How to Communicate Survey Results to Staff

Stop calling it Survey Fatigue. It’s probably “Nothing Changes Anyway” Fatigue. If you want people to keep sharing what they think and feel, you have to earn it. Show them you’re listening and that it matters. Here’s how to do it right… 1. “Where are the Receipts???” Before launching a new survey, show what you did with the last one. Remind employees what they shared and how it led to real change. Even small wins matter here. This is where trust begins. 2. Respect Their Time Run the survey with clear communication and thoughtful outreach. Give people a reason to care while acknowledging the time it takes. Celebrate your early responders and follow up with the rest respectfully, even those last-minute stragglers… 3. Don’t Sit on the Results Your people already know what’s working and what isn’t because they told you. Give a high-level overview of what came up. They don’t need every detail, but enough to know you’re paying attention. 4. Time for Action Pick a few key areas and plan what you’ll do… then actually do it. Planning is part of action, but it can’t be where it stops. Keep people updated on what’s happening and what’s next. Show progress, even if it’s just the first steps. “Nothing Changes Anyway” Fatigue is REAL If your survey process ends with “thanks for your feedback,” you’re doing it wrong. A good survey cycle proves you’re listening and acting. That’s how you earn trust, every time.

📋Did You Actually Use Your Employee Survey Data? Did you do a survey in 2024? Great—but here’s the real question: What did you do with that data? Employees need to see that their voices lead to real change. Tie their feedback to measurable outcomes, and then show them the results. For example, if employees say they feel undervalued, create initiatives that address recognition—and don’t just stop there. Share how those changes have improved engagement or morale. When you show you’re listening, you build trust—and trust drives culture. ☀️Why it Matters Feedback without action erodes trust and engagement. But when employees see their input driving real changes, they feel valued, and your culture thrives. It’s about turning conversations into impact. 💡Leadership Tip After your next survey, pick one key theme to tackle. Share a clear action plan with your team, and follow up with progress updates. This transparency shows you care and keeps employees invested in the process.

Like many companies, we conduct periodic employee surveys at Circle Beverage. We have been doing this for years and have developed a few best practices. Firstly, it’s anonymous. We embrace the good and the hard feedback and encourage people to share their mind without any risk of repercussion. Secondly, we have a Talent & Culture committee that reviews the responses in detail and discerns “what we heard”. The numerical data (ie satisfaction scores) are easy. The written responses require thought and discussion. Thirdly, we agree on a few concrete actions that the company will take in response to each survey. Examples from past years include: enhancing family medical benefits, increasing company 401k contributions, and how we structure our team building events. Finally, I send a written email to the company outlining “what we heard” and “what we are doing about it”. This, over time, has shown our team that their feedback is truly heard and acted upon and has led to increasingly better survey participation results. People are always willing to do a survey when they know that their opinion is heard and acted upon! This is a critical culture-building tool that I take seriously. If anyone has recommendations or enhancements to consider, please share.