The concept of conducting weekly employee surveys is somewhat unique.  Most organizations conduct an annual, quarterly, or at times, monthly employee survey.  But I recently read an article about how Google will soon be surveying their employees weekly versus monthly, so I looked into the concept of a weekly employee survey.

Google is known for its commitment to employee satisfaction and engagement, and it has various programs and initiatives aimed at gathering employee feedback, such as the “Googlegeist” survey, which until now, was held annually. However, in a recent all-employee meeting Google's chief people officer, Fiona Cicconi, told staff the new Googlegeist would be sent more frequently. Employees will now receive two questions every Tuesday.

Through a little bit of “googling”, I found one other company who conducts weekly surveys.  Every week, employees at the HR software company Workday participate in a concise two-question survey. This weekly initiative, known as #FeedbackFriday, is championed by Greg Pryor, Workday's Senior Vice President and "People and Performance Evangelist."

During #FeedbackFriday, employees are asked a range of questions, which can include inquiries about their relationship with their manager and reflections on their mental and physical well-being. The questions may vary from week to week. This ongoing practice generates a substantial dataset drawn from Workday's vast employee base, which includes over 9,600 employees. This dataset can be analyzed based on factors such as location, gender, department, and more.

Workday consistently ranks among the top "best places to work." Greg Pryor attributes this success to Workday's commitment to fostering a culture of continuous feedback and its responsiveness to the diverse expectations of different generations within its workforce. This brings up a key aspect of employee feedback – leadership must be ready and willing to respond to it. If it falls on deaf ears, employees will become discouraged and morale and engagement will decrease due to survey fatigue.

Survey fatigue typically sets in when employees perceive that their feedback isn't being heeded by leadership. To avoid this sentiment, consider implementing the following steps:

• Express Sincere Appreciation: Begin by genuinely thanking your employees for their participation and feedback. Show them that their input is valued and appreciated.
• Conduct Listening Sessions: Organize listening sessions to delve deeper into the survey results. This provides an opportunity to gain additional context and insights directly from employees.
• Summarize Leadership Commitments: Clearly outline the key takeaways from the survey and the commitments leadership is making to take action based on the feedback received. Transparency is crucial.
• Take Action as Promised: Follow through on the commitments made. If you promise changes or improvements based on survey feedback, ensure that these actions are implemented as stated.
• Communication of Results: Keep employees informed about the outcomes of the new initiatives and programs that were developed as a result of the survey. This demonstrates the tangible impact of their feedback.

Whether you choose to conduct surveys once a year, twice a year, or more frequently, the key is to establish a thoughtful listening strategy centered around employee surveys. Utilize the valuable insights derived from the surveys to enable data-driven decision-making, support employee well-being, and drive meaningful strategic actions within your organization.

How often do you survey your employees? Email me at [email protected].