The S16 Best Practices Recommendation Guide is designed to help organizations move from survey results to meaningful action. After completing the S16, participating organizations receive an aggregated Results Report that highlights areas of strength and areas where improvement may be needed. The Best Practices Guide provides practical, evidence-informed recommendations for responding to those results.
The guide was developed using best practices, key learnings from the Shelter Employee Engagement System (SeeDS), industry research, and subject matter expertise from leaders in animal welfare and organizational science.
Rather than trying to address everything at once, organizations are encouraged to focus first on the areas that need the most attention. The guide can help leaders identify feasible next steps, build momentum over time, and communicate clearly with employees about how their feedback is being used.
The Best Practices Guide includes recommendations related to several areas measured by the S16, including employee engagement, communication, voice, autonomy, training, teamwork, leadership, procedures and resources, and the use of volunteers.