An HR Solutions Poll Finds Majority of Employee Surveys Are Conducted Online

In March/April 2011, HR Solutions, Inc. conducted an online poll to gather a quantitative overview of organizations' Employee Survey participation rates, method of survey administration (i.e., internet, paper and pencil, telephone, multi-mode [combination of methods], and other) and common obstacles prohibiting higher participation rates. A total of 210 people across a variety of industries completed the poll.

The average overall participation rate of participants' most recent Employee Survey was 71.9 percent. Internet was the most common survey administration method with 64 percent of poll participants listing it as the vehicle they use to conduct their Employee Survey. The popularity of online Employee Surveys can be attributed to their ease of use, speed and cost-effectiveness.

Organizations also reported facing several obstacles when trying to get their employees to complete an Employee Survey. When asked what obstacle most prohibited high participation rates at their organization, the top three responses were "employees did not feel the survey was confidential" (28.1 percent), "lack of confidence that the survey results will lead to change" (27 percent) and "lack of interest" (11.4 percent).

There are several best practices organizations can use to prevent against such obstacles.

First, organizations should use internal marketing efforts (i.e., e-blast, intranet posting, etc.) to promote that confidentiality of the Employee Survey is of the utmost importance and will not be compromised. Organizations utilizing a third-party survey administrator should require a guarantee of absolute confidentiality for their employees in writing. Third-party vendors should optically scan all hard copy surveys and destroy them once they have been scanned. In addition, organizations should establish and enforce a minimum threshold of respondents needed before reporting work group and/or demographic results.

Second, action planning must take place as a result of the employee feedback for employees to buy-in to the survey process. Organizations should seize every opportunity to report positive changes implemented as a result of their Employee Survey. According to HR Solutions' National Normative Database, only 35 percent of employees believe their organization's Employee Survey will result in change at their organization. Interestingly, that figure nearly doubles for HR Solutions' repeat clients. By regularly communicating in-person and electronically the "Quick Wins" (i.e., actionable improvements within an organization that involve little financial investment and contribute to higher levels of Employee Engagement) and new initiatives that were launched as a result of employees' suggestions, employees will be able to see firsthand how their feedback is truly making a difference.

Finally, to build interest in an Employee Survey, organizations should brand the survey as well as offer incentives for employees to complete the survey. Employers should promote the survey with the use of a tagline and company logo to emphasize that employees' input will be used to create an even better work environment. Both monetary (e.g., gift cards, iPads) and non-monetary incentives (e.g., extra vacation day, CEO to kiss a pig if the organization reaches 90 percent participation, etc.) can be used to increase participation rates.

Achieving high participation rates can be a constant challenge for organizations. Simply put, the more employees who complete an Employee Survey, the more accurate the results will be. By implementing the aforementioned best practices, organizations will be well on their way toward reaching higher Employee Survey participation rates.