Getting people to provide thoughtful, constructive feedback on employee surveys can sometimes feel like pulling teeth.
You ask the questions, hoping for golden insights – but instead, you get vague complaints or radio silence.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Many HR managers struggle with turning employee surveys into a source of actionable ideas.
But here’s the good news – it doesn’t have to be this way!
With a few practical changes to the way you run surveys – you can encourage employees to give feedback that sparks meaningful change.
These aren’t your typical “just explain the importance of feedback and clear set expectations” suggestions – we’re giving you tips you can start using today that actually work, based on case studies with Stribe customers.
Most employees don’t give actionable feedback because they don’t believe they’ll be heard, or that their opinions make a difference.
So it’s up to you to show them what’s possible – and that you’re committed to listening.
Share previous stories about how employee feedback changed something tangible for the better.
For example, “Last year, you told us you wanted more flexible working hours. We introduced hybrid working as a result. Let us know what we can do better next.”
It will show your employees that even small ideas matter and can lead to big changes.
People love a bit of competition.
So you could get creative and try gamifying your surveys to add a bit of fun and incentive.
Create team-based challenges like:
While employee surveys should be taken seriously, these kinds of challenges add an element of excitement and makes giving feedback feel like a group effort rather than an individual chore.
Because let’s be real, nobody has all the answers.
Sometimes, the best way to get meaningful feedback is to hold your hands up and say, “We don’t have all the answers – and we need your help…”
When employees see that their insights aren’t just a tick-box activity but genuinely necessary for decision-making, they’re more likely to engage thoughtfully.
Be honest about the areas where you’re stuck and frame surveys as a collaborative effort.
For example: “We’re rethinking our mental health and wellbeing initiatives, but we know there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What’s working for you? What’s not?”
This approach shifts the conversation from “Give us feedback” to “Help us build something better together.”
Employees appreciate humility – it shows you value their experiences and input as equal contributors, not just workers reporting problems.
Annual surveys can often feel like a chore for everyone involved – and it takes forever to turn feedback into action because of the sheer amount of data you’re working with.
Instead of waiting an entire year to check in, try shorter more focused pulse surveys throughout the year that address specific areas of engagement in the workplace.
Keeping surveys short and specific makes it easier for employees to respond, and it shows them you’re paying attention to what’s going on right now – not just collecting data for a big report that might not lead to any change.
Plus, by tackling feedback in smaller chunks, you can act quickly – building trust and showing employees their input really matters.
Small, regular surveys = big impact!
Starting out her early career as a journalist, Jade Madeley is an accomplished content writer with 8+ years’ experience across business, personal finance, SaaS, human resources and employee engagement. Working with Stribe, she crafts insightful content that brings complex HR topics to life and drives meaningful action.
