The response rate for an employee survey should be approximately: 80%. If employees are spread across different geographic areas, the response rate is usually somewhat lower, around 70%.
It is a common mistake to believe that it is meaningless to work with the results if the response rate is low, as well as to assume that the results in this case only reflect certain opinions of the employees. It takes time to create a functioning improvement process that involves all employees.
If the management is uninterested in working with the results, one should consider the intentions behind conducting an employee survey. Why is the survey conducted at all and does the management really want to know the employees' opinions. Is there another agenda?
A low response rate often reflects an experience within the organization that it is pointless to respond because no activities or changes will be made. Parts of the staff will say "I was right; they don't care. Our efforts to make our voices heard were in vain." By not acting on the results, thus giving all the employees who are negatively inclined the right.
If one does not show respect for those who participated in the survey by working on improvement work, the employees will feel a lack of trust and disappointment, as they will feel deceived.
By acting on the results, the management shows that they appreciate those who took the time and effort to participate and that the opinions expressed have an impact on the ongoing work. This will make more people want to participate in the next measurement because they see that their opinions have a real impact on what happens.
When the number of responses/respondents exceeds 1,000, it is always the right decision to work with the results. When conducting a sample survey (and not a total survey covering the entire population), at least 1000 responses are normally required.
Even if the number of responses is less than 1000, it is important to work with the survey results.
For example:
Response rate is 50% (500 responses).
The optimist would say that we have a good basis with responses from half of all employees, while the pessimist would think that we cannot work with the results because half of the employees have not responded to the survey.
Not working with the results would, of the 500 people who have spent their time and effort responding to the survey, be interpreted as the management not caring. In the example, the number is also so large that it in itself requires action on the results.
Working with the results will create a process!
Scenario – Management decides not to work with the results.
- Lack of trust in senior management (asks but does not care about the answers).
- Lack of trust in the HR department (you asked us to participate in the survey but the management does not support your work).
- Lack of trust in the employee survey and its purposes
(big promises - small payoff). - Response rate in the following employee survey will be low
(why should I respond if no one cares?). - Employee engagement (ME) scores may be lower compared to the previous survey due to negative aspects of the process.
Scenario - Management decides to partially work with the results
- Lack of trust in management (shows low interest in employees' opinions)
- Lack of trust in the HR department (Does senior management really support your work? People matters don't seem to be important)
- Lack of trust in the employee survey and its purposes (do they mean what they say or is it just empty words?)
- Response rate in the next survey will be lower (why respond when interest in our opinions is low?)
- ME (employee engagement) results may be lower than last year's due to negative gossip and rumors about how the results are handled.
Scenario - Management decides to work with the results.
- Trust in senior management will increase (what they say is also what they do).
- Trust in the HR department (The HR department receives good support from senior management and their work is important. In this organization, every individual matters).
- Trust in the employee survey and its purposes (senior management made a statement based on the first employee survey - and it still stands!).
- Response rate in the next survey will be higher (Management at all levels is working with the results. If an employee wants to participate in the company's improvement process and make their voice heard - the company will listen).
- ME (employee engagement) survey results may be higher than last year's (this takes time). (senior management, the HR department, and managers at all levels take this seriously and are keen to work with the results to improve the company).