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Do you really want to know? I mean really? Do you want to know what people in your company think? Many people in management say they want to know, and claim to listen, but how many get out on the floor and really get to the real meat? (or tofu for you veggi-saurus folks)

And even if you actually do care and you really do get down in the trenches how do you know that what you are getting is the real deal? The bona fide truth about what people are thinking? Honestly, you never really do. But some companies are working around this by doing anonymous on-line surveys with their people. In an on-line survey people can really speak their minds. Don’t believe me? Try going to a message board under the finance section of yahoo. I know when I worked for Carpenter Technology, based in Reading PA, there were scathing denouncements of the supposed heinous acts of management. And there were also “company men” lurking and posting opposing views. Sometimes you can get at the truth that way, and sometimes it’s just nonsense.

What I am really driving at are the legitimate surveys done by companies that allow their employees to give real feedback without the fear of reprisal. There are a great many companies that could benefit from tools of this nature, but unfortunately, don’t embrace the capabilities of the internet. - and just in case you wondered, no we don’t have an online survey package for sale, it’s just good information…: )