About Happy Job platform

Happy Job platform is a convenient solution for measuring employee engagement and loyalty, with which you can change your corporate culture for the better. Thanks to the data that Happy Job collects, you will be able to make timely fixes to problems in the company and improve the working environment. Continuous work in this area will lead to company prosperity - after all, happy, engaged employees work harder, stay with the employer longer and achieve better results.

Our product is based on modern digital technologies. They make the process of measuring employee engagement and loyalty accurate and easy for users.

Happy Job uses recognised metrics to measure loyalty, eNPS and satisfaction *. We have also created our own engagement metrics using our 20 years of consulting and research experience.

Our methodology for conducting employee surveys was described in an article by the international scientific journal of basic and applied research IJSBAR.

See

* In the process of working on the Happy Job methodology, 12 methods of global providers of research on employee engagement and loyalty, 144 scientific studies and 29 books were studied.

Scientific Approach to Happy Job Research

When creating the Happy Job methodology, we studied in detail the factors that affect the reliability of the final data. One of them was the cognitive load on survey respondents.

Cognitive Load Theory

Cognitive load is the amount of effort that needs to be expended on solving a specific problem. Cognitive load theory was developed by Australian educational psychologist John Sweller in 1988. He suggested that the method of presenting information affects the amount of mental effort required to assimilate it.

The resource of the human brain is not infinite. We are cognitively challenged when solving any task - in everyday life, in the academic field or at work. With its growth, the likelihood of errors in completing tasks increases, it becomes more difficult to assimilate information, make decisions, and remain objective.

How does the respondent behave under high cognitive load?

Employee engagement and loyalty surveys follow the same rules as academic or work tasks: the more difficult the survey, the more effort employees will put into completing it. At the same time, the volume of cognitive load will be influenced both by the questionnaire itself and by the person's environment - noise in the office, the condition of the device on which they are taking the test, and so on.

A high level of cognitive load casts doubt on the survey result. First, when filling out complex questionnaires, respondents lose concentration and are more likely to make mistakes. Secondly, they are less motivated to finish what they started. As a result, employees will choose answers that fit the criteria of the question, but do not reflect their real opinion on the given topic. The data obtained in the course of the survey will not show the real dynamics in the company.

Perception of Information by the Respondent

Modern man consumes a huge amount of data. According to Professor Martin Gilbert and his team at the University of Southern California, the amount of information a person receives every day would fit in 170+ printed publications.

To navigate this flow and reduce cognitive load, our brain has learned to highlight the main information, and to block out what is unnecessary. For example, ignore ads on social networks or quickly find key phrases in bulky texts.

This ability of the brain is also turned on when taking surveys. Large, monotonous questionnaires with inarticulate wording of questions are poorly received:

  • • the attention of employees is scattered;
  • • tasks are performed in a perfunctory manner;
  • • completing the survey seems like unnecessary work that should be completed as soon as possible.

Clip Culture and Cognitive Load

The abundance of information and the emergence of new channels for its transmission (internet, video, etc.) have contributed to the emergence of a phenomenon called "clip culture", from the English clip - "segment", "fragment".

The main concept of clip consciousness suggests the formation of fundamentally new types of thought processes in the information society. The main concept of clip consciousness speaks to the emergence of fundamentally new types of thought processes in the information society.

This trend must be taken into account when choosing the length and format of the survey. Cumbersome old-style questionnaires are outdated - most respondents find it difficult to maintain concentration and perseverance when working with them.

Applicability of Cognitive Load Theory to Employee Surveys

Traditional Approach vs Happy Job

Traditional methods of organising employee surveys do not take into account the impact of cognitive load on respondents.

As a rule, such questionnaires are voluminous, consist of tasks of the same type and take a long time to complete.

Use of such methods presents problems that cannot always be foreseen:

  • • Uniformity of statements and structure leads to formal, superficial responses.
  • • Bulky and traditional questions are boring. By the end of the survey, the person becomes inattentive, wants to finish as soon as possible, chooses the answers at random.
  • • Due to the large number of questions of the same type, the respondents develop an attitude towards answering. For example, if the option “absolutely agree” was chosen for the first three questions, then the following will be answered like that as well.
  • • Employee surveys often use the Likert scale — a scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. It has been criticized for having “preferred” answers. Respondents tend to give socially expected answers instead of sharing real thoughts.
  • • On the Likert scale, a positive answer is usually in the same place. The respondents choose it mechanically, without thinking about the essence of the question.
  • • The Likert scale allows respondents to choose a neutral answer. There is an opinion that the presence of a neutral point in research is a waste of the researcher's energy and time. At best, the information obtained during the survey will not be of great value; at worst, it will lead to distortion of the results.
  • • Sometimes the Likert scale leads to the other extreme - respondents always choose absolute indicators when answering. This also affects the accuracy of the result.
  • • Cronbach's alpha is used to build and verify the reliability of tests. In traditional surveys, this index falls below 0.5, while the norm is from 0.7, which indicates a low reliability of the study.
  • • In traditional surveys, employees show “visible loyalty” by choosing the answer that seems preferable from the employer's point of view.

