Understanding the reasons behind low survey participation is crucial for improving response rates. Use this article to identify key issues and apply actionable steps to boost and sustain strong response rates.
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Overview
Understanding the reasons behind low survey participation is crucial for improving response rates. Use this article to identify key issues and apply actionable steps to boost and sustain strong response rates.
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Questions to Ask to Understand Low Response Rates
Several factors can impact survey response rates. If survey participation is low, consider the following questions to identify potential issues and act upon them:
- Did employees receive the survey invitation?
- Do employees have access to a device, i.e. computer, smartphone, etc. to participate?
- Have you communicated why survey participation is important?
- Are employees concerned about confidentiality?
- Are specific groups, i.e. departments, locations, etc. showing lower participation than others?
Strategies to Improve & Sustain Response Rates
In addition to understanding lower response rates, it's important to remain proactive to improve and sustain healthy response rates.
Consider the following strategies for strong response rates:
- Announce the Engagement survey in advance, emphasizing that responses are confidential
- Frame your communication around the value of employee feedback and share examples of past feedback that led to real change
- Provide employees with 15-30 minutes during work hours to complete the survey without impacting their personal time
- Hold managers accountable for encouraging their teams to participate
- Highlight that a higher response rate means more accurate data and better results for the organization to act on
- Clearly explain how the survey data will be used once collected
- For future surveys, communicate the changes made based on the previous Engagement survey's results
- Focus on key issues and explain priorities, showing employees that their participation led to real improvements
- Visible results will encourage participation in future surveys