As a valued customer and active user of Hive’s employee voice platform since 2018, Northumbria Police uses real-time staff feedback to shape meaningful engagement initiatives. Their recent large-scale engagement events were directly inspired by insights gathered through Hive’s platform, demonstrating their commitment to listening to and acting on staff voice.
In a world where employee engagement is often treated as a quarterly checkbox, Northumbria Police is flipping the script. With a bold, people-first approach to internal communications, they’ve transformed survey insights into a live, immersive experience—connecting thousands of staff across their organisation and bringing leadership, innovation, and action face-to-face.
Jen Southern, Hive’s Head of Professional Services, sat down with Heather Horan, Northumbria Police’s Engagement Lead, to unpack how these large-scale events came to life, the thinking behind them, and what other organisations can learn from their approach.
Get ready to take some notes on this inside scoop:
Listening with intent: The power of survey-driven engagement
Northumbria Police’s journey started the way many do—with an annual staff survey. But instead of filing the results away or issuing a generic summary email, Heather and her team made a bold decision: turn the feedback into action, then bring that action directly to staff. Which is where these events come into it.
“The goal of these events is to respond to feedback from the annual staff survey, inform staff about changes and investments, and enhance engagement and connection within the large organisation,” Heather explained.
From wellbeing concerns and uniform kit feedback to recognition and communication gaps, everything surfaced in the survey became the foundation for a people-powered engagement event.
These events aren’t just about telling people what they’re doing. They’re about closing the loop—showing that leaders at Northumbria Police have listened and are giving people time to connect, discover, and ask questions face to face.
By taking this approach, Northumbria Police has seen a significant boost in response rates. Between their launch survey and their 2024 follow-up, participation jumped by 13%—rising from 52% to 67%.
In real terms, that’s an increase from 2,690 voices to 4,050, an impressive uplift for an organisation of this size.
Designing experiences, not just events
For Northumbria Police, these aren’t just “nice-to-have” staff events—they’re a strategic response to employee voice.
What began as a modest engagement initiative tied to the Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine’s first 100 days evolved into a standout cultural moment.
The second event they carried out, backed by senior leadership and months of planning, brought together over 50 interactive stalls, with themes directly mapped to survey insights. Staff could:
- Test new equipment and uniforms
- Learn about wellbeing services
- Engage in creative games like a workplace-themed Monopoly
- Explore new technologies and operational updates
- Catch up with colleagues they hadn’t seen in years.
“The events incorporated various interactive elements like a Monopoly game and aimed to showcase initiatives that directly responded to staff concerns.”
The layout? Intentionally maze-like, imagined by Heather and brought to life by JC Events, to spark curiosity and interaction. “JC Events helped us move away from a standard careers fair feel. The maze-like layout encouraged discovery and made it feel more engaging,” Heather said.
In a high-pressure, operationally complex environment like policing, engagement can’t be left to chance. These experiences are designed to reconnect teams, rebuild trust, and close the loop between what people say and what leadership does. They help break down silos in a large organisation, rebuild post-pandemic culture, and create a safe space for honest, human conversation.
“Sometimes people just don’t know what’s happening,” Heather said. “Events like this give them dedicated time to ask questions, feel part of something, and see that we’re genuinely listening and acting.”
Staff voice, loud and clear
Post-event surveys confirmed what Heather’s team hoped: overwhelmingly positive feedback, with staff citing the value of face-to-face time in such a large organisation.
“We conducted satisfaction surveys after the second event to find out how people felt and did they find it informative and that was incredibly positive,”
Leadership didn’t just sign off on the event, they showed up. “The Chief and leadership team were very supportive. We received a Chief’s commendation after the first event, and leaders used ‘Hive Fives to thank organisers and stall holders.”
Hive Fives are an employee recognition tool within the Hive platform, designed to provide quick, visible, and meaningful appreciation to team members, reinforcing a culture of recognition throughout the organisation. And we love to see the success of these at Northumbria Police.
Why this matters: A model for modern engagement
Heather’s approach represents something deeper than just good logistics. It’s a shift in mindset. The events were deliberately aligned with change management, employee voice certification, and ongoing culture work within the force. They bridged the often-wide gap between listening and acting.
“I hope these events and the responses to survey feedback will positively impact the organisational culture, demonstrating that the leadership listens and acts on staff input.” Heather reflected.
The impact: From listening to performance
These events aren’t just engagement exercises—they are strategic moves that can drive tangible business benefits. Here’s how initiatives like this influence organisational performance:
- Higher engagement and lower turnover: Ultimately improves organisational performance and reduces recruitment costs
- Staff see their feedback is acted on: Builds trust and shows leadership is listening
- Staff feel heard and valued: Boosts morale, psychological safety, and emotional commitment to the organisation
- Increased sense of satisfaction and belonging: Drives up employee engagement scores (e.g. eNPS, EI scores)
- Engaged employees are more productive: Studies show engaged staff deliver up to 20% higher productivity (Gallup)
- Improved satisfaction and trust: Reduces absenteeism and presenteeism—critical in high-pressure roles like policing
- Reinforced internal communication channels: Helps break down silos and increase cross-departmental collaboration
- Better communication and recognition: Improves retention—people are more likely to stay in roles where they feel seen and supported
By turning survey insights into visible action, Northumbria Police is building a more connected, motivated, and high-performing workforce—showing that engagement isn’t just a people priority, it’s a business one too.
What other organisations can learn
No matter the sector, whether you’re in policing, healthcare, tech, or retail, the key lessons from Northumbria Police’s approach apply everywhere. Here’s what you can take away:
- Treat surveys as a starting point, not the finish line. Gathering feedback is crucial, but what really matters is what you do with it. As Heather said, “There’s nothing like seeing someone’s eyes light up when they realise their feedback actually made a difference.” That moment is powerful.
- Create live, interactive ways to close the feedback loop. Don’t just send out reports or emails. Use events, discussions, or digital tools to show you’re actively listening and responding.
- Empower internal teams to design experiences that resonate. Your people know your culture best—give them the freedom to create engagement that truly connects.
- Align engagement moments with real organisational change. When feedback leads to visible action—whether it’s improving wellbeing, updating equipment, or adjusting shift patterns—it builds trust and shows you care.
- Involve leadership visibly and meaningfully. Leaders need to do more than approve initiatives—they should show up, engage, and recognise contributions. At Northumbria, leadership’s use of Hive Fives to thank staff was a clear signal that employee voices matter.
The takeaway? Listening alone isn’t enough. Acting in ways your people can see and feel is what really drives engagement and builds a thriving culture.
Next steps: Embedding feedback loops at every stage
Heather and Hive are now exploring ways to build on this success—potentially incorporating pulse surveys during future events, enhancing digital feedback tools, and continuing to amplify employee voice through storytelling.
Ready to transform your employee surveys from a box-ticking exercise into a powerful tool for real change?
Imagine a workplace where every piece of feedback sparks meaningful action, where your people feel genuinely heard, and where engagement grows with every conversation—not just once a year, but continuously.
If you want to start or improve your employee voice journey, Hive can help you move beyond the “survey and done” mindset. Let’s create an experience where your surveys become the catalyst for connection, growth, and lasting impact.
Get in touch today and see how Hive can bring your employee voice to life.
