Goodwill of South Mississippi Hits 82% Survey Response Rate, Enhancing Engagement and Communication 

Location: Gulfport, MS

Industry: Nonprofit

Employees: 150-499

Objectives

To transform workplace culture, prioritize engagement, and foster trust to improve the employee experience

Solutions

Workplace Survey and Insights

Results

An impressive 82% survey response rate and actionable insights led to high levels of employee trust, streamlined communication, and a workplace culture built on continuous improvement

For fifty years, Goodwill Industries of South Mississippi has served the Gulf Coast by delivering employment training and placement assistance for residents of the region who face barriers to employment. By helping people find meaningful career paths, Goodwill helps strengthen families and communities through the power of work and the dignity of a paycheck. The funding mechanism for these career services is the network of 11 retail stores operating in 10 Gulf Coast cities. With more than 200 employees, the organization turned to Energage for quick, streamlined insights and competitive engagement solutions.

“I’ve been highly impressed with the platform. It’s going to help with pulling all the information to one central location – just that hub to be able to put all the information so that any point we can log in and all see that. With the surveys going out through Energage and that information coming back and really you all being the ones to analyze those results and give us an overview – that’s really exciting for me that I will be able to get out of the weeds. Like I said from the moment I had that first call, I went back and said, ‘OK, I want it all.’”

Paige Derouen, VP of HR and Mission Services

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Continuous improvement is powered by Workplace Survey and Insights

Paige Derouen, VP of HR and Mission Services at Goodwill of South Mississippi, emphasizes that prioritizing culture is paramount to continuous improvement. Investing in the Energage Platform was a deliberate step towards dedicating resources to employee engagement. When her team saw the platform’s capabilities and knew they could leverage its features, they eagerly to added it to their toolbox.

Survey insights inform meaningful dialogue across teams

Energage Insights and its customized reports enable leaders at Goodwill of South Mississippi to craft conversations and engage with employees in a purposeful way. Data from the Workplace Survey informs which questions leaders ask employees, helps them connect with individuals, and quickly see the big picture. 

Now, leaders have more insight when communicating with local store managers. They know which conversations to have in each location. Conversations with employees are much richer, and managers have the guidance they need to improve employee engagement.  

The leadership team is more prepared when they visit each of their 11 retail locations. Insights reports save time and allow them to get granular with each store manager about their strengths and weaknesses. So far, employees and managers alike appreciate the survey process and the valuable data it provides. Everyone regularly sees and comments on the survey value, from entry-level employees to senior leaders. 

Employees trust the confidential Workplace Survey

Goodwill of South Mississippi achieved an impressive 82% response rate the first time they administered the Workplace Survey. Using a confidential third-party survey provider improves trust and shows that the organization takes the topic of employee engagement seriously. Paige explained that trust improves honesty and creates actionable data to make changes and address issues quickly. 
 
Time and resources are extremely valuable to non-profits, and this team is no exception. Because of that, it’s essential to ensure everyone is getting as much out of the survey process as possible.

Choose the engagement survey employees trust

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