Best Practices for Engagement Survey Results

Turn your engagement survey results into action: read them the right way, pick a few things to work on, and follow up with your team.

Getting a good response rate is only half the job. The results matter when you act on them. This article walks through how to read your results in Retain and what to do next. When you're ready to plan or adjust the survey itself, see Plan Your Engagement Survey.

Start With the Report

Your results live in the Engagement Survey Report. A few things it gives you that a raw score can't:

• National benchmarks. Each result is compared to the national average, so you can see where you stand, not just your own number.
• Department breakdowns. An organization-wide average can hide a lot. Group your results by department, location, or generation to find the pockets that need attention.
• Year-over-year comparison. Compare two survey periods (for example, this year against last) to see what's moving.
• Participation by department. A low score from a group with few responses means something different than the same score from a group where most people answered. Check participation before you read too much into a number. At the same time, non-responses can also sometimes indicate that there's low morale, apathy, or concerns with anonymity.

You can filter, share, and download the report to slice it the way you need. See Filter, Share, and Download Reports.

Look for Patterns, Not One-Off Scores

One low score in one month isn't a trend. Before you react, look for the same signal in more than one place: across a few departments, across two survey periods, or in the comments as well as the scores. A pattern is worth acting on. A single dip usually just needs watching.

Keep an eye on your eNPS, which comes from how likely employees are to recommend working at your organization. You can track it at a glance on the eNPS widget on your dashboard.

Read the Comments

The scores tell you what's happening. The comments often tell you why. Read them for specifics you can act on, like a process that's frustrating people or a shift that needs more support.

Bring in the Right People

Results are more useful when the people closest to a team can weigh in. Discuss results with department managers, They'll often spot the cause faster than anyone reading the org-wide numbers and be able to suggest meaningful action.

Pick a Few Things to Work On

You can't fix everything at once, and trying to usually means nothing changes. Pick one or two areas where the results are lowest or slipping, and where you can act. It's better to make real progress on two things than to spread yourself across ten.

Recognize the People Who Stood Out

The survey asks employees whether any coworkers deserve special recognition. When a name comes up, spotlight them. Recognizing someone in front of the team for going above and beyond is one of the simplest ways to keep good people.

Pick a set time to do it so it doesn't slip. A few options:

• During staff meetings
• In the hallway as they're working
• At a quarterly or semi-annual event

If your organization uses the recognition and rewards add-on, you can also recognize employees there and give points they can redeem.

Close the Loop With Employees

When people take a survey and never hear back, they stop taking it seriously. Tell your team what you heard and what you're going to do about it. You don't need every answer. "Here's the one thing we're focusing on this quarter" is enough. This is also the single best way to lift participation next time. For more, see Boost Engagement Survey Participation.

Track Progress Over Time

Acting on results is a cycle, not a one-time read. After you make a change, watch the next survey period to see whether it moved the number.

If this isn't your first survey, look at what got better since last time, not just what still needs work. Call out those wins with your team. It shows their feedback led somewhere, which makes people more likely to answer honestly again.

Before Your Next Survey

The best results start with a good plan. When you're ready to set up or adjust your next round, see Plan Your Engagement Survey.