The voice of the employee (VoE) has become a popular term often limited in scope to annual staff surveys. In reality, VoE can go far beyond corporate questionnaires administered once a year to a valuable strategy to uncover operating improvements and employee perceptions to unlock more valuable changes. With continued declines in unemployment, down to only 3.7% in December, and the fewest jobless claims since September 2022, employers will need to consider more comprehensive VoE programs to identify ways to attract employees and, once on-boarded, leverage their intelligence to improve operations performance.

Understanding the spectrum of employee feelings, perceptions, and day-to-day experiences can guide a company's benefits, policies and operating procedures. Listening isn't just about attracting new talent. It can also significantly impact retention of existing employees who are already onboarded. Achievers reports that 73% of employees say feeling recognized would inspire them to be more productive, and 64% say it would reduce their desire to change jobs.

It's also important to consider a wide breadth of employees when listening to the VoE. In most cases, business leaders get most input from corporate workers and struggle to reach and include the 58% of U.S. workers who are on-site. Capturing the full spectrum of employees offers comprehensive insights into what would keep or make employees more engaged and less likely to leave.