FEEDBACK REPORT
PRESIDENT TEMPERATURE CHECK 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
At Advantage, our unwavering dedication to operational excellence and fostering a culture of continuous improvement is paramount. Through this initiative, we aimed to understand employee experiences, gather insights, and identify areas for enhancing employee work life. The open and honest feedback our teammates shared during these telephone calls was an eye-opening experience, and the information derived will help guide our future decisions and initiatives.
PRESIDENT TEMPERATURE
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This was an endeavor we did not take lightly and are appreciative of Executive Leaders for making over 250 phone calls to employees across the organization. We are thrilled to share 84% of our dedicated employees actively participated in this pivotal process.
Shelly Kummings PRESIDENT
TEMPERATURE CHECK
*A knowledge worker is a professional staff member who generates value for the organization with their expertise, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. These roles may include: Operations Managers, HR Professionals, Account Managers and IT Professionals.
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Loves his job. Said it 'beats the hell out of office work.'
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We are proud to highlight many internal promotions company-wide within the last two years, aligning with the company’s commitment to employee growth and advancement.
94% of employees reported overall job satisfaction and positive sentiments towards their day-to-day work.
“Advises that he really enjoys his job. Gets to do a little of everything (Surveillance, SIU, and USP).
Loves the job so far. It is vastly different than what he did previously (corrections officer) but says he likes how things are going so far.
“I have told people & my family that I am very thankful for an understanding supervisor. Allowing time off for my children and being flexible with getting my hours
Yes, I do. I have told people & my family that I am very thankful for an understanding supervisor. Allowing time off for my children and being flexible with getting my hours.
Could not be happier in her new role, created weekly Desktop tip report, loves working for Jeff, feels very supported at ASI.
Going well, likes working at Advantage, enjoys new role as AM, likes working with [manager], would like leadership training.
Doing very well, thankful for the flexibility to care for her sick brother, loves Advantage.
Doing well in his new OPS role, feels very supported by [manager], wouldn't change anything, wants to continue learning and growing with ASI.
During discussions, employees articulated their perspectives on managerial support and their efficacy in leadership roles. 95% of respondents conveyed a sense of feeling supported by their direct managers, particularly amidst recent organizational transitions and changes in reporting structures.
Happier with support now than any time in the past (over a decade). Works best with [new manager] than any other past manager. Fells he is well supported
Had nothing but great things to say about Manager. Advises Manager is a good communicator, trusts him to work his assignments without being micromanaged. Always available.
Advises that Manager does very well. Feels supported. Manager trusts him as a senior investigator and doesn’t micromanage. They work well together.
“ “ MANAGERIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT
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Advises that Manager is a great manager. Advises that Manager knows how things should be done because he himself was a successful field investigator. Advises Manager is always trying to better his staff. Manager is always available to offer support.
Advises that Manager does a really good job, has a really good working-relationship w/ Manager. Always available and always supportive.
Likes his supervisor. Said he feels supported and Manager is always there to help when needed. Everything has been fantastic, recently been on-boarded and has enjoyed the process. Felt it was a very smooth process.
Loves new Manager as a boss – on top of it, transparent, good communicator, not a micro-manager."
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AVAILABILITY OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES “
Has the camera kit and advises that the technology is awesome. Good quality camera.
Enjoys the camera kit we provided, feels like it has helped him become one of the top investigators in his area.
Suggestion to include vehicle checks in the Netsweep to enhance surveillance effectiveness and improve investigation efficiency.
I understand running plates cost money, but in my opinion should be included in the netsweep. That single piece of information at the start of our investigation helps us eliminate potential claimant addresses.
Without DMV [running plates] it hurts to locate people, especially in rural areas. Wish we had training manuals [for Desktop Research] that were updated regularly.
Some Investigator’s shared their disappointment that company vehicles were no longer available, however, many understood the rationale
89% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the equipment and tools provided by the company.
Feedback regarding the adequacy of tools and resources provided by the organization to perform job duties effectively.