 

The Happy Job team has modernized the outdated way of conducting employee surveys. For this, the duration, volume and submission of surveys were revised.

As a result, Happy Job research standards were defined:

  • • Accurate and understandable language. We avoid lengthy questions and complex terms, the meaning of which is incomprehensible from the first reading by more than 10% of respondents.
  • • Questions are supported by visual elements based on mental constructs and models understood from childhood. This helps to achieve clarity in the wording of the questions for the maximum number of respondents.
  • • The survey takes no more than 7 minutes, and the questionnaire includes from 5 to 12 questions - this is the optimal duration and volume to maintain the maximum concentration of the respondents' attention. Happy Job research has shown that more time-consuming questionnaires produce inaccurate results.
  • • Happy Job polls show high reliability - 0.94 according to Cronbach's alpha with the generally accepted threshold of 0.7 (the result of a study according to protocol No. 54C4 of 02.07.2016, consisting of 11 commission members). The reliability study was carried out empirically, on a sample of 4,780 respondents, randomly selected from our database. The sample included representatives from different industries and regions.
  • • Nice design, involving animation, emojis and other elements help to make the respondents more immersed in the process of taking the survey.
  • • Cognitive load is reduced if information is perceived through different channels. Happy Job alternates between different question formats. This approach helps the brain to cope with the task in a few seconds.
  • • In Happy Job surveys, employees answer questions as honestly as possible. The results of the research, therefore, accurately reflect the real state of affairs in the company.

Gamification in Happy Job Surveys

Game elements attract attention, keep people's interest. Gamification tools are a popular and effective means of maximising engagement.

“Gamification is the application of the most interesting and engaging elements from games in everyday life, work, business, etc. It is a human-focused design and is optimised for their emotional state (feelings, motivation, engagement) ”, - Yukai Chou, one of the leading experts in gamification in the world.

Gamification uses the motivational properties of the game and addresses the human need to win, share success, and communicate. The idea behind this is to bring entertaining elements to activities that are not inherently fun. Unlike standard motivation methods, gamification creates a context that itself motivates people to take action.

Gamification in Happy Job employee surveys is the use of game elements for intense engagement.

Examples of gamification in employee surveys:

Element "Progress bar"


progressbar

The progress bar is a visual indicator that shows participants how far they are through the survey.

People are more likely to finish what they start when they see their progress. Thanks to progress bars, more participants reach the end of the survey, and the research result becomes more accurate.

Slider Element


progressbar

The slider is a bar that you can use to randomly select the intensity of the response

Sliders give respondents more freedom in answering questions. Unlike the traditional Likert scale, they do not have the risks of negative scenarios with a choice of neutral answers or a choice of automatic answers.

Star Rating Element


Прогресс-бар

Star Rating is a tool for choosing an answer in the form of a star rating. It allows you to express an attitude towards a certain statement.

The clarity of such an assessment allows you to get a fair and unambiguous result.

Results of using gamification in employee surveys

Gamification keeps respondents interested and reinforces the status of surveys as fun. Game elements motivate people, because everyday action becomes something unusual and interesting. At the same time, animation and illustrations on the platform act as a kind of "helpers" that provide additional information about the polling mechanism.

There is a huge difference in the perception of gamified employee surveys and traditional surveys. Gamified Happy Job polls are considered interesting by 87% of respondents and engaging by 97%. Traditional polls have the results of 9% and 11%, respectively. The study was conducted using a sample of 264,000 employees from different companies.


Progress bar


Progress bar

When it Makes Sense to Use Gamification in Employee Surveys

Gamification tools make employee surveys fun. As a result, the percentage of participation and the accuracy of the research results increase. The maximum effect of the use of gamification can be achieved if the research goals and objectives are correctly defined. Before starting a survey, you need to clearly understand the purpose behind it all.

