Employee surveys are one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s arsenal. When done well, they unlock a wealth of insight, drive engagement and help shape a world-class culture.
However, in our 20 years of helping build world-class cultures for our clients, we’ve found that the traditional survey model often misses the mark. Too often, they feel like data collection exercises rather than genuine attempts to listen. At KWI, we have developed a proven system for surveying that turns this dynamic on its head. We believe surveys shouldn’t be arduous tasks; they should be the start of a meaningful conversation.
To get insights you can actually use to shape strategy, messaging and culture, the experience needs to be authentic, conversational and clearly tied to action. Here are the best practices we use to design surveys that get real, valuable answers.
Start With the End in Mind
The most effective surveys start with a clear destination. Before writing a single question, we always advise clients to define the necessary decisions first.
Ask yourself: What is the business or communication goal here? What will we do differently based on the answers?
This helps separate the “nice-to-know” from the “need-to-know.” When every question maps directly to a potential action, you respect your employees’ time and ensure the data you gather is immediately usable.
Write Like a Human
If you wouldn’t say it to a colleague over coffee, it probably doesn’t belong in a survey.
We find that respondents engage more deeply when faced with plain, conversational language rather than corporate jargon. To get an authentic answer, you need an authentic ask.
Best Practice: Respect the respondent’s mental load by sticking to one idea per question. Avoid “double-barreled” questions like: “How satisfied were you with the speed and quality of our new IT helpdesk?” If the speed was great but the quality was poor, it’s impossible to answer accurately. Splitting these into two distinct questions yields clearer data.
The Value of Neutrality
It is natural to want to validate that your initiatives are working, but the best insights come from neutral questions.
For example, asking, “How much did you enjoy our innovative new Town Hall format?” subtly pressures the respondent to agree that it was innovative. A neutral reframe — “How would you rate the new Town Hall format?” — opens the door for honest feedback.
This is where partnering with an outside agency like KWI is invaluable. We help ensure your questions are free of internal bias, allowing you to uncover the unvarnished truth that drives real improvement.
Prioritize Empathy and Anonymity
Designing a survey is an exercise in empathy. You are asking for someone’s time and their honest thoughts. To make the experience painless and safe, we highly recommend ensuring anonymity. When employees know there is no fear of retribution, their candor increases significantly.
Additionally, ensure your answer options are inclusive. Always include an “Other,” “None of the above,” or “Not applicable” option. If a respondent feels forced to choose an answer that doesn’t apply to them, the data is compromised. Giving them a way out ensures that the answers you do get are deliberate and accurate.
Look for the “Goosebumps”
Once the data is in, the real magic happens. While aggregate percentages are important, we encourage looking beyond the charts to find the patterns and contradictions.
The emotional context often lives in the open-ended comments. We use what we call the “Goosebump Test.” Truly authentic responses should elicit a physical reaction — goosebumps — from the person analyzing them. It’s a sign that you have tapped into the genuine feelings of your workforce. That emotional resonance is often infinitely more valuable than a raw satisfaction score.
Closing the Loop: “You Said, We Did”
A survey is not a one-time transaction; it is part of an ongoing relationship. The most critical step in our system is the follow-up.
When you present findings to leadership, humanize the results. Avoid getting lost in “chart-land” by marrying data points with powerful verbatims that bring the sentiment to life. Use visuals to tell the story, ensuring you protect the anonymity of the participants.
Finally, communicate back to your teams. We advocate for a “You Said, We Did” campaign. You don’t have to fix everything overnight, but acknowledging the feedback is essential. Tell them what you learned, what surprised you and the concrete steps you are taking.
When people see that their voice leads to action, they stop viewing surveys as a chore and start viewing them as a dialogue. That is how you build trust, and ultimately, a world-class culture.
Ed King is Head of Insights for KWI Communications in Atlanta, GA.
