Unlocking Employee Insights: Power of conversational employee surveys

Your employees want to give you meaningful feedback, and in return, you need to give them the platform. Move away from the run-of-the-mill survey technique, and consider a modern and conversational approach to surveying your employees — it will automatically boost participation, get you candid insights, and drive actionable changes.

“Our workforce never seems to engage with our surveys. How can I boost participation?”

Keep reading to find out how conversational employee surveys are changing the way employees want to interact, give feedback, and enable you to build a culture of candor.

Employee surveys are like the secret sauce that makes a workplace sizzle with success. They give employees a voice and provide valuable insights for organizations to improve their culture and boost employee engagement. When employees feel their opinions matter and their voices are heard, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. So, it's not just about warm and fuzzy feelings; it's about the bottom line too!

These surveys play a significant role in shaping organizational culture. By collecting employee feedback, organizations can identify areas that need improvement and take targeted actions to foster a positive culture. A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that companies with strong cultures experienced a 4x increase in revenue growth compared to those with weak cultures. So, by leveraging employee surveys to understand and enhance culture, organizations can create an environment where employees thrive and contribute their best.

But how employee surveys are conducted and analyzed is just not cutting it. Considering employees are the new customers, your enterprise needs to radically shift how it looks at employee surveys. Enter: conversational employee surveys.

Conversational employee surveys, leveraging AI-powered chatbot solutions, take each challenge of traditional, point-in-time surveys and provides a solution. Here’s how conversational employee surveys surpass their traditional counterparts.

Personalized questions equal increased engagement

With conversational AI-powered surveys, you can add a humanized approach. Instead of engaging in feedback only once or twice a year, schedule personalized surveys at key moments based on your workers' lifecycle within your enterprise.

 

With conversational employee feedback, you gather data in real-time and its analysis. Have you implemented a new company policy? Find out what your workers feel about it, and act accordingly. Has a team had a change of managers? Schedule pulse surveys to understand their sentiment and identify at-risk employees quicker. Also, chatbots can provide real-time feedback to employees as they complete the survey, such as acknowledging their responses, providing additional information or resources, or even offering personalized recommendations based on their feedback.

1. Mobile-friendly interfaces make responding easier.

Surveys that need employees to be on their work laptops are often ignored. Adapt your survey technique to make it as easy as possible. They can also be programmed to provide multiple language options, making the survey more accessible to a diverse workforce.

 

Amber, by inFeedo’s conversational survey, considers this requirement, making flexibility a part of her surveys. Find out how a banking and financial services enterprise moved away from traditional surveys with Amber.

 

2.  Ask open-ended questions to gather qualitative data.

Traditional survey techniques rely on numeric scales or quantitative insights. But, with conversational employee surveys, you can capture exactly how your worker feels. This provides far superior insight than, for instance, 7 out of 10 satisfaction responses. The result? More directed action and less guesswork.

3. Reduced survey fatigue because it doesn’t feel like a survey

It isn’t just at work where your workers get surveys; survey fatigue is real. Survey fatigue is usually spotted in workers who 

• Are overwhelmed by too many surveys
• Find the surveys too long, difficult, or irrelevant
• Have given feedback but haven’t seen any action or communication

📚Further Reading: Employee survey fatigue is real and exists within your organization. Learn how to identify its types and how to combat them using conversational AI: Win the battle against employee survey fatigue with this 5-point guide

 

4. Customize questions based on previous responses.

One of the most significant advantages of conversation surveys is the ability to gather insights based on the responses given by the employee. Rather than having a fixed set of questions, this dynamic approach can help your team uncover data that would’ve otherwise remained buried. This customization enhances the relevance and value of the survey for each employee, increasing their willingness to participate and providing valuable insights.

5. Design interactive surveys

Chatbots can incorporate gamification elements into the survey design, such as rewards, badges, and leaderboards, to incentivize employees to participate and provide thoughtful responses. This can make the survey less like a chore and more like a fun activity - all of which adds to a completed survey and enhances employee engagement. 

1. Pulse Surveys

Pulse surveys are a valuable tool for quickly gathering employee feedback and insights on specific topics or areas of interest. These surveys allow organizations to gather frequent feedback on particular aspects of their operations and employee experiences, enabling them to make data-driven improvements and enhance overall performance.

Here are some examples of pulse surveys, what you can ask, and when to use them:

1. Training experience survey:
   
   This pulse survey aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program and gather feedback from participants. It helps assess the quality of the training content, delivery, and overall experience.

