5 Things You Should Know Before You Hit Submit

Every year, many companies embark on a journey to learn more about how their employees feel. This can include what they think of the goals and objectives, leadership, culture and even leave room for feedback on how to create better experiences. The intent of these surveys is to get a pulse on employee sentiment and see which areas they’re successful and which areas need to be improved or possibly changed. It is designed to measure employee engagement and how satisfied (or unsatisfied) they are with their jobs, benefits, workplace, and company culture. It allows employee voices to be amplified at all levels and can also be used to measure the performance of your management team. 

The frequency of these surveys can vary; some companies conduct them annually, while others may select random moments throughout the year. Regardless of the timing, these surveys aim to gather insights from the internal workforce. While employees are encouraged to provide their feedback, it’s essential to understand where your input goes before taking the survey. Here are five vital considerations before you submit your feedback:

Anonymity isn’t guaranteed

Company surveys are typically designed to be anonymous to encourage employees to provide honest and candid feedback without fear of retaliation or negative consequences. In most cases, the survey data is collected and analyzed in aggregate form, meaning that individual responses are not linked to specific employees. However, it’s important to note that some companies may collect certain demographic information (such as job title or department) to better understand how different groups within the company are experiencing the workplace. Your company should be transparent about their survey policies and should communicate to employees how their data will be collected, used, and protected. You may even review the feedback as a team. Keep in mind your company or team size, it may not be difficult to determine who provided feedback based on the specifics. For example, if you are the one new hire the company has had in a while and you give feedback on onboarding, while beneficial, it will be easy to determine who submitted it. 

It’s a positive reflection on your manager. 

Participating in company surveys reflects positively on both you and your department. Detailed responses are not necessary, but most companies track metrics regarding employee participation by organizations and managers. This participation benefits them and offers valuable insights into their leadership styles, the prevailing culture, and the potential direction of future strategic decisions. Just as you seek feedback on your performance, your managers appreciate unfiltered insights from their teams. It’s a rare opportunity for them to gain clarity on how their management style is perceived, what’s effective, and where improvements are needed.

Constructive feedback matters 

If there are areas around the company, culture, management, or processes can be improved, be specific and provide details. Keep in mind that the person analyzing the survey results may not be familiar with the context or details of your challenges. Provide details on what the challenge is, where the gaps are, and even potential solutions. This can help the feedback feel more constructive and less critical. Giving constructive feedback can be a delicate process, but framing feedback in terms of your own experience and perspective can help avoid sounding accusatory or confrontational. Giving specific examples of the behaviors or issues you’re addressing can help your company understand exactly what you’re talking about and can make the feedback feel less personal.  When giving feedback, it’s important to focus on what can be done differently in the future, rather than dwelling on past mistakes or failures. 

Change may not happen right away

Even if you provide detailed feedback, examples, and even solutions, there could still be no immediate changes in that particular area. These surveys typically get a wide variety of responses and there are only so many things the company can tackle and adjust. Understand that it may not be a priority right now, but that doesn’t mean you should not continue to give feedback if you feel passionate about changing. Even if it’s not changed at the company level, you can still talk to your manager and see what you can do within your organization to make those changes that can improve the work experience.

Acknowledge what works well

While most employees use surveys to highlight company issues or air grievances with colleagues and managers, it’s crucial to recognize that these surveys also seek to identify what’s working. Don’t shy away from spotlighting the positives within your company. Sharing what’s working well, acknowledging changes that have improved the culture, and appreciating aspects like work-life balance all contribute to helping the company make informed decisions about what to maintain and what to refine.

Filling out company surveys is a little like voting, it feels like your one vote may not matter in the grand scheme of things, but it does. You should fill out company surveys because your feedback is valuable and can help your company improve. It’s also a bit like collecting feedback from your users about your products. Customers that feel that their opinions are valued and that they have a say in product designs are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with your product and end results.  Your insights are essential, and by sharing them, you play a key role in shaping the future of your company’s work environment.

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