final option for benchmarking is an internal approach. This means comparing your
most recent results to past results to understand how your organization has performed over time.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
33
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

You can send out a monthly or quarterly survey to track employee engagement before and after you
implement a new software system so you can see if it boosts engagement. This enables you to track your
progress and continuously make small improvements.
Benchmarking also enables you to ask (and answer) questions like:
 How did we perform this quarter compared to last quarter? How has the level of engagement
changed?
 How are other organizations performing with regard to employee engagement levels?
 Is our turnover rate high or low for our industry?

9. Visualize the results

Visualizing the data you collect in your analysis will help team managers and stakeholders process and
understand it, reducing the risk of misinterpretation. It will also help them gain actionable insights and
identify areas of improvement.
There are several ways you can visualize your employee survey results:
 Pie charts: These show different categories that combine to make a whole. For example, if the
question “Do you feel like there are enough progression opportunities for you in the
organization?” had a 1-5 rating scale, a pie chart can show the percentage of employees who
selected each number.
 Bar graphs: A bar graph enables you to compare responses between groups or show how a trend
has changed over time. You can use a bar graph to show the difference between results across
different departments in your organization.
 Line charts: A line chart is the best way to compare two sets of data. For example, you can
compare this year’s engagement results with last year’s using a line chart. It can be particularly
effective when displaying small changes that are not as visible on a bar graph.
 Call-out graphics: If you want to highlight a particular fact or figure, creating a call-out graphic
might be the best approach. This works well if the fact or figure is a surprise or staff members and
key stakeholders are heavily invested in it.

10. Review results with managers and take action

The ultimate goal of conducting an employee engagement survey analysis is to determine what action you
must take to improve engagement. Once you’ve sufficiently analyzed and digested the data, the final step
is to report your findings to managers and create a plan of action.
Even if you’re unhappy with the results, reporting them and promoting transparency across the business is
still important. Instead of playing the blame game, address why problems occur and focus on finding a
solution. This is your opportunity to do something positive to benefit your employees and boost the
organization’s overall performance.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
34
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Schedule a meeting with managers and ensure the agenda is clear. Emphasize the importance of being
solution-focused, ask for their input on their teams, and present your proposed action plan.
You may also want to propose incorporating employee engagement metrics into managers’ performance
reviews. This can incentivize managers to improve their own skills, help develop their team, and enhance
communication with their employees.
Analyzing engagement surveys helps you determine where your organization currently excels and where it
needs to improve to boost employee performance, motivation, and commitment. This rich data can help
you notice patterns and themes, which you can use to create an actionable strategy that enables you to
increase engagement and get closer to achieving your wider business goals.

VII. Survey on Work-life balance

What is Work Life Balance?
Work-life balance is about the correlation between your professional work and personal life. This means that a person
is able to meet work demands in order keep time and energy available for personal activities, such as family life,
hobbies and relaxation all by not compromise at the job. Without work life balance, your overall health and burnout
can easily creep in. Keep either work or personal life from taking too much of a toll on one's mental and physical
well-being. Because with the right amount of balance, here brings rewards and results which permits individuals to
live an efficient meaningful life (without overwhelming stress) from both sides- work-work as well enjoy this extra
motivation.
Importance of Work Life Balance
Balancing personal and professional life is vital in determining productive living among employees because when
the work force can cope with their own job responsibility, then they will not only be healthy but also live a smooth
and good manner. Balancing this element benefits most individuals and organizations by contributing to overall
wellbeing that ultimately leads to success.
Reduced Stress and Burnout
A good work-life balance helps decrease stress and forestall burnout by allowing time for relaxation, hobbies or
private enjoyment. Happy employees lead to lower stress, and when people are able to reset in-between high outputs
they can better manage their workload. The decrease in stress leads to improved mental and physical health, which
also increases overall employee satisfaction.
Increased Productivity
When employees can find and maintain a good work-life balance, they are more effective at their tasks on-the-job
because they have had time to rest up and mentally decompress. Responsible parties can adopt balance and perform
their tasks to a best level due low stress. Having higher productivity is advantageous not just for the individual, but
for even to be more successful in its objective.
Improved Job Satisfaction
When work-life balance is present, job satisfaction goes up and employees tend to feel less stressed as well because
their lives feel more orderly or manageable day-to-day. If people can balance work and life they will have better
chances to participate more or be engaged. This increased job satisfaction often results in improved performance and
a happier workplace.
Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain
Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
35
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Enhanced Employee Retention

