What is Gallup Q12? What are the most important elements in establishing a healthy school culture?

        Do you know what is expected of you at work? Do you have the materials you need to teach? What makes you feel your work is important? Who is your best friend at school?... Reflecting on these questions helps us establish the sense of belonging and engagement at work.

It is a great opportunity to learn the Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey which provides effective questions to measure employee engagement. As a future administrator, I will frequently review it as the framework to understand what teachers need most to perform at their best and handle the issues that matter the most to performance outcomes.  The link of the Q12 Employee Engagement Survey is https://www.gallup.com/access/323333/q12-employee-engagement-survey.aspx

      These Q12 are all essential in establishing a healthy school culture. I found “Q07 At work, my opinions seem to count” is particularly important. As Dr. Harter (2020) states in the video, of the Q12 Employee Engagement Survey, that opinion counting is one of the most difficult elements to get right. As its foundation, it is about listening. Conversation is simple but not easy. It takes practice to hold a highly effective and interactive two-way conversation throughout the coaching. One of the core conversational skills is listening. I am a listener, but I need to learn how to listen to truly understand the factual information and the value behind it. Teachers are the educators who are close to students and have better understanding of students’ background and needs. It is impossible for an administrator to know everything teachers know. Therefore, it is crucial to invite and encourage teachers to have their voices and opinions heard to be part of the process of making decisions to provide students a better learning environment and school culture with equity. The link of Harter's video of "How Listening to Employees' Opinions Can Grow Engagement" is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DAX9tMn5Xw

       In my opinion, another most important key element to establish a healthy school culture is “Q08: The mission purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.” As Harter (2020) advocates in the video (see the following) during tough times when people can see how their work connects to something bigger, they might become more resilient. Most teachers, including myself, are busy with our own teaching tasks without connecting to a bigger purpose, such as the school or school district’s mission. As a future administrator, I will think deeply for a meaningful school mission to foster the staff connecting their work to the school mission. I will also keep in mind what  Harter (2020) reminds the administrators to make the mission simple enough for everyone to remember. Harter (2020) and Q12 Employee Engagement Survey all mention that many leaders think that putting the organization's mission statement on a wall is enough for employees to feel this connection. It is not. Leaders must ensure that the organization's mission and purpose are clear and aligned with the employee experience. The link of Harter's video of "How to Connect Your Employee's Role to the Company's Mission" is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Cx49nr5v8&t=4s

In addition, Rebore (2015) points out Generation Y teachers and principals are seriously and intensely involved in communicating by electronic means such as cell phones, text messaging, email, and Websites. In order to provide teachers with various ways of sharing their experience of how to connect their work with the school mission, I can have this endeavor conducted during the staff meeting, workshop, email, Google-form and other possible electronic means. Helping teachers connect their work to the school mission can help create, promote, and maintain a healthy school culture in which teachers can see clearly the importance of their work and enjoy their personal achievement in a larger vision. 

What are the most important components, in your opinions, in establishing a healthy school culture? And why?

Resources:

Harter, J. 2020. How Listening to Employees' Opinions Can Grow Engagement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DAX9tMn5Xw

Harter, J. 2020. How to Connect Your Employee's Role to the Company Mission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Cx49nr5v8&t=4s

Q12 Employee Engagement Survey 

https://www.gallup.com/access/323333/q12-employee-engagement-survey.aspx

Rebore, R. 2015. Human Resources Administration in Education, Pearson