Survey feedback improves service quality perceptions among employees of an NGO: an organizational-level positive intervention

ABSTRACT

The goal of this research study is to examine whether employees’ service quality perceptions improve after they participate in survey-feedback sessions. We tested an organizational-level positive intervention with the participation of 49 small organizations pertaining to an NGO for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Data were collected from employees (n = 430) and family members (n = 625), then informing employees about service quality perceptions. We hypothesized that, compared to family members, employees would underestimate the service quality they deliver, and that survey-feedback sessions would help to improve employees’ perceptions. We conducted a randomized controlled trial study, analyzing data at the organizational level. Randomly selected participants – employees and family members – were asked to assess functional and relational service quality (T1). One month later, 25 organizations participated in a survey-feedback session. Data were collected again 4 months after the first assessment (T2) in both the survey-feedback and control conditions. The t-test and ANOVA analyses showed that employees underestimate their service quality, and that survey feedback improves their relational service quality perceptions. The manuscript concludes with theoretical and practical implications of the study.

KEYWORDS:

• Functional service quality
• relational service quality
• survey feedback
• organizational-level positive intervention
• intellectual disability

Acknowledgements

This research study was carried out under one of the projects supported by the Spanish Agency of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (I+D+i project, PSI2013-48509-P and PSI2016-78158-R) and FEDER. The authors would like to thank “Plena Inclusión” and associated centres that participated in the studies, especially professionals and families.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. We express our gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for suggesting these analyses.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Agency of Economy, Industry, and competitiveness, and FEDER [PSI2016-78158-R - PSI2013-48509-P].