The transition throughout the pandemic has not been easy for anyone. Both the employees and the organizations are still struggling to adjust to the new normal. While for some it was easy, but for some it was a major cause of disengagement and distractions. So the question is, are you checking on your employees often and what is the best way to do so.
Employee surveys can be used as an effective way to manage your employees and gauge their engagement.They are designed in such a way that they drive employees to engage more and have a positive impact on them. Once you know how your employees feel, it will be easier to figure out how to better engage them and obtain employee engagement ideas.
Here are eight steps to embrace when you conduct employee surveys.
1. Identify The Objective Of The Survey
Determining the objective of a survey is the most important aspect of conducting a survey. Clarify the purpose of the survey by asking yourself why is the survey important to your organization and what you aim to achieve through the survey. A clear objective gives your survey a direction and motivates your employees to take it more enthusiastically.
For instance, you can carry out a survey to gain insights into your employees’ perception of their work or to increase employee engagement. The point is that you need to have an absolutely clear objective before you give your employees a survey. A survey without an objective is pointless and has high chances of failure as you will get responses which you will not be able to do much with.
2. Communicate To Your Team
Once you’ve figured out the objective of the survey, the next thing you need to do make sure that your employees realize this survey is important. And that their participation is necessary. A lot of surveys tend to fail because the people taking them do not take them seriously. In order for your survey to work, you need accurate and honest feedback. You can also use a third-party provider to administer the survey, to assure your employees of anonymity and fairness. Using a third-party provider increases the response rate and provides you with an unbiased end report.
3. Determine The Survey Method
It is important that you select the appropriate survey method. As there are different types of surveys, there are also different methodologies to conduct the surveys. The survey methodology depends on a few factors like the participants of the survey, ease of distributing the questionnaire, ease of receiving the responses, etc. Online questionnaires are widely used now tools such as engagedly you can design and implement a survey rapidly. You can choose one of the two methodologies to conduct an employee survey.
4. Ask The Right Questions
Depending on the survey objective and the target audience, make a list of important topics to be included in the questionnaire. Make sure that any question doesn’t have a negative impact on the relationship of your work staff. Mostly, try to formulate positive questions and avoid typical social norm questions which encourage criticism of their coworkers. You may want to have some questions that can bring out employee engagement ideas you may not have thought about. You might need to make multiple questionnaires and validate them before you can release the final version.
5. Encourage Participation
Now that the questionnaire is ready, all you have to do is get your employees to take the survey. To get responses across the board, you might have to promote the survey aggressively. Encourage your employees to participate in the survey. Help them understand how they can benefit from it. Once they are clear about the outcome and benefits of the survey, they will be more eager to be a part of it.
6. Make The Outcome Of The Survey Public
After the survey is conducted, make sure that you communicate the results of the survey to your employees. Don’t suppress them results. In fact, your employees deserve to know what the survey says and what the general consensus is. You can probably have a short presentation about the results of the survey and then discuss the results with your employees.
7. Create An Action Plan
After presenting the results, make sure that you act on the results as you discussed with your employees during the presentation. Create a plan of action and a set of goals to be achieved. Also, involve your employees in the plan and assign them responsibilities so that they solve the issues themselves and feel empowered.
8. Conduct Surveys Often
Carry out employee surveys at regular intervals of time. Any survey is of no use if it is conducted once in a year or once in two years. You will only know how your employees feel if you make it a habit of asking them.
Have you carried out surveys in your organization? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is an employee survey?
An employee survey is a structured questionnaire that collects feedback about employees’ experiences, job satisfaction, engagement, workplace culture, leadership, and overall work environment. Organizations use employee surveys to identify strengths, uncover challenges, and make informed decisions that improve employee experience and business performance.
Why are employee surveys important?
Employee surveys help organizations understand how employees feel about their work, managers, and workplace culture. Regular surveys improve communication, increase employee engagement, identify workplace issues early, support better decision-making, and demonstrate that employee feedback is valued.
How often should employee surveys be conducted?
The ideal survey frequency depends on the organization’s goals. Annual engagement surveys provide a broad view of employee sentiment, while quarterly or monthly pulse surveys help track changes more frequently. Regular surveys allow organizations to respond to feedback quickly and measure the impact of improvement initiatives over time.
What questions should an employee survey include?
An effective employee survey should cover topics such as:
Employee engagement
Job satisfaction
Leadership effectiveness
Communication
Career growth opportunities
Recognition and rewards
Work-life balance
Team collaboration
Workplace culture
Employee well-being
Questions should be clear, unbiased, and aligned with the survey’s objectives.
How do you create an effective employee survey?
To create an effective employee survey:
Define clear survey objectives.
Ask relevant and unbiased questions.
Keep the survey concise.
Protect employee anonymity where appropriate.
Clearly communicate the survey’s purpose.
Analyze responses carefully.
Share results with employees.
Take action based on the feedback.
Following up on survey results is essential for building trust and improving future participation.
How can organizations increase employee survey participation?
Organizations can improve survey participation by explaining why feedback matters, ensuring confidentiality, keeping surveys short, choosing convenient digital survey tools, sending reminders, and sharing the actions taken from previous survey results. Employees are more likely to participate when they see that their feedback leads to meaningful improvements.
What should organizations do after an employee survey?
After collecting survey responses, organizations should analyze the results, share key findings with employees, prioritize areas for improvement, create a clear action plan, assign ownership for initiatives, and regularly communicate progress. Acting on employee feedback increases trust and improves engagement over time.
What are common mistakes to avoid when conducting employee surveys?
Common employee survey mistakes include having unclear objectives, asking too many questions, using biased or confusing language, failing to protect anonymity, ignoring employee feedback, and not acting on survey results. Surveys only create value when organizations follow through with visible improvements.
What is the difference between an employee engagement survey and a pulse survey?
An employee engagement survey is a comprehensive assessment conducted periodically to measure overall engagement, satisfaction, and workplace experience. A pulse survey is shorter and conducted more frequently to gather quick feedback on specific topics or monitor changes over time.
Want to know how Engagedly can help you implement effective employee surveys? Request for a demo from our experts.
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Author
Srikant Chellappa
CEO & Co-Founder of Engagedly
Srikant Chellappa is the Co-Founder and CEO at Engagedly and is a passionate entrepreneur and people leader. He is an author, producer/director of 6 feature films, a music album with his band Manchester Underground, and is the host of The People Strategy Leaders Podcast.
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