MBWA. How many of you have heard about MBWA? What does the acronym stand for? MBWA is Manage By Walking Around. It is a way to get a feel for the current climate of your department through social contact with employees. It is a good way to foster a team environment and to encourage civility in the workplace. Hewlitt-Packard practiced MBWA begining in 1973 in direct response to the business philosophy of the company's founders. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard felt that, for a business to succeed, people have to be placed ahead of profits. MBWA is a valuable tool in gathering information (solicited or otherwise) from employees about their concerns, ideas, and overall satisfaction.
There are also other methods by which you can gather feedback from employees. Each method has its benefits and considerations:
360-degree instruments
These can be interviews, formal written feedback, or surveys. Be extremely careful in how a 360-degree is administered as a poorly constructed 360-degree can cause more harm than good. Ensure all involved in the process have been adequately trained.
Focus groups
Facilitated discussions with small groups of employees, ideally selected among a cross-section of affected employees. To make a focus group session successful, put time into selecting the best setting and allow some organic thought streams, especially if gathering the focus group to discuss general issues rather than a specific topic.
Surveys
These are questionnaires that have a focus on a particular issue of concern or inquiry. A well-constructed survey can assist organizations in identifying development opportunities. Surveys can also gauge employee satisfaction and changes across time.
There are many other forms of gathering feedback. Any method used should be carefully planned in order to make full use of the benefits and avoid any potential downfalls.
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