The Survey Trap: Why Asking Without Acting Is Worse Than Not Asking At All
When someone shares their honest feedback with you, they're offering something valuable - their truth. This is especially true in the workplace, where power dynamics often make speaking up feel risky. I was reminded of this recently at the Richmond SHRM Legal Update Conference when speaker Karen Michaels said, "Do not do an employee survey if you aren't going to do anything with the data."
This isn't just good advice - it's a fundamental principle that too many organizations violate. Let me be direct: Conducting employee surveys and then ignoring the results is organizational malpractice. It's worse than never asking at all. We often conduct surveys in the middle of strategic planning and organizational development projects and rich data emerges. When you ask employees for feedback and then fail to act, you're sending a crystal-clear message: "We wanted you to feel heard, but we never intended to listen."
If You're Going to Survey, Here's How to Do It Right
If you're committed to meaningful employee surveys, here are three crucial actions you must take:
Plan for action before you ask the first question. Before launching any survey, establish who will review the results, how decisions will be made based on the findings, and what resources are available for implementing changes. Without this groundwork, you're setting the process up to fail.
Communicate results and plans transparently. After collecting feedback, share a summary of key findings with your entire team - both the positive and the challenging insights. Then clearly outline what specific actions the organization will take in response, with timelines and accountability measures.
Follow through visibly and celebrate progress. When you implement changes based on feedback, explicitly connect those changes back to the survey results. This closes the feedback loop and shows employees their input directly shapes their work environment. As improvements take hold, acknowledge and celebrate this progress together.
The most damaging part of ignoring survey results? When you eventually need critical feedback - when you genuinely want to improve - your people won't believe you. They've learned that vulnerability isn't rewarded. So if you're planning an employee survey, ask yourself this hard question: Are you prepared to act on what you learn, even if it's uncomfortable?
Real leadership isn't about collecting data - it's about having the courage to respond to it.