Informational word document cheat sheet about how to log in to different information hubs or outlets. Example login to a state / county for civil cases.
Overall feels very supported. GA DMV doesn't show up with TLO's is an issue. HR support is lacking, doesn't know who to go to for HR assistance. Feels we have the technology and tools to get the job done. Response for any issues has been quick and helpful.
New equipment is fantastic, makes doing the job easier. Would like to have a company laptop as his is old and slow.
Cheat sheets idea for hubs and information outlets. There are cheat sheets in SharePoint but multiple versions maybe an updated one in one main folder would be nice.
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Lastly, there were a number of Investigators who expressed a need for additional resources when locating Claimants, specifically the ability to run plates.
COMMUNICATION & TRANSPARENCY
Many respondents highlighted a desire for improved communication channels and transparency with organizational shifts.
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Felt a lot has changed in the last 3 years. Feels disconnected and separated from the company more now than in the past.
Feels they are being informed, for the most part of what is going on. Would like to be more connected with what the organization is doing. Like's where the company is at, appreciates a female CEO. Communication to investigators could be better but understands not everything needs to funnel down.
Communication from top to bottom is lacking some. Not bad but could be better. Four hour cases are difficult to manage. Would like to understand what is expected better for each case, clear communication of what is expected on specific files.
Communication/ information on case prior to fieldwork could be better.
Often we are finding that claimants are not cooperative because they are answering questions they've already been asked several times before we got the case.
Transparency and more interaction with management.
Different managers do different things. An example is report writing in different areas.
Better communication among teams and company-wide correspondence were a present theme in every group of calls. More detailed information in case notes/ instructions was brought up by Investigators on several occasions. It was also apparent that many employees communicate amongst themselves within and across regions and reporting lines.
FEEDBACK AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Requests for more frequent feedback on performance and processes indicate a desire for greater clarity and guidance in job responsibilities.
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Reviews more often; wants feedback on how she is doing.
Requests for more frequent feedback on performance and processes indicate a desire for greater clarity and guidance in job responsibilities.
Feels like we need more positive feedback – case examples.
Misses investigator of the month.
Feels like we need more positive feedback – case examples. Like sending kudos to the entire company.
Would like to hear positive feedback more. Hear feedback when things go wrong but not when things go right. The four-hour cases create a poor Investigator culture.
Feels sometimes the rules and expectations are not as clear as they should be, such as when management expectations are changed.
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TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT “ TRAINING
Training has been great, really enjoys the videos.
When she first started, no tools that given to know what she needed to do so the job was overwhelming in the beginning. SOP and a template is needed.
The training in this department [Desktop Research] is outdated. Everything needs updated.
SIU training was mentioned by one investigator as an area that could be improved - there were a lot of things that
he was assumed to already know so he had to work through a few things in order to catch up.
The [Desktop] training was really good - feels some [employees] would benefit more from 1 on 1 training.
Like the job, flexibility. Never bored. Continuously changing on the training, formatting, places to find information that I was not told when I first came onboard. A training format or manual would be helpful [for Desktop Research].
Mock pursuits and covert practice efforts needed to be incorporated more in training as there was not always enough live action on a real case during investigator training days.
Several employees stated they were interested in growing professionally with the company and invested their time in applying for internal opportunities.
For professional development, it would be awesome if the NetSweep folks got something like 30 minutes a week, 2 hours a month, etc. to put towards reading through and absorbing what goes out in the weekly staff email and the edited final reports we sometimes get back to review. We have 3 hours to complete each of our reports and that doesn’t allow time for much else.
ADVANCEMENT
Continuing more training to further develop as an individual. Wants to grow with the company; is finishing a bachelor’s degree program.
Wants to work his way up through the company; working on a masters degree.
Feedback regarding the quality and effectiveness of training programs provided by the organization as well as opportunities for career growth. “
One investigator mentioned wishing there was a clearer pathway toward advancement, such as from a field investigator to an operations supervisor or manager.
