In this article, we will share some of the possible reasons for low response rates and some tips on how to increase the response rate in your pulse surveys. But first, let's talk about the importance of participation in surveys.
Most disinterested employees are not willing to respond to surveys
Research shows that there is a significant relationship between employee engagement levels and survey response rates. Additionally, this relationship was stronger for large groups than for small groups, indicating that group size affects the relationship between employee engagement and response rates. Survey response rates are, in most cases, a measure of overall employee engagement and a good indicator of how much employees trust the organization. In other words, if the response rate on the pulse survey is low, something is wrong, and you should be concerned.
What is a good response rate for an employee survey?
At Flourish, it's important to distinguish between the response rate for Flourish Pulse and Focus Areas. The former is what the Swedish Work Environment Authority will want to see during an inspection, where we measure the so-called OSA questions (organizational & social work environment). For these questions, it is important that the reliability of the measurement is high so that you can compare scores from one six-month period to the next. Focus Areas, on the other hand, should be seen more as an opportunity to contribute improvement suggestions and ideas, where the response rate is secondary to the quality of the free-text comments. A really good idea can change the entire organization, never forget that!
Generally, a response rate on Flourish Pulse of 80-90% in small organizations (under 50 employees), 70-80% in large organizations (around 500 employees), and 65-70% in larger organizations (over 1,000 employees) can be considered very good. Anything under 50% needs action. A response rate below 30% should sound alarm bells in your organization, as it indicates that something is wrong. However, focusing solely on achieving high response rates is not the right approach either. An extremely high participation rate may indicate that there is coercion or incentives behind it. Incentives like lottery tickets or candy can lead to collecting incorrect data because employees are not responding for the right reasons. Instead, employees need to understand how important their feedback is to the organization's success, how it will help them create a better workplace and work experience—not just for themselves but for all their colleagues—and how that feedback will enable them to influence development.
Increase the response rate in a good way, some practical tips!
Educate your employees about employee engagement
Educate your employees about employee engagement
On average, 70% of employees and 40% of managers do not know what employee engagement is. These individuals often believe that all responsibility for employee engagement lies with the company. If this is the case in your organization, we recommend defining what you mean by an engaged employee and what you consider an acceptable minimum level of engagement. Then, you can spread this understanding and educate the staff about it. For example, a minimum requirement might be to respond to the employee survey and, as a manager, work with the results. Some of our customers have gone so far as to base part of their bonuses on the results in Flourish Pulse.
Explain to the staff how a pulse survey works
Explain to the staff how a pulse survey works
It is common for employees to find it unnecessary or wrong to answer a question if they consider it (1) too old, (2) difficult to interpret, or (3) they have no opinion. All these conclusions are wrong, and employees should be aware of this. Also, remind employees that they can see the results in real-time directly via their Team Dashboard. It’s more fun to respond when you can track the answers over time.
Involve and inform your employees
Involve and inform your employees
Have your top executive communicate the importance of the survey in more than one way: a well-written email, a company-wide web meeting, a section in the weekly email, a video on the kitchen TV screen, or direct communication in a town hall meeting. All methods are good, and the more, the better!
Communicate expectations and next steps to managers
Communicate expectations and next steps to managers
All leaders in the organization should understand the purpose of the survey and what it means for them. Inform them that teams will receive their results and will need to create an action plan. Managers who know they will have access to the data are more likely to encourage their team's engagement.
Guarantee the respondents' confidentiality
Guarantee the respondents' confidentiality
Many employees are hesitant to speak up at work. If employees fear that honest feedback will be received negatively (likely about 1/3 of your employees feel this way), they need to be assured that their survey responses will be kept completely confidential. Provide employees with complete assurance, freedom, and security to express their honest opinions without worrying about potential consequences and without being reprimanded by their managers.
Send reminders about the survey
Send reminders about the survey
Flourish automatically reminds employees after two days, but a personal reminder from the nearest manager has an even better effect. Ensure that managers have scheduled the Flourish surveys in their calendars so they can remind their teams during weekly meetings. The reminder should always be given in a group setting so that no employee gets the impression that the manager "knew" they hadn’t responded and starts doubting the anonymity.
Most importantly, take action in line with the survey results
The best way to increase response rates is to take action based on the survey results. The opposite is very wrong: “Yes, we listen, but only a little!” When management receives the reports from the pulse survey, they may sometimes react emotionally to the results, and this attitude may be considered natural. However, if these reactions are not quickly transformed into listening and understanding, it will negatively affect response rates (and employee engagement). The results should be honestly shared with the employees so that the message "we listened and we continue to listen to you" has credibility. After analyzing the survey results, the points raised by employees should be evaluated separately in all business areas and departments. Once the survey results are received, the action process should start as soon as possible, along with the communication plan. Speed is important here! There should not be a long time interval between the results and the actions. All managers who will take action during the action process should apply a common methodology. The top executive in the company should be involved in the work and, above all, share the progress with all employees. Below is an example of how you can organize the feedback. We are happy to help facilitate the first meeting on the action plan, so contact us to learn more.
Confirm to employees that you have acknowledged the results (no later than three days after the survey).
Explain what insights the results provided.
Mention if you intend to delve deeper into something or follow up with a supplementary survey.
Explain how you plan to act on the results. For example, "we are now appointing a working group that will..."
Follow up on the effects of acting on the results. For example, "now, six months later, we can see..."
Good luck!