How Ladderstore started achieving 100% survey response rates

Ladderstore is a Supporter of the
Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter.

Why Ladderstore loves Stribe

• Gives employees anonymity and psychological safety

  Stribe has given Ladderstore employees the confidence to share honest and detailed feedback, allowing them to gain better insights into how they’re thinking and feeling

• Encourages employees to take ownership and drive improvements

  Monthly surveys have led to quicker action-planning, better insights, and a shift in mindset for the team—employees don’t just raise issues, they actively contribute to solutions.

• Speeds up decision-making with real-time insights

  From wellbeing policies to business improvements, Stribe has helped Ladderstore’s leadership get the right insights that have helped them make decisions to improve the way their business runs.

• Strengthens company culture and alignment with values

  Using insights from Stribe, Ladderstore has introduced changes that help employees see how their work connects to the company’s mission, leading to better buy-in and alignment with business objectives.

To get us started, could you describe your process for employee feedback and employee engagement before introducing Stribe?

Gareth – Before Stribe our main channels for employee communication were one-to-ones and weekly team huddles.

The focus of our huddles varied –  sometimes they covered specific topics, and other times they were open forums for employees to provide feedback on anything.

This gave our team a dedicated space in the week to share blockers, discuss issues, or celebrate achievements.

We also tried using HR platforms with feedback features, but they never really worked for us – mainly due to their lack of anonymity. Stribe is doing all the things that they couldn’t do which is a huge positive for us. 

David – Before Stribe, one-to-ones only happened once a quarter, and we knew that some team members didn’t always feel comfortable sharing feedback face-to-face.

Stribe has helped us collect more honest feedback, act on it faster, and gain insights we wouldn’t have gotten from in-person meetings alone. 

From my perspective, the ability to send surveys more frequently with Stribe has been a game-changer.

Because Stribe surveys are quick and easy to create – and easy for employees to complete – we’re now able to gather feedback every month. 

Gareth – We’ve also found that Stribe’s anonymity gives our team the confidence and psychological safety to speak up.

Employees feel comfortable using Stribe to share feedback privately, in their own time, rather than in front of a group.

Tell me a little bit about what the main purpose of Stribe is within Ladderstore?

Gareth – Psychological safety was one of the biggest reasons we introduced Stribe.

We wanted to create a space where employees felt comfortable sharing feedback about anything.

When it comes to the surveys we run, our focus is on tracking progress as a business.

Stribe is flexible and makes it easy to repeat key questions over time so we can measure improvements, while also allowing us to deep-dive into specific areas.

That’s been really valuable in understanding what’s driving certain trends and how our actions are influencing those scores.

David – Stribe has also helped create a real sense of ownership across the team.

The surveys provide great feedback, but the reality is that as a management team we can’t fix everything that’s raised.

Stribe has shifted mindsets by encouraging accountability at all levels – people now see that they can be part of the solution – making accountability and action a shared effort rather than something that sits with leadership.

That’s had a huge impact on how we work together to improve as a business and has helped us improve in ways that wouldn’t have been possible before.

Gareth – To add to that, we want to be able to make decisions with confidence, and to do that, we need input from the team – the people doing the work on a day-to-day basis.

Stribe has made it so much easier to gather that information and use it to make informed decisions, whether it’s about staffing levels, wellbeing policies, or extra support for our employees both professionally and personally.

You’ve mentioned a little bit about Stribe’s surveys, can you share a little more about how you’re using them?

Gareth – We’ve run a few surveys now.

Our most recent survey focused on staffing levels, wellbeing policies, and how we can better support our team.

We really try to focus on the whole person – we want staff to know we care about their wellbeing as a whole and not just in relation to work.

It’s working really well.

Some employees have shared personal insights, while others focus purely on their professional experience, and having that balance has been really eye-opening. 

One of the biggest benefits of using Stribe is knowing that our part-time staff are included in communications and surveys.

It means that if someone needs extra support they aren’t slipping through the net. 

