Why do pulse surveys matter?

In today’s fast-paced work environment, maintaining an open channel of communication between employees and leadership is more important than ever. One effective way to achieve this is through regular feedback exercises, such as pulse surveys. These short, targeted surveys can provide valuable insights into the employee experience and help organisations stay agile in addressing concerns and improving workplace culture. With so many capable software platforms in front of today’s employees, there are a myriad of ways to gather feedback and collate the results. Many HRIS or performance management platforms have these tools built in, but if you don’t have those options, Enable-HR has an easy-to-use, secure and cost-effective platform called Career Insight to handle all kinds of surveying, including short form and pulse feedback. Get in touch, to find out more.

Unlike traditional annual surveys, pulse surveys are typically brief and frequent, which makes them less overwhelming for employees to complete and easier to analyse. Regular feedback allows organisations to gather real-time data on employee satisfaction, engagement, and potential areas for improvement. But why is this so important?

First, pulse surveys provide a snapshot of employee sentiment. Rather than waiting for a once-a-year survey, pulse surveys can identify emerging trends or issues before they become widespread problems. For instance, early detection of a sudden drop in employee morale or a shift in satisfaction enables leaders to take proactive measures instead of reacting too late.

Second, frequent feedback demonstrates a commitment to listening. Regularly seeking their opinions, instead of only during performance reviews or major company-wide surveys, makes employees feel valued. This can foster a culture of trust and openness, which can lead to improved engagement and retention rates.

Remember to use feedback constructively and report on how you have listened and acted upon (in general terms only) the views you have collected. Gathering insights without acting on them can have the opposite effect, leading to frustration or disengagement. Don’t become over reliant on pulse surveys as the sole tool for feedback, as they provide limited perspective when not combined with other methods like fuller surveys, one-on-one discussions or team meetings. When over-used, they can become barriers to your employees’ getting their work done, in which case, people will simply ‘click through them’ to get them to done and out of their way. Clearly then, much of your collected data will then be useless.

Regular feedback through pulse surveys can help create a more responsive and supportive workplace. When done well, they can be a powerful tool for continuous improvement—both for the organisation and its people.