As a follow-up to our intro on Employee Pulse Surveys earlier this week, we continue the conversation with a few frequently asked questions:
1: Are you telling us to say goodbye to traditional annual employee surveys?
Not exactly. Annual surveys offer a good opportunity to collect feedback on a variety of different elements at once. In contrast, pulse surveys have a more focused topic and purpose. On the reporting end, while annual surveys can be time-consuming to conduct, they often provide more opportunities for detailed analytics and comparison, especially on important metrics like employee engagement.
2: What topics are discussed in pulse surveys?
Pulse surveys can be administered on a variety of topics for a variety of purposes. A few ideas include administering faster performance reviews, understanding the impact of specific changes on an organization (before, during, and/or after), acknowledging a negative situation and soliciting employee suggestions for improvements, checking in on company culture, identifying causes of dissatisfaction, and evaluating leadership accountability. While the list goes on, it’s important to keep in mind that these responses help in both illustrating the big picture and providing detailed insights about employees at a more individual level.
3: Is there a set or recommended frequency for conducting pulse surveys?
Frequency is one of the main elements that differentiates pulse surveys from more traditional annual surveys. Regularity and consistency are mandatory to ensure accurate analysis and to create a culture of constant feedback for your employees. Many organizations use pulse surveys on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, but your organization needs to find its own rhythm. Generally, somewhere between a weekly and monthly basis is ideal.
4: When should a pulse survey expire?
Since pulse survey data is captured for actionable purposes, the best data is fresh data that can be put to immediate use. In general, surveys should be set to automatically expire on the same day they’re sent. A single day is definitely enough time for an employee to complete a minute-long survey. You can also consider sending mid-day reminders to those who have not yet responded. As you’re waiting for quick responses, remember that everybody likes quick follow-up. If the feedback collected doesn’t lead to timely action, response rates — and employee morale — might suffer.
Ready for more? Check out our last piece of this employee pulse survey series on Friday, focusing on best practices, then get ready to get answers!
Can’t wait? Check in with our team to get started today!
