Subscribe to our Blog

Your email:

Most Popular Posts

Posts by Month

Posts by Category

Leadership Intelligence Blog

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

"Undercover Boss" and Employee Engagement

Posted by Laura Sheffield on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 @ 02:07 PM
  | Share on Twitter Twitter | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn |  Share On Technorati Technorati | Submit to Reddit reddit 

In a recent episode of CBS Undercover Boss, the CEO of Hooter's Inc. goes undercover into the lower levels of the company. In one scene, the disguised CEO goes to work at the company's plant for making dipping sauces and chicken wing sauces.

Before going undercover his perception was that the plant had exceptional employee engagement and a family-like atmosphere. However, as he fills sauce buckets at the plant the CEO is shocked to discover low morale, discouragement, and job frustration among the employees.

The CEO need not be so surprised. One shouldn't have to go undercover to have a clear picture of the employee engagement levels in their own organization.

For organizations who use employee feedback and employee engagement surveys in day-to-day operations, going into the workforce in disguise is unnecessary. Employee engagement surveys effectively take the boss undercover.

With employee feedback the boss is observing and understanding employee life in all parts of the organization-- without the deceit of a fake mustache. Organizations using employee feedback understand employee perceptions, employ open communication at all levels, and encourage honest feedback.

At the end of each CBS Undercover Boss episode, the CEO reveals him or herself and instigates changes to the organization based on discoveries made as an undercover boss. Employee A is given a raise. Manager B is disciplined. Employees C, D, and E are promoted. Policy F is adapted to more fully engage employees.

Because of the discoveries made undercover, corporate culture is reformed to more fully promote engagement and decisions are made to ensure the opinion and perceptions of employees are no longer an untouched mystery. The organization begins to focus on understanding the life of the employee.

With employee feedback and engagement surveys, the same happens. Discovery inspires change and the life of the employees becomes the life of the organization. As it should be. 

Comments

I agree with you completely. I find it disturbing that an Exec is so blind as to what is going on in his / her organization. Do they never just talk with their employees? Ask them questions, solicit feedback? Just having simple conversations with ALL levels in the organization would give you plenty of answers. 
 
I too just posted a similar blog onwww.createawinningteam.com  
Posted @ Friday, February 19, 2010 4:47 PM by John Slimp
Taking feedback from employees is an important step for the benefit of the organisation. Either you go for verbal or just written form. 
 
 
 
In our organisation, we hold a quarterly meeting with employees of all level called  
 
" Communication Meeting" and people are happy with such an activity as they are heard and action is taken. 
 
Regards, 
 
S.K.Srivastava 9423877168 
 
satishksrivastava@yahoo.com
Posted @ Friday, February 19, 2010 10:15 PM by S.K.Srivastava
Who was it that said that "there is no substitute for experience"? Can having someone tell you about their experience or reading about other individuals accounts of situations ever truly equal what you get from experiencing the environment and the physical, mental and emotional highs and lows of actually doing a job yourself? With so much visual and print around us we see and read so much about the experiences about others and think we understand, but isn’t it the things we experience first hand that really shape our opinions and allow us to truly empathize with others? 
 
 
 
I once did a stand up comedy routine, probably for no other reason that that I’m a bigger egomaniac that I care to admit, and I can tell you that for all of the comedy and comedians I’ve read and seen, from the masters to those that bombed on stage (let’s say I fell somewhere in between), there is nothing that compares to the experience and the appreciation I gained for those who make us laugh and those we try but fail, like having been on stage myself. 
 
 
 
Can you recall the differences in reading about an event, let’s say a basketball game since I’m a fan, seeing it on television, attending a game, and playing the game yourself? Did being told that the stove was hot compare to when your curiosity finally got the better of you and you touched it yourself? 
 
 
 
Don’t get me wrong, I think employee feedback is great but as the saying goes “there’s no substitute for experience”. 
 
Posted @ Saturday, February 20, 2010 1:35 PM by Nigel Corneal
Managers aren't blind, nor stupid. Disengaged, demotivated workforce has many benefits, as outlined in this video 
 
 
 
http://news.zdnet.com/2422-13569_22-155418.html 
 
Posted @ Friday, February 26, 2010 5:53 AM by mataj
Unfortunately, this is a common problem in corporate America. As an HR professional, I have seen many instances where executives will attempt to engage employees, not understanding that the company culture does not truly support employees who speak up. Often the employee experiences negative consequences. This environment is often created by managers who are respectful and diligent when dealing with the executives, but have poor people management skills and appalling relationships with their subordinates. Often these managers are not competent in their jobs in one way or another, but since they are the "expert" in a particular segment, it goes largely unnoticed by those above them. I am convinced that there are several line level employees at Toyota who were, to some extent, aware of issues with the breaks on some models. However, the perception of negative consequences (real or imagined) caused them to keep quiet and not inform those who (possibly) could and would do something about it. I have watched "Undercover Boss" and I think that the executives who participate in this process see how out of touch they are. I believe this is due to societal hierarchy and in part wanted to believe that if the company is doing well everyone is happy. In today’s economy, many executive and managers believe that people are grateful to have a job and a paycheck, not understanding that it is not that simple. People want to be treated with respect and dignity. I say this as an HR professional, who often serves as a bridge between employees and executives.
Posted @ Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:05 PM by Chanail Bennett
Post Comment
Name
 *
Email
 *
Website (optional)
Comment
 *

Allowed tags: <a> link, <b> bold, <i> italics

Complimentary Webinar

The Buried Treasure in Your Employee Engagement Survey 
treasure chest small

 Register Now

Tuesday, Sept. 14th
2-3 pm Eastern Time

Performance Coaching Training

 Sept 22-23, 2010
Park City, UT

 Register Now >>


Sample 360 Degree Feedback Survey

360 Degree Feedback Survey

Employee Engagement Training

Sample Employee Engagement Survey