People tend to stay longer with organizations that enable a work-life balance as they appreciate respect for personal
time and well-being. Giving people flexible work schedules and lifestyle flexibility are effective in building loyalty-
it also helps to significantly reduce turnover. And retaining skilled and satisfied employees adds value to the
organization with reduced employee turnover.
Work Life Balance Examples
Work-life balance gives a way in which an individual can effectively manage his or her work responsibilities and
personal life. By using these strategies in practice, individuals are better able to achieve a balance between optimal
performance and well-being.
Examples
o A flexible work hours or offering compressed work weeks this way allows employees to start and end their
day during time that makes more sense for managing all kinds of personal commitments. In this way,
employees can more easily accommodate work with family or other personal obligations.
o Offering the ability to work from home or other locales ensures that employees do not have long commutes,
and it allows them to blend their professional responsibilities with personal commitments. Remote work can
make employees happier and boost productivity because of creating flexible working conditions.
How to Improve Work Life Balance?
A work-life balance is indispensable in order to live an enriching and doable life that aids the cause of professional
triumph along with personality development. Practical strategies can help facilitate a balance in work and personal
life, which will decrease stress levels and create an overall sense of satisfaction for any individual.
Set Clear Boundaries
It is necessary to have clearly marked boundaries between work and personal time so you are able to achieve a good
balance. Establish boundaries, and make sure everyone — including colleagues and supervisors know when you're
working. Adhering to these boundaries also helps prevent burnout and carves out specific personal and family times.
Prioritize Time Management
Now general acts can be knowledge of the gap by managing one's own time effectively to make a smoother balance
between professional responsibilities and personal commitments. Organize and prioritize- find practical methods to
control your day by making use of calendars, task lists or time-blocking techniques. Using your time wisely can help
you budget hours to work and play, creating less stress and more productivity.
Adopt a Flexible Work Arrangement
Flexible work arrangements such as working remotely or flexible hours can drastically improve your overall work-
life balance. Flexibility will give you more freedom in lining up your availability for work with your personal
activities and lessons some of the stress brought on by strict working hours. If your employer allows, talk and enter
into flexible arrangements which grant you ease at managing work-life balance.
Delegate and Share Responsibilities

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
36
MBA 3rd Semester
HR Analytics (HR301)
MBA 2023
2024-2025

Sharing work can prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and provide more balance, delegate some of your tasks
to colleagues or even family members. Delegating jobs better disperses duties and opens up time for leisure activities.
Working with and discussing your problems with others can help alleviate the pressure of doing it all by yourself.
Take Regular Breaks
The ultimate form is taking regular breaks throughout the day, allowing you to be consistently working at peak rate
without burning out. Short breaks are for refocusing and re-energising, long breaks or time off is needed to give you
that valuable space/projects weekend time. Taking time off from working is essential to mental well-being which is
then reflected in the quality of your work.
Seek Support
Sometimes, getting some help can be really helpful- it could come from your employer or perhaps a friend/family
member. Transparency in your struggles, and what you need help with can result in action solutions to take some of
the pressure off. With support systems, you will have someone to help and less pressure at both work life and personal
lifestyle.
Practice Self-Care
You have to make exercise, good nutrition and keeping a look-out for your hours of sleep routine part of the list on
top. If you look after your health, both physical and mental as well, it allows for better care of work-life balance.
Self-care is one of the most prominent factors to improve our well-being, and it allows us to enhance our own
resilience.
Set Realistic Goals
This is followed by realistic and feasible objectives at work, as well as personal life which avoids overcommitment
that eventually leads to stress. It prevents setting yourself up for failure and entails a more leveled perspective of your
workload. By setting realistic goals you are able to better manage your time and energy.
Develop Hobbies and Interests
Taking time to partake in hobbies and things you enjoy is a way of taking care of yourself, it switches your brain out
from work mode for a while and helps promote mental well being. The sensation of fulfillment comes from engaging
in the things that bring us joy and relaxation but most importantly create a solid barrier to deplete work-related stress.
Creating new interests is likely to lead to a more balanced life and increase overall happiness.

Dr. Tiny Tanushree Gohain

Assistant Professor and Department of Management
Brainware University, Kolkata
37