A Guide to Employee Engagement Surveys

In the dynamic organizational landscape, it’s clear: people make it all happen. As HR professionals and company leaders, you know that keeping employees happy and engaged is the secret sauce for success. That’s where employee engagement surveys come in – they’re like a backstage pass to understanding their daily work life. Simply put, the employee experience impacts employee engagement. These surveys aren’t just a nice-to-have; they’re the cornerstone of a smart employee engagement strategy. If you’re on the lookout for a no-nonsense guide to mastering employee engagement surveys, you’re in the right spot. Let’s dive in!

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement is one of the most common terms in the world of workforce talent. Do a quick Google search. You’ll get results in the hundreds of millions. That’s because employee engagement means a lot of different things to different people. Employee engagement refers to the emotional and psychological connection employees have with their work, their colleagues, and their organization. Signs employees are engaged include those who feel committed to their jobs, motivated to do their best, and invested in the success of their employer. But sometimes, employee engagement gets confused with a lot of other concepts. So let’s take a closer look. Employee engagement is not:

• Job satisfaction. Being satisfied doesn’t mean you’re exhibiting more discretionary effort.
• Job performance. An employee may lack talent or be doing the wrong things.
• Love. Some people can love their company but not contribute that much.
• The opposite of burnout. After all, even engaged employees can burn out.
• A yes/no thing. Remember: Employee engagement is a psychological state on a continuum, just like being hungry or stressed.
• Actionable. You can’t just shake people to make them more engaged.

Top Workplaces defines employee engagement as “a positive psychological state where employees feel an emotional commitment to the organization and its goals. Organizations with higher employee engagement have better productivity, performance, and happier, healthier employees.”

Employee engagement statistics

The state of employee engagement in the United States is concerning. A lack of engagement can have negative consequences for both employees and employers, including:

• Excessive absenteeism
• Higher unwanted turnover
• Lower productivity
• More safety issues
• Less energy
• Greater burnout
• Lackluster performance

Disengaged employees can also impact an organization’s reputation and ability to attract top talent. The employee engagement story at Top Workplaces is much different. These award-winning companies achieve employee engagement levels 20 percentage points higher than average organizations. And at the top 10 percent of Top Workplaces, they reach even higher employee engagement levels.

What is an employee engagement survey?

Employee engagement surveys are a valuable tool company leaders use to capture candid employee feedback about their work experiences. Survey insights identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement and develop actionable plans for increasing engagement and building a people-first culture. Learn More: Benefits and Importance of Employee Engagement Surveys

What do employee engagement surveys measure?

Trusted, research-backed surveys measure several workplace culture themes to identify the key drivers of employee engagement, including the extent to which employees feel:

• Fairly valued
• Respected and supported
• Enabled to grow
• Closely aligned with the organization
• Empowered to execute

Plus:

• Are employees motivated?
• Are they willing to refer others?
• Are they loyal?

Why are employee engagement surveys important?

Three key priorities for any successful business are to improve company culture, prevent employee burnout, and identify why employees leave. One way to achieve this is by conducting employee engagement surveys, which help employers understand what motivates their people. When employees are engaged and content in their work, they are more likely to remain with their employer and perform at their best, contributing to the organization’s success.

Benefits of employee engagement surveys

Employee engagement surveys are an effective tool for organizations seeking to improve employee engagement. They include many benefits for both the company and its employees. Several examples of how organizational leaders use them include:

• Improve employee retention
• Manage employee burnout
• Increase productivity
• Improve employee well-being
• Build employee trust
• Practice employee listening

Types of employee engagement surveys

There are many surveys, from onboarding and exit surveys to performance review surveys. But when measuring employee engagement specifically, the two most effective survey types include:

1. Annual or semi-annual surveys: Comprehensive assessments designed to gather valuable insights on a broad range of organizational topics.
2. Pulse surveys: Short surveys that capture feedback regularly on specific topics.

Next, we’ll explore how to prepare for, choose, and launch a survey that accurately measures employee engagement.

Prepare for a successful employee engagement survey

1. Establish clear and measurable objectives

• Why are you surveying?
• What do you want to learn?
• What do you want to measure?

2. Choose a trusted, reliable survey

• What does the survey measure?
• Does research back the survey?
• Is the survey anonymous or confidential?
• How many items are there, and how long does it take to complete?
• How is the survey scored?
• Are the results easy to understand and communicate?
• Are the insights actionable?

