In the realm of organisational improvement and growth, feedback is invaluable. After all, who can tell you more about your organisation than the people who run it on a daily basis? They can provide insights into what’s working well and what needs adjustment.
Surveys are a great tool for collecting this feedback, but their true power lies not just in carrying out one survey, but in the follow-up taken in response. What’s a survey without following up on the changes you’ve made to see if they have had an impact?
In this blog, we’ll delve into how follow-up surveys empower HR leaders with crucial insights for effective workplace improvement.
The survey starts the conversation, follow-up continues it
Demonstrates commitment to improvement
Following up on surveys goes beyond the collection of data; it signifies a profound commitment to improvement. It’s a declaration that every voice matters, and that the feedback received will not simply vanish into thin air.
Instead, it will be taken seriously and transformed into concrete action. This practice builds trust and transparency within the organisation, establishing a culture of open communication. It creates an ongoing feedback loop, demonstrating that leadership is not only willing to listen but also capable of implementing meaningful changes.
It also inspires active engagement from team members, making them feel like valued contributors to the organisation’s growth. Ultimately, following up on surveys is a pledge to turn insights into action, aligning the organisation with its goals and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Turns feedback into actionable insights
The real magic happens when feedback is transformed into tangible improvements. Follow-up surveys allow you to dig deeper, ask for clarification, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues and opportunities at hand.
Consider this scenario: after surveying your team about well-being, a recurring theme emerges – ‘lack of resources for mental health’. Following up with a survey to gather specifics on desired resources allows for targeted improvements. Once implemented, track the impact.
You can also survey to monitor eNPS, employee engagement index and other metrics before and after to measure the perceived impact. Finding out how employees are feeling about the changes can help to decide your next move.
How follow-up surveys create positive change
As a HR leader, you want any change you make to be a positive one. So how exactly do follow-up surveys allow you to do this?
Strengthens relationships and trust
Following up shows respect for the time and effort respondents put into providing feedback. This builds trust and strengthens relationships between leadership and team members, fostering a culture of open communication.
Encourages active participation
When people see that their input leads to action, they’re more likely to engage actively in future surveys. They feel empowered, knowing that their voices contribute to shaping the organisation’s direction.
Nurtures continuous improvement culture
The cycle of surveying and following up creates a culture of continuous improvement. It becomes ingrained in the organisation’s DNA, leading to a proactive approach to problem-solving and growth.
Insights from follow-up surveys
When carrying out surveys, insights gathered are invaluable to organisations for many reasons. Let’s explore why:
Spotting patterns and trends
Sometimes, the true significance of feedback only becomes apparent when you step back and look at the bigger picture. Following up allows you to identify recurring themes, enabling you to make informed decisions based on data-driven insights.
Promoting accountability
Carrying out follow-up surveys holds everyone accountable for their part in the improvement process. It establishes a sense of responsibility and ownership, ensuring that action is taken where it’s needed most.
Encouraging managers to have meaningful conversations by involving team members in the ideation process of solutions, helps to build accountability and buy-in amongst employees.
Track progress and impact
Insights gathered from follow-up surveys provide a clear indication of whether implemented changes have had the desired effect, allowing organisations to gauge the effectiveness of their initiatives. If they aren’t as effective as intended, this allows HR leaders to come up with a plan B and pivot direction.
Validate decision-making
By corroborating initial survey findings with data from follow-ups, organisations can validate the accuracy of their initial assessments and decisions, giving HR leaders the confidence to continue to use surveys and employee feedback in the ways they are.
Build a culture of continuous improvement
Using insights from follow-up surveys, messenger tools, town halls, any other methods of data collection you use within your organisation, contributes to a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging proactive problem-solving and adaptability in response to evolving challenges.
Impact on customer experience
Improving your organisation internally and creating a culture that allows employees to thrive and contribute to their workplace, can have a positive impact on their output. Because happy people work wonders.
Improving your customer experience is one of the key benefits of continuously improving your workplace. In a survey carried out by Gallup, companies enjoy a higher 147% earnings per share versus their competitors, thanks to having happier employees.
It’s not just internal feedback that matters. Following up on customer surveys demonstrates a commitment to delivering exceptional experiences. It shows that you’re dedicated to addressing concerns and meeting customer needs.
Turning insights into action
A survey is not just a collection of responses; it’s a conversation starter. The true power lies in what happens next. By using follow-up surveys, an organisation can unlock a wealth of potential, turning insights into actionable strategies that drive positive change. So, the next time you conduct a survey, remember, it’s not the end—it’s the beginning of a journey towards progress and excellence.
Need help getting started with your survey process? Here’s a guide to help you create surveys that work for your organisation.