Stribe has also helped us identify small but meaningful changes – like introducing more fruit in the office during cold and flu season.

It’s a simple thing, but we’ve seen it make a real difference for the team. 

David – The format of Stribe has been a game-changer for engagement.

In the past, we’ve tried using Microsoft Forms to gather feedback, but it was often met with tumbleweed – it just wasn’t working.

That could’ve been down to a lack of anonymity, clunky software, or even a gap in communicating survey results.

Stribe has completely turned that around.

Not only are we getting more responses, but we can easily collate team feedback and use the ‘You Said, We Did’ function to show employees how their feedback is shaping real change.

Seeing their feedback in action has helped drive engagement, and over the past five surveys we’ve achieved an incredible 100% response rate.

How does Stribe contribute to the bigger picture at Ladderstore?

David – For me, it’s that core engagement piece.

It’s something that we’ve struggled with for some time – getting people comfortable sharing feedback so we can improve the way we work. 

That’s been the biggest thing to come out of using Stribe.

Previously, an email might go unanswered for weeks, but now our team are actively taking part in monthly surveys and providing detailed feedback because they see the value in it.

Beyond that, we’re seeing a real uplift and engagement with our business objectives.

Our team has always been passionate about our mission of keeping people safe, but now they also understand how their roles contribute to the bigger picture.

We’re seeing a real shift in mindset – people are more invested, more engaged, and more proactive in shaping the direction of the business.

Gareth – Stribe has also helped us communicate key business goals more effectively.

It’s no longer a top-down process.

Our team now plays an active role in setting KPIs, which means they understand not just what we’re aiming for, but why it matters.

That sense of ownership is key, especially in a growing business.

David – We also know that every time we send out a Stribe survey, there will be feedback we can’t always act on, and that’s something we’ve had to navigate.

When employees raise the same issue in multiple surveys, they want to see action.

If a change isn’t possible, we’ve learned to be transparent – either by asking follow-up questions to explore alternative solutions or by clearly explaining why some things can’t be changed.

That level of communication is crucial in building trust.

How are you adapting the business using the feedback you’ve received from Stribe?

David – One of the biggest changes we’ve made is the piece of work we did last year around how we set objectives.

Previously, we would gather some employee feedback to help with planning, and then the leadership team would define the strategy and present it back to the team.

This year, based on the feedback we’ve had from employees about the process, we took a different approach.

We shut the office and worked together to set objectives as a team.

Since then we’ve noticed people have a much better understanding of why certain objectives matter, and we’ve seen that reflected in key performance areas like sales figures. 

Another positive change we’ve seen is that people have started asking for more context around why certain elements of the business are important such as ‘tone of voice’.

We’re now building these questions into workshops as part of our Tuesday meetings, turning them into interactive sessions with presentations and activities to help employees engage with these topics.

Since the tone of voice workshop, we’ve noticed a real improvement in communication, particularly in emails.

These changes have been some of our biggest wins so far. 

Gareth – The workshops, in particular, have been a great success.

We now have a list of topics that the team has asked for more information on, and for February our marketing apprentice has actually volunteered to run the session which has been great to see. 

I don’t think he would’ve come forward and volunteered to present had we not implemented the workshops based on feedback from Stribe.

The best part is that these workshops aren’t just about knowledge-sharing, they’re driven by genuine team interest.

When people are excited to share their expertise – for example the workshop our apprentice will be running on upselling – it benefits both individual growth and the wider business.

We also used Stribe’s survey insights to better understand learning styles, which has helped us improve workshop delivery by incorporating handouts and different formats to suit everyone.

How have you found working with the team at Stribe?

David – Whenever I’ve had questions or needed help, the support has been excellent.

The team is always happy to jump on a call and spend time with us, which, considering the cost, the value for money we get is incredible.

The impact and results have been fantastic. If someone asked me about Stribe, I’d say it’s outstanding both in terms of value and effectiveness.

Gareth – I completely agree.

From the beginning, I appreciated that the sales process wasn’t a hard sell – it was refreshing.

