From Apathy to Action: Reinvigorating Employee Engagement in Surveys

In my last post, we discussed how employees often don’t participate in surveys because they don’t see the value. It’s not necessarily that they don’t care, but when feedback feels like a futile exercise – when results don’t lead to visible change – it’s easy to understand why some might not feel motivated to participate.

The key question is: How do we get employees to actually want to fill out the survey? The challenge isn’t just about improving participation rates; it’s about showing employees that their feedback matters and leads to real outcomes.

Here are a few behavioural science-backed approaches to help bridge the gap between survey participation and driving action – so employees can see their input as not just heard, but transformative.

1. The Fresh Start Effect: Capitalizing on Key Moments

The science: A 2014 study from behavioural scientists Katherine Milkman and Hengchen Dai found that people are more likely to pursue goals and take action following key temporal landmarks – such as the start of a new quarter, the launch of a project, or even after a vacation. This is referred to as the “Fresh Start Effect.”

The application: Surveys don’t need to be treated as standalone events. Instead, align them with organizational “fresh starts” like major announcements or new initiatives. Frame surveys as a critical part of a new beginning for the organization – setting the stage for a fresh approach based on employee insights. Employees are more likely to engage when they perceive the survey as an integral component of a new direction.

2. Use the Endowment Effect to Promote Ownership

The science: The endowment effect, identified by psychologist Richard Thaler, refers to people's tendency to value things more highly simply because they own them. When employees feel a sense of ownership over survey outcomes, they become more invested in the success of subsequent initiatives.

The application: Involve employees directly in the process of turning survey feedback into action. Create cross-functional teams to brainstorm and prioritize solutions based on the survey data. When employees co-create the solutions, they not only take greater ownership but also help ensure the proposed changes are relevant and impactful. Even simple actions, like asking for their input on prioritization, can increase the likelihood of engagement and follow-through.

3. Visible Outcomes: Create a Feedback Loop

The science: Recent research from Gallup highlights the importance of closing the feedback loop. According to Gallup’s 2023 Workplace Study, employees who see their feedback acted upon are twice as likely to be engaged at work and 1.6 times more likely to stay with the organization.

The application: Post-survey, don’t just collect data – use it. Communicate the results clearly and show how they’ve influenced decision-making. Regularly update employees on the actions being taken based on their feedback, and make a point to highlight both short-term wins and long-term plans. If employees don’t see the outcomes, they’ll lose motivation to contribute in the future.

4. Use Social Proof to Build Momentum

The science: A 2022 study in the Journal of Behavioral Public Administration found that social proof – the idea that people look to the behaviour of others to guide their own actions – can be a powerful motivator in organizational settings. When employees see their peers participating, they are far more likely to join in.

The application: Don’t be shy about sharing the success of past surveys. Use real examples of teams that have improved based on previous feedback and highlight this during the survey rollout. Showing how others have benefited from providing feedback creates a positive feedback loop, where participation becomes the norm and is seen as valuable by the collective.

5. Create Small Wins: The Power of Immediate Results

The science: Researchers Ayelet Fishbach and Kaitlin Woolley, in their 2020 work on motivation, found that immediate rewards are critical for sustaining motivation over time. If people feel they are making progress in the short term, they are more likely to stay engaged in the long term.

The application: Instead of waiting months to act on survey data, find ways to deliver immediate improvements. This could be something as small as quickly addressing common complaints about tools or workflows. Highlight these “small wins” right after the survey to show employees that their feedback results in direct and tangible benefits.

Shaping a Culture of Trust and Action

The goal isn’t just to increase survey participation for the sake of it, but to create a culture where employees want to provide feedback because they know it leads to real change. It’s not about surveys being a task on their to-do list – it’s about surveys being part of a collaborative, ongoing dialogue between leadership and staff.

By leveraging insights like the Fresh Start Effect, social proof, and the power of small wins, you can create a system where surveys aren’t just a formality – they’re a powerful tool for driving action and building trust.

Sources:

1. Milkman, K.L., & Dai, H. (2014). The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2565-2582.
2. Thaler, R.H. (1980). Toward a Positive Theory of Consumer Choice. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 1(1), 39-60.
3. Gallup, Inc. (2023). State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report.
4. Grimmelikhuijsen, S., & Meijer, A. (2022). Social Proof in Public Sector Organizations: Insights from Behavioral Public Administration. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 5(1), 1-12.
5. Fishbach, A., & Woolley, K. (2020). How Immediate Rewards Motivate and Sustain Behavior. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7, 19-36.