Does not believe he has much growth potential. Big jump from field to Ops Mgr, would like to see more growth opportunities for Investigators. Option to grow within other specialties, such as senior USP or SIU, new levels of Investigators.
She feels there is good growth opportunities and looks forward to building a career here.
Only callout was hoping to have more opportunity to move up the ranks.
There was some dissatisfaction with initial new hire training and the need for more access to training resources.
WORKLOAD AND SCHEDULING
Employees' perceptions of their workload, scheduling flexibility, and the organization's policies related to time off.
Several Investigator’s expressed a need for more work-life balance and others would like to see more support for Investigators during the slow (winter) months.
Sometimes he feels under-worked and other times he feels overworked.
His only complaint is hours have been lacking lately.
Said it's a little slow in home state right now and asked if there's anything we could do to sell better in the slower months.
Hard to adjust to time allotted being cut to 3 hours [Netsweeps].
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“Working Easter Sunday (are we looking at working Christmas, or Thanksgiving), brings morale down.
12 and 14 day continuous work schedule…We are human and have lives outside of work, most days we're up at 4am, work till 3-4pm, rush home deal with life, jump in bed and repeat. So, I just wanted to voice the concern that burning out your grunts loses the war. A single day tossed inside a 7 day work week, in effect will increase productivity and response times.
Scheduling is tough. Hard to manage work like balance. Fears of retaliation if they turn down rush assignments. The four-hour assignments are difficult to handle. Most would like to work 5 days and have 2 days off.
They get upset when an investigator from 2 hours away is favored and assigned to a case that they know is only 5 – 10 minutes from them.
SOLUTIONS
MAXIMIZING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
There is a need to implement structured systems to optimize and streamline operations and processes within the organization.
Standard Operating Procedures by Department
Develop SOPs for all departments and clearly communicate processes and expectations.
Report Auditing Process
Opportunity to develop checks and balances on our standards for reports. Quarterly checks where reports are pulled from each area and reviewed to determine if they meet our company and client expectations.
COMMUNICATION & TRANSPARENCY
Our growth as a company requires agility at all levels due to many fast-paced changes. There is a misalignment between how frontline workers perceive change, and the reality of the company’s growth. This causes employees to hypothesize what is happening at the organization, resulting in negative interpretations of the company’s performance and financial wellness. To ensure employees understand the “bigger picture”, we need to better communicate how the business works and why changes are made.
State of the Company Forums
Virtual meeting hosted quarterly to share updates on how the organization is performing.
Company Updates Accessible from SmartTrak
Develop a SmartTrak page that runs a SharePoint page with company announcements (Workiversaries, promotions, birthdays, company-wide trainings/training resources etc.).
SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, ENGAGEMENT, & MORALE
Many employees spoke about feeling a greater connection to the company and want more opportunities to celebrate their quality work and achievements through feedback, reviews, rewards, and compensation.
Performance Review Process
Development of a structured evaluation process across the organization using job specific metrics.
Total Rewards Programs
Implementation of more incentives for employees which may include additional PTO/floating holidays, retirement benefits, performance-related incentives, wellbeing programs, tuition reimbursement etc.
Employee Engagement
Cultivating a culture of connection from employees to the organization in aims to stimulate and foster connection. Employee spotlights, wellness challenges, virtual team socials/games nights, book clubs, Remote Team Challenges etc. are low-cost ways to bond remote employees across the company.
TRAINING, UPSKILLING & ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
New Hire Training
Continuously improve the new hire training experience by developing additional video tutorials, web-based trainings, and job aids. Ongoing feedback will be gathered from Managers and skilled workers/trainers.
Leadership Development for
Soft skill training for managers focused on topics such as: providing feedback, conflict resolution, leading your team and adopting coaching mindset in aims to better support and build rapport with your direct reports and colleagues.
SEE WHAT'S TRUE
Delivering Superior Results with Unmatched Commitment