Job question:What do you do here survey/questionnaire...

[bsfins]

When I worked at Whirlpool we'd get one of these every April and August,then spent  lot's money,bought newer equipment,changed rules,re-did everything,made everyone's life miserable,pissed off all the customers....to save a nickel...

Other places gave me these survey's/questionnaires, when they're looking to trim the fat,cut back,after they feel they aren't making enough money...

So this morning it came...Half asleep,weary eyed,half paying attention standing there hoping I don't fall over in boredom through another staff meeting.They passed these out,and explained that no one was getting fired,but they are just interested in what we thought are responsibilities are.So the office can communicate,and run more efficiently...

My thoughts were,everyone seated at conference table would take them back to their offices,and throw them straight in the trash.The people seated/standing around the conference table are now scared shitless on what they're going to put...

So when you've been faced with a "What do you do on a daily basis/What are your job responsibilities of your position survey/questionnaire.
How did you treat them?
Did your answers blow back in your face?
Have your answers ever effected your position?
Possible raise? evaluation?
How honest are you with your responses?

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Back in the day at Whirlpool,I pretty much knew they weren't going past my bosses boss,who would in turn write a report on suggested changes,that would get ignored by his boss,and corporate would do what ever they wanted.So my answers were...Less than serious,smart ass answers....Example-Take an ass chewing daily on how they are being charged for products.

Other places that I've ran across this it's been mentioned,during evaluations for raises...Not in any seriousness really,more along the lines of...You seem to put alot of info down,do you think you're overworked? Do you think other people need to do more?

My current place,my job has changed dramatically since I started in 07,and Not for the Good IMO.Last month my Boss retired,and took some swipes,and threw me under the bus on his way out the door...(one privately,and a couple times publicly). There have been tons of stupid office politics bullshit since I started,and the past year I've felt pressured to take a different role.I'll just say that for the lack of a better term,not get into it publicly....

So I'm a little torn,part of me says to be a smart ass,but honest..Part of me says,put all the generic B.S.,another part says be brutally honest..

[Pappy13]

What's to be gained by answering anything other than honestly?  Perhaps nothing comes from it at all, you will have lost nothing by answering honestly. Perhaps there actually will be an honest attempt made to use the survey in some constructive manner. By answering honestly you're at least giving it an honest chance at being worth while. By being a smart ass, all you are doing is ensuring the process is a complete waste of time. Perhaps it will be anyway, but I see no reason to contribute if it's a complete waste of time, you'd be better off just not filling it out at all.

[Brian Fein]

I vote for brutal honesty.  It sometimes gives the wake up call they need to make it better

[Phishfan]

I was always skeptical of brutal honesty in written form. I would always like it to be more verbal. Just my own paranoia I guess. I always gave a bit, but held back the thoughts that would be trouble. Those came out over beers on Friday (we always had large groups for happy hour from the VP through the HR staff and to the newest hire).

[bsfins]

I've missed my opportunity to be truly brutal honest...I should have been the last underling out of the room,and slid the survey on the table,and say... "I don't work here in the office,so I don't really care about the communication,and efficiency of the the office...."...I'd probably been fired before I made it to the door of the conference room....but it's brutally honest....

I do agree with Phish,about things in writing...

I appreciate the thoughts on my situation,but am curious how you've handled these Survey/questionnaires when you've been confronted with them.

[Dave Gray]

I've never had a survey like this.  However, I'm pretty vocal at most of my jobs if I see something I don't like.  I have also never worked for a very large company, where I had to deal with corporate.