As our nation commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July, people across the U.S. will show their patriotism by fervently taking part in customary American celebrations like going to baseball games, watching fireworks, throwing backyard barbeques and attending parades.
At the root of all the star-spangled spectacle are feelings of pride. People want to revel in their feelings of gratitude and loyalty toward their nation. While patriotism is a sentiment unique to citizens and their countries—companies can take a lesson and aspire to cultivate the professional equivalent—loyalty among employees.
At Cvent, we certainly do. Our motto is “Bleed Blue,” a phrase that references our company colors and our employees’ all-in attitude when it comes to working here. We aim to sustain an atmosphere of loyal, proud employees who are eager to celebrate the company’s traditions and future milestones—it’s really not unlike the spirit of a Fourth of July celebration. However, employee loyalty doesn’t materialize out of thin air; it’s a product of engagement. Before you can expect loyalty from your employees, you have to successfully listen, understand and engage with them. Here are just a few ways Cvent engages its employees.
- Collecting Employee Feedback– At Cvent, we use our web survey software to collect feedback from employees. We give everyone an opportunity to let the executive and human resources departments know how they feel about things like benefits, office culture, career development and management performance. Employees appreciate the opportunity to be heard, and take time to write honest, thoughtful responses detailing their likes, dislikes and ways to improve their work environment. Although no company can accommodate all the suggestions posited by its employees, Cvent makes sure to let employees know when change is taking place based on their feedback.
In addition to using web surveys to measure employee engagement, Cvent uses them to gather pre- and post-event feedback. Before company outings, parties, happy hours and annual meetings, our event planning department surveys employees to determine their opinions on locations, venues, activities, and content if it’s a large-scale meeting. After company events, the planning department collects post-event feedback to find out how the experience can be improved upon in the future. This shows employees that decisions aren’t being made arbitrarily and that Cvent values building consensus.
- Preserving a Unique Company Culture– Like many successful companies that began as humble start-ups, Cvent had to use grit, hard work and ingenuity to claw its way to a more stable existence. Employee resourcefulness, creativity and collaboration trumped organizational hierarchies and traditional office formalities. Of course, some things evolved as our company matured—but whether it’s a flash mob at our annual meeting, casual dress code policy, easy access to senior management, or freedom to try out new ideas—Cvent’s leaders continue to make a pointed effort to preserve the culture upon which they founded the company.
- Celebrating Achievements– Over the course of a 15-year existence Cvent has experienced some truly incredible feats. We’ve expanded our product lines, acquired other technology companies, went public, and will soon set up shop in a brand new office to accommodate our growing staff. Most recently, we became the only company in the Washington D.C. metro area rank among a prestigious trifecta of local best places to work lists, appearing in the Washington Business Journal, Virginia Magazine and Washington Post. Cvent believes that kind of success warrants the occasional celebration. Happy hours, holiday parties, social outings, World Cup viewing parties, and even simple department-wide lunches do a lot to boost morale and reinforce the significance of Cvent’s chief asset—its employees.
With Independence Day almost underway, step back and consider the level of employee engagement at your own organization. If your company was a nation and your employees were its citizens, would they be patriotic? Would they be excited to celebrate their loyalty? There is only one way to find out for sure. Collect their feedback and start setting off some employee engagement fireworks of your own. Schedule a demo of Cvent’s Web Survey solution, and watch how you can launch an employee engagement program that helps you increase satisfaction and reduce turnover.