Understanding the Response Rate

What is a “good” response rate?

When administering an engagement survey, you may wonder what an average response rate may be for an organization of your size, and how you compare. Generally, we consider a “good” response rate to be anywhere between 70-80% for larger organizations (500+ employees) and 80-90% for smaller organizations (<500 employees).

I just checked survey responses for the first time, and our response rate is less than 40%. What do I do?

Do not be alarmed by a low initial response rate. Engagement surveys are a conversation, and responses do not accrue passively over time. Send out reminder emails and communicate the purpose of the survey.

Across 173 of our clients, all client sizes show the same trend of improvement from before the first reminder email to before the third reminder email. Response rates typically hover around 40% before the first reminder, 60% before the second reminder, and 70% before the third reminder. Many clients will choose to continue following up until response rates reach 80, or even 90%.

If your company’s response rate remains low, it is possible to extend your survey period and continue communicating and making accommodations to ensure that the survey participation process is convenient for employees.