Understanding business communication is crucial in today's professional world. This article will delve into Business English: Surveys and Reported Speech, providing a comprehensive guide for students. We'll explore how to conduct effective surveys, analyze their findings, and report results accurately using various reporting verbs and correct tense changes. Mastering these skills is essential for clear and impactful communication in any business context.

Business English: Surveys and Reported Speech Explained

Surveys are powerful tools for gathering feedback and insights within an organization. They can gauge student/teacher satisfaction, evaluate changes in working practices, or assess employee opinions on various initiatives. Effective surveys involve careful planning and analysis.

Creating an Effective Questionnaire

When designing a survey, consider these key steps to ensure you gather relevant information:

Work in Groups: Collaboration can lead to a more comprehensive set of questions.
Prepare 8 Questions: Aim for a focused number of questions. These can be:
Yes/No questions
Multiple-choice questions
Wh- questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How)
Or a mix of these question types to get varied responses.
Find Respondents: Identify your target audience for the survey.
Analyze Answers: Carefully review the data collected to identify trends and key insights.
Present Your Findings: Clearly communicate the results and their implications.

Benefits of Business Changes: Survey Insights

Surveys often focus on understanding the impact of changes. Common benefits that staff might mention include:

Higher productivity
Better work-life balance
Lower staff turnover
Lower costs
An opportunity to do other things
Reduced stress
More motivated staff
Lower absenteeism

These benefits highlight areas where organizational changes can positively affect employees and the company's bottom line.

Reporting Survey Findings: A Business English Essential

A critical part of any survey process is effectively reporting the findings. This often involves writing a formal report, summarizing key points that have arisen from the survey.

Anatomy of a Staff Survey Report

Let's break down the typical structure and content of a staff survey report:

Introduction: The aim of the report is to summarise points which have arisen from a recent staff survey about changes in working practices.

Reasons for Changes: Staff turnover represents a major cost in a company, involving costly recruitment processes and staff training. The hope is that by introducing these changes, staff retention, motivation, and efficiency will increase.

Opinions of Staff:

A large proportion of staff (three-quarters) often ask for flexible working hours. They might state that they found commuting at peak times stressful and time-consuming.
A significant number of employees (e.g., 29%) might find career breaks attractive. One member of staff might explain that he had always wanted to travel and would like to return to his job afterwards.
A smaller percentage might have requested optional part-time working, often people with young children. Several employees might ask if the company could provide their pre-school children with on-site nursery care.

Recommendations: Based on the findings, a recommendation might be to go ahead with changes if staff generally agree with them and employees can choose whether to take advantage of them or not.

Mastering Reporting Verbs in Business English

When summarizing what someone said or requested, using a variety of reporting verbs makes your writing more dynamic and precise. Here are some common reporting verbs and their structures:

Agree:
Agree to do something: My boss agreed to increase my salary by 5%.
Agree with an idea or a plan: I agree with the recommendations in the report.
Announce/Explain/Report/Say/State + (to + noun/pronoun) (+ that):
The company has announced that they are moving their offices to Slovakia.
Maria explained to us that she had arrived late for the meeting because of the traffic.
Ask/Tell + infinitive with to (for requests or orders):
She asked me to work late last night.
Ask for something (request):
Staff have all asked for offices with natural light.
Complain about:
Pascual complains about the hours he has to work.
Discuss + verb + -ing:
Management discussed changing working hours.
Invite someone to something / to do something:
He invited me to the meeting.
He invited me to make a presentation at the meeting.
Promise + infinitive with to:
They promised to send the spare parts straight away.
Recommend (+ that) / Recommend + verb + -ing:
I recommend that we improve the office furniture.
I recommend improving the office furniture.
Suggest (+ that) / Suggest + verb + -ing:
He suggested that they should change suppliers.
He suggested changing suppliers.
Tell + noun/pronoun (+ that):
He told her that new equipment was being installed.

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When converting direct speech into reported speech, certain tense changes are necessary. This is crucial for maintaining grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Present Simple → Past Simple:
'I work for Ford.' → She said (that) she worked for Ford.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous:
'I'm doing the accounts.' → He said (that) he was doing the accounts.
Present Perfect → Past Perfect:
'I've written the report.' → She said (that) she had written the report.
Past Simple → Past Perfect:
'I missed the meeting.' → He told me (that) he had missed the meeting.
Will → Would:
'Profits will rise.' → She predicted (that) profits would rise.

These shifts ensure the reported information is framed correctly in relation to the time it was originally spoken.

Staff and Class Surveys: Purpose and Execution

Surveys serve various purposes, from understanding general opinions to specific feedback on processes or environments. Whether it's a staff survey or a class survey, the underlying goals are similar.

What is the Purpose of a Survey?

The primary purpose is to gather data and opinions from a specific group of people to understand their perspectives, identify issues, or evaluate performance. For example, a staff survey aims to gauge employee satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and understand reactions to company policies or changes.

How are Surveys Usually Conducted?

Surveys can be conducted in several ways, including:

Online questionnaires
Paper forms
Interviews (individual or group)

What Questions are Typically Asked?

Questions vary widely depending on the survey's purpose but often cover satisfaction levels, opinions on specific topics, demographic information, and suggestions for improvement.

Do You Think People Give Honest Responses?

This is a common concern. Anonymity and clear communication about the survey's purpose can encourage more honest responses. Building trust within the organization is key.

What is the Goal of a “Staff Survey”?

The goal of a staff survey is to understand employee sentiment, identify challenges, measure engagement, and gather feedback that can inform management decisions to improve the working environment, productivity, and overall employee well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the key steps in conducting a successful business survey?

The key steps include working in groups to prepare comprehensive questions, finding suitable respondents, carefully analyzing the collected answers, and clearly presenting your findings to relevant stakeholders.

How do reporting verbs help in summarizing information?

Reporting verbs allow you to accurately convey the speaker's intent (e.g., agreeing, complaining, suggesting) and the nature of the message. They provide nuance and make your reported speech more precise and professional.

When reporting past events, what tense changes are most common in Business English?

When reporting past events, the most common tense changes involve shifting present tenses to their corresponding past forms (e.g., present simple to past simple, present continuous to past continuous) and past simple to past perfect. Also, 'will' typically changes to 'would'.