The onboarding process was seamless, and when we implemented our first survey, the Stribe team guided us on question types, survey length, and best practices, which was invaluable since this format was new to us.

It was great to benefit from your experience with other organisations.

I also love that for every Stribe customer, you donate a free Tootoot license to schools. That’s a really nice extra touch. 

How have you found the Stribe technology to use?

David – It’s been great – really straightforward.

The question styles, templates and AI integrations help ensure our questions are clear, so we get high-quality data.

The system is user-friendly, and features like one-time links and direct survey access make it easy for us to achieve high response rates from our colleagues. 

We also love the Word Tiles feature – it’s fantastic. It gives people a starting point to explain their scores, while still allowing them to add more detail if they want to. It’s pretty flawless!

Gareth – I’d add that we have employees with additional learning needs and they’ve had no issues using the software.

The colour ranking system and accessibility features make it easy for everyone to engage. 

Do you have any specific stats/KPIs that show the impact Stribe has had for you?

David – As a small business, we track a few key KPIs, and one major change we’ve seen is in the engagement with internal communications.

In the past, getting responses was difficult.

Our first few surveys had an 80% response rate, but after we started presenting the results in staff meetings and sharing response rates, engagement increased. For the last five surveys, we’ve hit 100% participation!

Gareth – Beyond just numbers, we’ve seen a real cultural shift.

Employees are more engaged, and we’re seeing buy-in, like our apprentice proactively running sessions to up-skill colleagues.

What made you look for a tool like Stribe in the first place? Could you describe exactly what was going on at the time?

Gareth – Over the years, we’ve tried different approaches to one-to-ones, and while they were useful, we felt there was more we could uncover – especially around work-life balance and business challenges.

I first heard about Stribe at a Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter event, and after speaking with Kieran, I realised it would be a great platform for gathering insights beyond just one-to-ones. 

David – The challenge for us was identifying patterns in feedback.

One-to-ones provided great individual insights, but it was difficult to spot recurring themes across the team.

Stribe has really helped us connect the dots, making it easier to act on trends.

Have you got any favourite stories where Stribe has really worked in your team?

Gareth – I love that it gives an equal voice to everyone, including part-time employees and those that might not always be in the office.

It ensures their feedback is included and valued. 

David – The biggest impact has been on how we set objectives as a business.

It wasn’t something we had considered changing, but through Stribe, colleagues suggested a new approach and it’s made a huge difference.

There have also been smaller day-to-day improvements that have had a really positive impact.

What do you think is the key to a happy team?

Gareth – For me it’s about creating a culture where people feel safe, secure, and able to be themselves – that’s a really big thing for me.

If employees don’t feel comfortable addressing both positive and negative things, that’s a problem.

We’re not perfect, but we’re working towards that kind of culture. 

David – A sense of belonging is essential for a happy team.

We’re in this together, and we listen to feedback.

Stribe has really helped this by giving employees a prompt to raise concerns earlier.

Some people might not come forward with an issue directly – through one-to-ones for example – but when asked the right question in an anonymous format, they’re more likely to share their thoughts. 

Gareth – A flat hierarchy works well for us too.

We’re a small team, so there aren’t many levels, but we also prioritise open communication and shared decision-making. 

David – On that, one thing that helped with Stribe’s success was involving the team before we committed to it.

We introduced the platform, explained how it would work, and asked if they wanted to use it. The early involvement led to strong buy-in. 

Gareth – That ties back to our values of inclusivity.

Giving the team a say from the beginning has made a real difference in engagement.

What would you say to someone who is on the fence about taking on Stribe?

Gareth – It’s easy to use, gives employees a safe space for anonymous feedback, and provides measurable insights that we can actually implement into the business.

It’s not just a tool that gives us a KPI that we can’t do anything with – it’s a tool that actually gives us clear insights and actions that help improve our business.

David – The cost is low, the support is fantastic, and the workload is minimal for the impact you get.

If you don’t try it, you won’t know – but I honestly can’t see what you’d lose by giving it a go!

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