Q. Can we do Focus Groups with our employees? How can we get them to tell us what we need to know?

A. This is one of those “Yes and No” answers. Yes, Employee Focus Groups can be very useful in a number of situations. But no, they won’t take the place of consumer Focus Groups. And they can’t be done in the same way.

My clients have had success with Employee Focus Groups that were:

• About strictly employee issues. I have conducted employee Focus Groups on subjects which included benefits, internal communications, new plans, goals and initiatives. Significant information has been explored in these sessions that did not come up at the companies (or that did not come up where management could hear it).
• Product screenings. Discussions of employee concerns about delivering existing and new products/services. And discussions of employee ideas related to/inspired by these concerns.
• Consumer communications reviews. The employees know what they can and can’t do and many interact with consumers every day. Hearing from them can help control company over- (or, interestingly, under-) promising in advertising and marketing. Employee input is also often sought in developing communication campaigns.

Employee Focus Groups are a whole different animal from consumer and business-to- business groups – the same rules just don’t apply. And there are some new ones you need to know. Let me know if you want me to send:

• Employee Focus Group How To’s — and How Not To’s
• Empowered and Secure: Employee Focus Group Case Histories

Just call or e-mail me at the address/phone below and tell me which one/s you want!