Despite the massive success of Black Friday and Cyber Monday — consumers spent nearly $60 billion — you don’t need an Employee Engagement Survey to know that hardworking people do not like being forced from their beds at 3:00 a.m. in order to accommodate an out of control consumer culture.

But it definitely would’ve helped.

With the boycotting of big box retailers and the demise of the beloved Hostess Brands, workers are increasingly expressing their frustration with their perceived mistreatment. Once this news reaches the public, both sides — management and employees — are intent on a showdown. This can have negative consequences for the company and its workers. How can you avoid a similar fate?

The first step in conflict resolution is listening.

Employee Engagement Surveys are not some touchy-feely, New Age solution. They are an invaluable tool that will help you address problems and conflicts before they get out of hand. Ultimately, obtaining feedback about your employees’ questions, suggestions or concerns has a positive effect on your bottom line.

Businesses large and small can benefit from conducting these surveys. Sogolytics provides an easy and intuitive platform that creates online surveys and automatically graded assessments. We also have a repository of expertly crafted employee assessment surveys that will meet your business needs.

In addition, you can distribute your surveys in a variety of ways, including SMS, and receive instant feedback from your employees. This versatility ensures that you receive reliable data that you can immediately act on.

Don’t wait until you’re down to your last Twinkie before you begin communicating effectively with your workers. Growing your profits demands that you respect your employees. That respect begins with a constructive dialogue. That dialogue begins with listening.