Ah yes, the DIY approach. Many leaders (most notably Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase) utilize do it yourself (DIY) or do it in-house (DII) primarily as a cost-savings method. The premise they operate under is that we have people smart enough to build it or figure it out ourselves after hearing how the consultant or company model works after pitching their services. As it relates to surveys, there are several shortcomings concerning DIY or DII that render this approach ineffective.
Trust
The essential element of surveys is feedback. For the input to be useful, it must be true, unbiased, and helpful. Having a neutral third party is the best way to obtain accurate and valuable feedback. With a neutral third party, the fear of retribution or punishment for being honest, which is a genuine concern that many employees feel, is omitted. The trust that comes from being a neutral third party encourages employees to provide the information organizations need to get better.
Valid and Reliable Questions
Another shortcoming is the questions you ask. How far will the right answers to the wrong questions get you? Having scientifically valid and reliable questions is the best way to ensure you're working on solving the correct problems. A great example is the bathroom scale. Each time you step on a scale, you want it to be accurate. If the scale is not working correctly, it may not show your actual weight. Each time you step on it, it's the same (reliable). However, it's not valid. The same holds true for your survey questions; you want them to be valid and reliable.
Blindspots
The final shortcoming that renders DIY or DII ineffective is blindspots. One of the lessons I learned from my retail automotive days is that you'll miss hail damage when appraising vehicles if you're too close to the car. Many managers and leaders are too close to their organizations to see the forest from the trees. Taking a ten thousand foot view provides insights not easily seen amidst the everyday minutia of running a business.
Why Culture Booster as a survey provider?
Rather than narrowly focusing on one or a combination of culture components, we address culture holistically through the 7 Core Factors of Culture. If there are ten holes in your boat and you cover nine, the boat may still sink. Choose the only provider that measures all of the factors empirically associated with increasing employee engagement and your organization's culture. We invite you to compare.