Are You Over-Surveying Your Employees?

From an Employee Engagement Survey and an Internal Customer Service Survey to an Organization Climate Survey and a Professional Development Survey, employees often receive multiple survey requests throughout the year. The importance of workplace surveys cannot be underestimated as they provide organizations with valuable, actionable information; however, to avoid the pitfalls of over-surveying employees, organizations should combine multiple workplace surveys into one succinct, yet comprehensive survey that gathers all of the desired data.

Organizations can obtain the following five benefits by combining multiple workplace surveys into one:

1) Eliminate "Survey Fatigue"
When employees are asked to take multiple surveys over the course of one year, they experience "survey fatigue" and are less likely to take the time to complete all of them. For example, healthcare organizations typically conduct many different surveys over the course of one year, including Culture of Safety Surveys, Employee Surveys, Magnet Hospital Accreditation Surveys, etc. Over-surveying should be avoided at all costs.

2) Increased Response Rates
Response rates will be much higher if employees are only asked to complete one survey versus multiple surveys over a 12-month period, making the data more valid and reliable.

3) Easier, Quicker Action Planning
Action planning is much easier and quicker when only one survey is involved. If your organization conducts multiple surveys, action planning becomes cumbersome and difficult. Not to mention, employees are left wondering what was done with the feedback they provided on the previous survey by the time they receive notice about the next one.

4) Avoid Confusion and Frustration
Employees can be confused and frustrated when they are asked to complete multiple surveys in one year, especially if the surveys contain some of the same questions. Eliminating confusion and frustration makes good business sense.

5) Save Money
The more surveys your organization requests employees to complete, the more money your organization will have to spend to facilitate such surveys. By combining surveys, you streamline the process and can invest the leftover money on career development, training and other people-focused initiatives.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the initiative to combine your surveys and start reaping the benefits of a simplified process and better outcomes.