October 23, 2024
A step-by-step employer guide to designing, facilitating, and evaluating worker forums that evolve and elevate worker voice practices, closing the gap between feedback and action that creates change.
At Jobs for the Future (JFF), we believe that investments in the career mobility and well-being of employees are investments in long-term business outcomes.
Acting on employee voice is a key component of that investment, and employers that amplify workers’ voices and involve employees in decision-making, innovation, and co-creation of solutions benefit from more engaged and empowered workforces. Leaders who harness employees’ expertise boost employee well-being and performance, fuel innovation, increase retention, and enhance business agility.
However, a 2024 national survey of 515 frontline and entry-level workers conducted by the JFF Worker Forum in partnership with CoLabL revealed important challenges for connecting employee feedback to meaningful workplace changes. While 69% of the respondents said that they believe their employers offer adequate channels for frontline workers to provide feedback and contribute to decision-making, only 45% said that they feel their opinions and suggestions are valued by management, and only 42% said that their employers take action in response to their feedback.
These statistics reveal a significant opportunity to enhance internal collaboration, workplace culture, and innovation. JFF advocates for employers co-creating business solutions alongside their workforce through structured worker forums. Such efforts not only bridge the gap between feedback and action but also lead to higher-quality jobs, improved business performance, and a workforce that feels connected and valued.
This guide offers employers a step-by-step blueprint for designing, facilitating, and evaluating a worker forum, ensuring that worker voices are heard, valued, and translated into meaningful actions that benefit both employees and the organization.
At Jobs for the Future (JFF), we believe meaningful employee agency and engagement are a critical path to quality jobs. Employers—particularly those with large frontline workforces—are also powerful actors in increasing employee agency and, by…
The Impact Employer Model provides a comprehensive toolkit with structured guidance to help business leaders, like you, to strategically invest in the well-being of their employees and propel business growth—without the overwhelm.