What You Can Learn About Employees After Happy Job Surveys

Happy Job employee surveys measure employee engagement, loyalty and satisfaction. Our proprietary indicator Happy Index will show the percentage of both engaged and loyal people in the company. Today it is one of the most accurate methods for researching employee engagement, satisfaction and loyalty.

Learn more about the employee engagement research methodology

Learn more about the employee loyalty research methodology and eNPS

More about the research methodology for employee satisfaction

Our methodology examines employee engagement and loyalty through 10 engagement metrics and 5 loyalty metrics. In the video below, Alexey Klochkov, founder of Happy Inc, explains how employee engagement and loyalty research is conducted.

Happy Job Employee Surveys Are Accurate

The validity of a research method is a characteristic that evaluates its quality. The study of validity is required to answer an important question - is the method capable of giving a correct assessment of the subject of measurement

The Happy Job methodology for studying engagement and loyalty has been successfully tested for conceptual, meaningful, empirical, current and predictive validity.

The conceptual and substantive validity of our approach was tested by comparing the results of two different studies in the same focus group. During the check, two methods were used: an online survey of 57 questions and a focus group survey interview (research according to protocol No. 174C2 dated May 16, 2016 in the presence of 7 commission members). Additionally, a check was carried out on 14 focus groups, which included 278 people of different sex, age, status. In both cases, the results proved that the respondents understand the essence of the question and give answers that are fully consistent with the subject of study.

The measurement of empirical validity was carried out according to an external indicator - by comparing the percentage of plan fulfilment and engagement. This correlation determines the validity of the survey for assessing the engagement of the environment. The current validity of a study is measured by comparing an individual KPI result with an engagement metric. Both studies have shown the high accuracy of this technique.

Also, the Happy Job method has successfully passed the predictive validity test. Engagement and loyalty metrics (willingness to stay in the company, recognition of merit and understanding of career growth) predicted with 87% accuracy the number of employees leaving the company in the 6-month period after the survey.

How the Scientific Approach is Implemented on the Happy Job Platform

The Happy Job platform takes a scientific approach to employee surveys. It includes:

  1. Convenience for respondents. Polls take place online and take 5-7 minutes - even the busiest specialist can find time to fill out the questionnaire. Polls are available on computers, mobile phones and tablets. If necessary, the respondent can pause and return to the survey later - the platform will save their progress.
    The Happy Job platform has an intuitive interface: only basic computer skills are required to participate in the survey, design and animation make navigation intuitive for all users.
  2. Involvement in the survey. Gamification tools help employees engage and motivate them to answer all questions. The result of the study is a fully-fledged report with comprehensive information about the situation in the company and the mood of the staff.
  3. The reliability of the data. The reliability of the survey results is due to the fact that the wording of the Happy Job questions excludes the option of guessing "good" answers. In addition, respondents fill out the questionnaire anonymously and can show their true attitude to the subject matter. Thus, it is possible to identify problematic points and promptly take measures to improve them.
  4. Promotion of the survey among employees. Taking part in a survey will seem pointless if you do not convince the team of the importance of what is happening. When your employees know that their opinions can affect the situation in the company, they are more likely to fill out questionnaires. There are promotional materials available on the Happy Job platform that will make it easier to promote surveys among staff. Moreover, some of them are sent automatically from the platform, which frees up the time of the HR specialist responsible for conducting the surveys.
  5. Guide to action. The reports, which are automatically generated after the completion of the survey, contain recommendations for improving the indicators of engagement, satisfaction and loyalty. By following these guidelines, you can significantly improve the team spirit and the productivity of the company.
    In addition to recommendations on how to implement changes, you can read Happy Job newsletters and articles by Happy Job experts in reputable publications.
  6. Compatibility with data from other providers. The platform is compatible with data from other providers, so when you switch to Happy Job, you can save the results of previous surveys. Our managers will tell you more about this.

For customers to love a company, it should
be loved by the employees.

About Happy Inc in Numbers

The experience of participating in Happy Job surveys is rated as positive by 98,1% of respondents. The study was conducted using a sample of 264,000 employees from various companies and industries.

94% of executives noted the convenience of working with the survey results, the clarity of the metrics and indicators, and the usefulness of the recommendations.

At least 70% of employees always participate in Happy Job surveys. This number grows as polls become a familiar part of corporate culture.

The total number of Happy Job survey participants to date has exceeded 3,500,000.

From 2016 to the present day, using the Happy Job platform, we have conducted research on employee engagement and loyalty in over 400 companies.