Have you thought about how to announce the improvements you will be making as a result of your survey responses?
We love the clarity and simplicity of “You said…, We did…” images.
This approach conveys the all-important message that a leader has listened and acted on the survey responses. The unsophisticated visual style is highly effective in communicating not only specific actions taken but also a more generalised and memorable picture that the employee voice is valued, appreciated and leads to changes.
In addition to the actions and outcomes that are delivered following a survey, there is the potential for a bigger, over-arching impact on the workplace culture.
Asking for your employees' thoughts, acknowledging the responses and confirming the actions taken, demonstrates appreciation of their valuable input. This speaks volumes about the leadership within your organisation and has a huge impact on engagement. In our experience, the “You said…, We did…” images are the most effective technique for communicating this broader concept.
We will always offer to produce these for you with your specific feedback and actions and include your organisation’s logo, this is a core element of our survey service. Plus - if you are lucky enough to have graphic design skills inhouse - you may choose to produce your own version reflecting your brand style, and we would be very happy to share ideas with your designers to give them a concept they can work on.
Our top tips for sharing the outcomes of your survey are:
Use a visual and memorable approach to ensure the outcomes are front and centre of everyone’s thoughts about the survey.
Plan in advance how and when you will share the actions and outcomes from the survey. Have your image templates ready, and your communication channels and dates planned. The images work well within presentations; as a poster on the wall; in a newsletter; via the intranet; or simply via email.
Where possible, use direct quotes but this is not essential. If the “You said” text can be drawn from a direct quote, in the words of one of your employees, this is ideal. However, sometimes none of the exact comments about a particular theme perfectly convey the overall issue and you may need to paraphrase in order to produce “You said" text which concisely summarises the feedback. This still works.
Share initial actions, or “quick wins” immediately. Include these within the presentation of the survey results. Ensure when the survey results are shared, the emphasis is on outcomes, even if you can only address the easier, smaller items initially, this will instil confidence that the bigger, more substantial issues will be actioned further down the line.
Share other outcomes as progress is achieved. Continue to use a structured, deliberate communication approach for progress, even if this is months after the survey. Continue to link relevant changes and actions back to the employee suggestions and feedback whenever possible and share widely. People will understand some actions take longer and the benefit of demonstrating the link back to the employee voice is not lost, even if it is not immediate.
Develop a stock of “You said…, We did…” images. These can be useful to share again during quarter or year-end reviews and in particular in preparation for your next survey. If your employees are reminded that the previous survey led to meaningful outcomes, they will be more likely to take the time to complete the next survey (or any request for feedback) and offer more considered and valuable input. This leads to a growing culture of engagement and continuous improvement.
Pat yourself on the back. These are not as easy as they look but they are definitely worth the time investment.
Sharing survey outcomes is key to improving employee engagement and a core element of our approach. By doing so, we collaborate with you to enhance employee wellbeing and engagement, and create a happy and high-performing workplace culture.