• It's usually kicked off immediately after a training program to capture participants' feedback while the experience is fresh in their minds. It helps organizations improve their training initiatives and measure the return on investment (ROI) of their L&D programs.
  • How can the session be improved?
  • Did the training meet your learning objectives?
  • Were the training materials and resources helpful?

 2. Meeting quality and effectiveness survey:

• A survey designed to assess the quality and effectiveness of meetings.
• It can be used after a meeting to gather feedback and make improvements for future meetings — avoid what could’ve been an email instead of a meeting.
• Example questions:
  • Did you find the meeting productive?
  • Was the meeting agenda clear and well-organized?
  • Did you need to be a part of this meeting?

3. Manager effectiveness survey:

• This survey identifies areas where managers can improve in fostering a better team culture, higher performance, and communication.
• Use this survey periodically to assess manager effectiveness and address any areas of improvement.
• Example questions: 
• Does your manager provide clear expectations and goals?
• How can they give more timely and constructive feedback?
• Does your manager support your professional development?

4. Remote Work Survey:

• It focuses on remote work experiences and helps organizations understand the challenges and concerns of remote employees and address them head-on. It also helps your team get real-time insight and identify employees who are burnt out, not engaging, or at risk of quitting. 
• Use this survey during a transition to remote work or as a regular check-in for remote employees.
• Example questions:
• Do you have the necessary tools and resources to work effectively remotely?
• Do you feel connected and supported by your remote team members?
• What are the biggest challenges you face while working remotely?

5. Zoom Fatigue Survey:

• This survey aims to uncover insights about the impact of excessive virtual meetings and provides recommendations to mitigate Zoom fatigue.
• Use this survey when there is a high reliance on virtual meetings to identify signs of Zoom fatigue and implement measures to alleviate it.
• Example questions:
• How many hours of virtual meetings do you attend on average each day?
• Do you feel more fatigued after attending virtual meetings compared to in-person meetings?
• What strategies do you think would help reduce Zoom fatigue?

2. Milestone Surveys

Milestone surveys are designed to capture employee feedback at significant points in their lifecycle, such as 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. These surveys provide valuable insights into employee experiences, satisfaction, and engagement during critical tenure. Here's a breakdown of milestone surveys at different stages:

1. 3-Month Milestone Survey:

• This particular milestone survey is critical to prevent infant attrition. Since it is conducted relatively early in the employment journey, it empowers organizations to gauge initial impressions and make necessary adjustments.
• Example questions:
• How can we tune the onboarding process to suit your role?
• Do you feel supported by your colleagues and supervisors?
• Are there any challenges or obstacles you have encountered since joining the organization?

2. 6-month milestone survey:

• It enables organizations to assess employees' ongoing experiences and identify any emerging challenges or areas for improvement.
• Example focus areas and questions could include:
• Growth and Development: Do you feel you have opportunities for growth and development within the organization? Have you received feedback on your performance?
• Work-Life Balance: Is your workload manageable?
• Collaboration and Communication: Are you satisfied with the level of cooperation and communication within your team and across departments?

3. 1-year milestone survey:

• They provide valuable insights into your employees’ journey, allowing your team to address concerns, reinforce positive experiences, and enhance employee retention at scale. Employees at this milestone are especially valuable to gain feedback about manager effectiveness, communication, and company culture.
• Example focus areas could be
• Reflection on Training Experience: Were there any areas of training that you felt were particularly valuable or could have been improved?
•  Overall Employee Engagement and Job Satisfaction: What factors contribute most to your sense of engagement and motivation in your role?

3. Moments Survey/Organizational Culture Survey

This type of survey provides valuable insights into the perceptions and sentiments of employees regarding different aspects of the workplace environment. By collecting and analyzing employee data, organizations can identify areas of improvement, align their strategies, and enhance overall employee satisfaction and engagement.

1. Employer Brand Perception:

This survey is a great tool to assess what your employees really think about working at your organization. Keeping in line with new worker expectations and The Great Reshuffle, LinkedIn suggests “to attract quality talent, brands must focus on aligning with these reshaped priorities and expectations.”

2. Culture of Innovation and Psychological Safety:

Create a workplace where innovation thrives. Use this survey to know if your workers feel safe to take risks, innovate, speak up, and let their ideas fly without fearing the consequences. It is a direct pointer to the level of psychological safety, which links to higher levels of employee engagement and innovation.

3. Diversity and Inclusion Survey:

Your organization believes in the power of diversity and inclusion, but what's your employees’ take on it? This survey lets your workers share honest thoughts and experiences regarding diversity and inclusion. Deloitte suggests that inclusive workplaces foster better problem-solving, improved employee engagement, and increased innovation. Help us build a workplace where everyone feels valued and included.