3. Determine who will manage the survey

The responsibility for acting on employee engagement surveys falls to senior leaders, human resources professionals, and others who can implement changes based on survey insights. Those responsible for acting on survey insights should be committed to measuring progress and making ongoing adjustments to ensure the organization continually improves its efforts to engage employees.

Launching an employee engagement survey

Determine the audience

The company’s goals and objectives should determine the survey audience. While surveying the entire workforce can provide a comprehensive measurement, targeting specific employee groups may be more appropriate.

Choose survey demographics

Including demographic variables in your employee engagement survey provides valuable insights and reveals the story behind your results. Examples of demographic variables include:

• Department
• Tenure
• Job level
• Salary band
• DE&I variables

Gathering this information offers a better understanding of the factors impacting employee engagement within specific groups so you can take more informed action to improve overall engagement.

Communicate about the survey in advance

Clear communication is essential for the success of an employee engagement survey. Here are some best practices:

• Announce the survey weeks in advance at a companywide meeting so employees know about the upcoming survey.
• Demonstrate leadership buy-in to encourage employee participation.
• Promote the survey through regular email communication and visual reminders to keep the survey top-of-mind.
• Provide easy access to resources and support.

Increase survey response rate

Explain the survey’s purpose

Tell employees you are doing an employee engagement survey. Emphasize that you value and appreciate their candid feedback.

Set expectations and timeline

Explain who will administer the survey, how to access it, and what you intend to do with the responses.

Stress survey confidentiality

Reassure employees that the survey is confidential. Creating a safe environment will encourage them to offer their honest responses.

Encourage participation

Remind people to take the survey but avoid pressuring them to respond. Make sure they know whom to contact with questions.

Most importantly, take action on survey results

Employees feel heard and valued when they see changes resulting from their feedback. It builds employee trust, making them more likely to respond to future engagement surveys.

Interpreting employee engagement survey results

The real work begins when survey results are delivered. Where’s the best place to begin? Our advice is to start broad and then go narrow:

• Look at the overall employee engagement score, using benchmarks to gain context.
• Determine why the employee engagement level is where it is. View the key drivers of employee engagement to determine strengths and focus areas.
• Examine department-level data to see if scores are similar or different across the organization.
• Compare demographic data to find trends and further understanding.
• Explore the open-ended comments for qualitative data that offer perspective and input.

Sharing employee engagement survey results

The results rollout is a vital phase of the employee engagement survey process. It’s also what starts the conversations that inspire action and improvement.

Before doing anything else, thank employees for taking the time to respond to the survey. Their input will help to make the organization a better place to work together.

A survey results rollout should cascade throughout the organization using a top-down approach, starting with the CEO and senior leadership team, followed by managers and then employees.

Sharing results with senior leadership

• Schedule time to present the survey results.
• Recap its purpose and how the results will be used.
• Highlight key insights, including both positive and negative feedback.
• Discuss the next steps, including a communication plan.
• Identify immediate actions and assign responsibilities for taking action.

Sharing results with managers

• Prepare and present high-level findings.
• Show patterns and trends using data visualization tools.
• Explain how the results compare to industry benchmarks or previous survey results.
• Discuss external factors that may have influenced the results.
• Highlight any areas of concern or where improvements are needed.
• Discuss any action plans that need to be developed.
• Prepare managers to meet with their teams.

Sharing results with employees

• Hosting a companywide meeting, in person or online.
• Thank employees for their survey feedback.
• Recap the purpose of the employee engagement survey.
• Share organization-level results using data visualization tools.
• Present what’s going well and what needs help.
• Discuss the next steps and offer a timeline for action.

Measure employee engagement with Top Workplaces

Unlock the power of survey insights by participating in the Top Workplaces employer recognition program. The path begins with a confidential, third-party employee survey that uncovers engagement levels, culture strengths, and improvement areas. There’s an excellent opportunity to earn valuable that enhances your employer brand. Explore the Top Workplaces awards here. Company leaders consider Top Workplaces employer-of-choice recognition a strategic move to attract top talent and improve recruitment. Top Workplaces winners also actively work on enhancing employee engagement.  Discover more: Improve Employee Engagement Insights with Top Workplaces    

Ready to take the first step toward measuring employee engagement and becoming an employer of choice? To participate in Top Workplaces, start by nominating your organization here.