Time for another employee survey? We all know it’s an important tool for your business, but how do you ensure good participation numbers when everyone is so busy most of the time? Yesterday we explored how to communicate results. Here are some tips to get employees participating in the first place:
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- Make it a priority for your executive team. Communication about the survey and its importance should come straight from the CEO.
- Remind employees that management takes the survey seriously. Use your communication channels to drive home the improvements made after surveys from the past. If you can, cite simple examples such as, “You said X, and Y happened.”
- Avoid survey onslaught. Make sure there aren’t other surveys occurring around the same time. This will not only cause confusion but also it can make employees tired of completing too many questionnaires.
- Provide reassurance about confidentiality. Some employees may be skeptical that their comments are kept private. In all your communications, explain how survey responses are kept private and confidential.
- Set dates. Let employees know the approximate dates when survey results will be reported. You don’t have to provide the exact day, but promise that you will discuss results about 1 month after the survey closes. That way, employees will be reassured that the survey is a priority for management.
- Make surveys just one feedback tool. Although surveys are important, they shouldn’t be the only way for employees to express opinions about their workplace. Try initiating simple pulse surveys from time to time, and make sure management always keeps the door open for meaningful conversation. Once you create a culture where feedback is welcomed, employees will be more inclined to take survey time seriously.