4. Hiring Experience Survey:

The journey from job seeker to team member matters and reflects in employee experience levels in the future. This survey delves into the hiring experience, from applying to joining the team to ensuring your team constantly improves its recruitment practices.

Research by SHRM indicates that a positive hiring experience boosts employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity (SHRM, 2021). Let's ensure our recruitment process is smooth and transparent and sets you up for success from day one!

4. Exit Interviews and Surveys

Exit surveys gather candid feedback from employees who have left the company, allowing for openness and honesty in sharing their experiences. These insights help drive meaningful change within the organization.

Unlike other surveys, exit surveys focus on the factors influencing the decision to leave, such as career growth, compensation, work-life balance, leadership, and company culture. The feedback from departing employees uncovers underlying issues that impact retention and overall employee satisfaction.

It also provides benchmarking data for comparing over time or against industry standards. By addressing these issues, organizations can make strategic improvements to enhance employee engagement, attract top talent, maintain a competitive edge, and align practices with industry best practices.

Here are the top tips for designing an effective, impactful, and engaging employee survey 

• Open the Floor for Thoughts
  
  Foster a two-way communication that encourages employees to come forth with feedback organically. Provide continuous opportunities for comments and input beyond structured questions.
  
  
• Build Trust from the Start
  
  Establish transparency and trust by including a statement at the beginning of the survey. Assure employees that their responses will be anonymous and transparent about who can access the survey results, creating a safe space for honest feedback. 
  You should also inform your workers that their answers are stored and accessed securely, protecting confidentiality and following data privacy regulations.
  
  
• Keep it Fresh and Engaging.
  
  Ensure the survey is concise, avoiding repetitive or leading questions that may bore or influence employees' responses. This also prevents question fatigue and potential response bias.
  
  
• Close the feedback loop to get authentic responses.
  
  Encourage employees to provide genuine responses by communicating your plan of action. Let them know their voices matter, and their input will drive positive organizational change.

💡 Pro Tip: Make the survey relevant, relatable, and valuable for the employee. Leverage available AI-powered chatbot services to conduct surveys that feel less like a questionnaire and more like a conversation.

What are the next steps now that you have a killer survey designed? How can you slice and dice the enormous data you’ve gathered into meaningful and actionable steps?

 

1. Response rate and completion rate

This metric determines the level of participation and ensures that the insights of a majority of your employees are reflected in the results. Logically, a high response rate increases the reliability and accuracy of the data, giving you a comprehensive understanding of employee perceptions.

⚡️Find out how Amber Xed employee participation at Crompton by creating a unified platform for tracking response rate

 

2. Sentiment & statistical analysis to recognize trends

With this metric, your team can empower leaders to get a high-level and granular view of your employees' feelings. Identify common themes, areas of concern, or positive aspects of the work environment, and apply them at scale to the entire organization.

⚡️Pro tip: Stay on top of cases, including harassment, abuse, and mental well-being, with custom keyword alerts sent by Amber’s instant sentiment analysis from the survey. Find out how "Amber flagged a suicidal employee.”

 

3. Actionable insights and recommendations

The most crucial aspect of surveys is what you do with the information. AI-powered analytics will empower you with real-time and insightful data to prioritize your team's actions. With this, your leadership can make informed decisions and implement targeted strategies to address specific areas for improvement.

 

📚Further reading: ​​Discover how EXG captures the true sentiment of textual feedback

4. Identify opportunities for growth and turnover.

By assessing employee feedback on career development, job satisfaction, and organizational culture, organizations can pinpoint areas that require attention to enhance employee engagement, retention, and productivity.

Remain proactively aware of what your employees feel in their journey with Amber’s Moments that Matter survey feature. Amber chats with every employee regularly and identifies those with turnover intent. She shares this in her daily report and gives you actionable insights about your employees through her culture dashboard. Selected employees are highlighted in the dashboard's People to Team (PTM) section.

5. Continuously measure and improve survey design and implementation

Regular check-in ensures that employee surveys remain relevant, effective, and aligned with organizational goals. By reviewing and refining the survey process, organizations can maintain high-quality data collection, improve response rates, and generate meaningful insights that drive positive organizational change.

There’s no doubting the fact that employee surveys are the key ingredient to cooking up a healthy and thriving workplace. But, conversational employee surveys empower your team to remain relevant in those surveys. They make employees feel heard, provide actionable insights to you, and ultimately lead to improved organizational culture and higher levels of employee engagement. 

So, let's embrace the power of conversational surveys and create a workplace where everyone feels valued and motivated to bring their A-game every day.