30% of Dutch employees believe that they could work more efficiently in their organisation. 42% are neutral about the efficiency of their employer, and 28% feel that efficiency has already been reached within their company. This is clear from a recent, large-scale research Effectory conducted among more than 300,000 employees in the Netherlands.
Thirty percent of Dutch employees believe that their work can be more efficient
Executives more positive
It is notable that managers assess efficiency in a significantly more positive light, than employees. The assessment “work in our organisation is properly organized” on average scores a 5.4 (assessed on a 1-10 scale, where ten is most positive). “Our organization uses its resources efficiently” is measured on average as a 5.1. Among these propositions executives scored higher figures, with a 6.9 and a 6.7 respectively.
The big picture
Where does this difference come from? Guido Heezen, Director and Founder of Effectory explains, “Executives working on the coordination side of the organisation are more focused on increasing efficiency. They desire, hope and wish that an organisation runs smoothly. They are less critical on negative statements regarding this issue, because this reflects doubt on the success of their own work. Furthermore, executives often have a better idea of the overall picture of the organisation, making it easier to understand why inefficiency is sometimes the case – for example during organisational change.”
Practical expertise
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Download“Employees on the other hand, are immersed in practical experience,” Heezen explains. “They may find that they are unable to properly work efficiently. This is caused, for example, by bureaucratic red-tape procedures and protocols. Or perhaps they are dealing with a manger who does not clearly define expectations. Information on the goals and purpose of the organisation does not always reach employees, which in effect supports inefficiency as it prevents employees from doing their work well. Employees are experts in their field, and specifically understand what areas can be improved.”
Knowledge gap
So, there is a knowledge gap between managers and employees. “The trick is to start a conversation with each other, and share knowledge,” Heezen continues. “This helps gain a better understanding of the bigger picture and at the same time to define and strengthen things that can be more efficient.”
This to say that even though inefficiencies may be experienced, Dutch employees are proud of their work and they enjoy what they do, with over 86% of employees surveyed indicating so.
About Effectory
Based in Amsterdam, Effectory is Europe’s largest independent employee survey provider, with over 20 years of experience in helping organisations become sustainably successful. We believe the key to sustainable success, is through gathering and listening to employee feedback. To facilitate this, we offer a variety of feedback tools which enable companies to learn from their employees and improve from within.
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