EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

At WU Vienna, the current employee survey system has proven inefficient, with long evaluation periods. Employees often feel their feedback lacks impact due to a delayed response cycle and a lack of follow-up on survey results. The HR department identified these issues and sought a more efficient, engaging system to ensure timely, actionable feedback. This project aims to address these challenges and deliver a solution that improves survey participation, reduces evaluation time, provides intermediate solutions between survey cycles, and enhances the usefulness of feedback for both employees and the organization.

Goal

The primary goal of this project is to transform WU Vienna’s employee survey practices by changing the survey provider, shortening evaluation times, and increasing the overall impact of the surveys. This will also provide valuable insights into best practices. The project will offer WU two effective options for survey providers. A secondary goal is to implement systems that enhance engagement and participation in the surveys. Lastly, rather than experiencing periods of stagnation with no improvements, it is crucial to introduce intermediate solutions that capture employee moods, identify challenges, and highlight areas for improvement within the organization.

Methodology

We applied the Design Thinking methodology, beginning with a thorough examination of the problem. This was followed by qualitative research, including interviews and observations, to understand employee frustrations with the current survey system, as well as insights from those conducting and approving the surveys. The findings from these sessions helped us define the main issues: survey fatigue, lack of trust in outcomes, and unclear objectives. Additionally, we conducted quantitative research by analyzing scientific articles on this topic and related areas to further inform our approach.

Results

We plan to cut the evaluation time in half to provide a more accurate picture of real-time moods and ensure that employees who stay for 

shorter periods (e.g., 6 years) also benefit from the evaluation. This will divide the process into two years: one year for survey preparation and conducting it, and the other year to react to the results. Through the proposed improvements, we expect to reduce survey evaluation time by 80%, from 6 months to approximately 3 weeks, as demonstrated by other companies that have worked with our survey partners. This change will also increase employee participation and satisfaction. Participation and the relevance of the survey will be boosted through campaigns like sticker and creative leaflet distributions in the weeks leading up to and during the surveys, as well as additional optional incentives that can be implemented if needed. The solutions focus on providing transparent feedback, more frequent surveys, and better alignment with employees’ needs. Additionally, the intermediate solutions will give WU the option to monitor moods and expectations in more detail by department and overall, ensuring a more up-to-date result.

Cooperation Partner

• WU-Vienna – Personnel Development and Planning Office

• Welthandelsplatz 1, AD, 1020 Vienna, Austria

• https://www.wu.ac.at

Contact Person

• Mara Kaiser B.Sc.

• T: +43 1 31336 5187

• E: mara.kaiser@wu.ac.at

Student Team

• Timothy Walch
  Branislav Krivulcik
  Daniel Gretz
  Mathias Rizy
  Luka Pavlovic

Project Manager

• Dr. Andrew Isaak

• Diana Lauer, M.Sc.