ESAT Survey Process Links

1. Determining the Need to Survey 2. Selling the Survey to Management 3. Determining What to Ask 4. Selecting the Methodology 5. When to Require Questions 6. Proofing and Testing 7. Marketing the Survey 8. Inviting the Employees 9. Obtaining a High Response Rate 10. Selecting the Norms to Use 11. Interpreting the Results 12. Sharing the Results 13. Acting on the Results 14. When to Repeat the Survey

Here are the steps to take to obtain a high response rate.

• Market the employee satisfaction survey to the employees and managers before the survey begins.
• Make it clear that the survey can be completed on company time, and make sure all supervisors support this. (We have seen complaints in employee comments when this is promised but one or more supervisors do not support it.)
• Make sure employees understand their responses will be confidential. Support your statements to the best extent possible, e.g., "Your questionnaires will be received directly by the research firm doing the tabulations. Nobody in our organization will see your ratings and comments."
• Let employees know how many people have responded at various points in time.
• Establish an overall response rate goal and give all employees "something extra" if the goal is reached.
• Send reminder messages.
• When the results come in, let the employees know what they were. This will help the next survey's response rate.
• Act on the results. This also will help the next survey's response rate.