3 Pro Tips for Sharing Employee Engagement Survey Results

Tate Morrison

December 6, 2018 | 2 minute read

Sharing employee engagement survey results isn’t always fun, especially if the results are negative (think: low participation rates and engagement levels, lots of team or individual challenges, etc.).

Whether employees ranted or raved, sharing employee engagement survey results is key to providing actionable strategies to create a more rewarding and engaging experience for employees year after year.

Whether it’s an employee engagement survey, a pulse survey, or anything in between, we have some tips and tricks to make the results-sharing conversation easier and more effective. For starters, sharing the results should always be in-person.

Here’s how to prepare for a survey results communication meeting:

1. Share results as soon as possible.

It’s important to share results while the survey content is still fresh in your team’s mind. Conflicts pass quickly, so waiting too long to discuss the results may override what was going on in the moment of the survey.

Sharing results quickly also shows employees that their feedback is valued and prioritized, which is essential to getting honest, thoughtful survey responses again in the future.

2. Be transparent.

Sharing a copy of the team’s survey feedback (as long as the responses are not confidential and/or personal) directly with the team is the best way to be transparent. It also allows the team to digest and reflect upon the results before diving into the results-sharing conversation.

3. Set clear expectations.

At the beginning of the meeting, set the expectation of sharing results and, more importantly, identifying areas of improvement.

Keep it simple.

When discussing your survey results, point out the most and least favorable responses. These represent the team’s strengths and opportunities and serve as a perfect introduction to discussing areas of improvement.

Initiate dialogue.

Ask open-ended, thought-provoking questions like:

What was on your mind when answering this question?
What can the team do to help you strongly agree with this question?

These questions will invite honest conversations that build the foundation of how to improve in the future. Take it a step further and facilitate an employee focus group to initiate follow-up conversations after the initial meeting.

Align on next steps.

Clearly define what is being improved and how. Determine the following:

Who is leading the change
What are the first steps
What are the end goals

This roadmap of implementation shows dedication to the betterment of the team, whether that’s employee engagement, experience, performance, or something else. Collaborating also reiterates the importance of shared responsibility on a team and individual ownership of employee engagement.

Next time you share survey results with your team, you’ll be better equipped to tackle the conversation. For more information about survey results and creating actionable strategies, download our 3-Step Employee Engagement Commitment Plan Workbook.