In this guide, you'll find some expert tips on how to boost participation in an employee survey

1. What’s the problem?
Your business wants a high response rate to the employee
survey. You need to balance this aim with ensuring you get
authentic participation.
Focusing solely on driving high response rates is a red herring.
This won't lead to business improvement and isn't what an
employee survey should be about.
You can encourage greater participation in several ways,
which we’ve summarised for you in this guide.
How do you solve it?
Compelling communication
Why should employees take part? Explain what’s in it for
them. Use previous results and actions taken to drive
participation.
Who should communications come from? Think about
what’s culturally most appropriate. This could be a
department head, regional director or the CEO.
When is it happening? Publicise timescales for taking
part, communicate during the survey period and let
employees know when results will be shared.
How should you communicate? If you have remotely-
based teams, consider how to reach them as email alone
may not work.
Case study
One of our clients – a media organisation – has a really
varied and innovative survey communication strategy.
They use tactics ranging from roadshow events to
impactful displays in communal office areas.
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inspire brilliance
How to: Boost survey participation Call us on: +44 (0)1932 222700 or visit: etsplc.com
H
ow
to
guide
How to:
Boost survey
participation
Communal office areas
Employee focus groups Posters and leaflets
Roadshow eventsVideo messages
Intranet Email
Compelling
communication

2. Embrace technology
Introduce a user-friendly online survey portal. This will make
it quick and easy to participate. You’ll also increase uptake by
enabling participation on other devices such as smartphones
or tablets. This is particularly useful for industries like retail.
Use real time response rates while the survey is live.
Targeting communications to regions or teams with fewer
responses prompts managers to encourage (but not pressure)
more people to take part.
Our benchmark
Check typical response rates but don’t get hung up
on this. Response rates often vary wildly for different
countries and industries. Our benchmark data shows
the following averages:
• Paper response rate: 58%
• Online response rate: 79%
• Overall response rate: 69%.
inspire brilliance
Get people involved and excited
Get senior stakeholders on board. Boosting
participation starts at the top. Use senior survey
‘champions’ to encourage other employees at roadshow
events or in personalised communications.
Involve people managers early. Get their input in
survey design and show them how the survey will help
them. Line managers hold the key to encourage their
teams to participate.
Create a distinctive survey brand. Doing this and
communicating what’s changing helps shift perceptions
of a survey as an HR-led activity to something driven by
employees to improve all parts of the business.
Offer an incentive to take part. Make sure it’s NOT
for personal gain but consider a small contribution to a
nominated charity or a company social fund. Whatever you
choose must be culturally relevant for your organisation.
What next?
To find out more, click on the links below:
► Case studies
► Webinars
► About us
Would you like more help with this?
If you want to talk – either about increasing participation or a
broader engagement or employee survey challenge – please
contact us…
.
Call us on +44 (0)1932 222700
Or e-mail us at info@etsplc.com
www.etsplc.com
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Call us on: +44 (0)1932 222700 or visit: etsplc.comHow to: Boost survey participation