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Microsoft employees say they feel more energized and empowered at work, but have become less positive about the coaching, feedback, and motivation they receive from managers, according to the company’s latest internal employee surveys.
The findings, reported by Business Insider, were shared in an internal memo from Microsoft Chief People Officer Amy Coleman, who outlined the company’s “top strengths” and “top opportunities” from its latest employee feedback. Microsoft declined to comment, according to the report.
Microsoft employee engagement rises
In the company’s twice-yearly Employee Signals survey, Microsoft’s “Thriving” score rose by three points to 79. Coleman described this as employees feeling “energized and empowered while doing meaningful work.”
The survey was completed by 71% of employees and generated nearly 265,000 comments, according to the memo.
Coleman said the strongest results included employees’ focus on security, inclusion within teams, and teams behaving in ways that reflect Microsoft’s culture. The most favorable response was to the statement: “I prioritize addressing security challenges in my role,” which scored 88, up one point from the previous survey.
Other strong areas included “I feel included in my team,” which scored 86, also up one point, and “My team acts in ways that reflect Microsoft’s culture,” which scored 86 as a new survey question.
However, employees were less positive about career development, productivity, and clarity. The lowest-scoring items included opportunities to broaden experience in their current role, which scored 79, and whether employees have what they need to be productive in today’s work environment, which scored 80.
“While much of this feedback is encouraging, I also know we are in a time of intense and exciting change. Many of you shared feelings of uncertainty and pressure as the work evolves,” Coleman wrote.
“The leadership team and I hear that, and we're committed to being more transparent, communicating more frequently, and giving context wherever we can,” she added.
Manager coaching and feedback scores fall
A separate annual survey focused on managers and leaders found that 85% of employees remained confident in their manager’s overall effectiveness, unchanged from the previous survey.
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Employees gave strong scores to managers for embracing new challenges to drive innovative solutions, creating inclusive environments, and inviting different perspectives.
But the survey also pointed to a decline in several key areas of manager support. The lowest-rated manager item was whether managers coach employees through day-to-day challenges, which scored 76, down five points from the previous survey.
Clear feedback also fell, with the statement “(Manager's name) gives clear feedback to help me improve” scoring 79, down four points. Motivation also declined, with “(Manager's name) motivates me to do my best work” scoring 82, down two points.
Coleman wrote that the top strength for managers was “embracing new challenges to drive innovative solutions,” but said one of the company’s biggest opportunities was “strengthening how managers coach and support others through their day-to-day challenges.”
The findings come as Microsoft has increased performance pressure on staff in recent quarters, overhauled the HR organization responsible for pay and promotion policies, and offered buyouts to some employees who want to retire.
