Employee surveys only deliver value when they lead to change, yet this is the point where many organisations stall, with potentially negative consequences.
In fact, longitudinal research at Pepsico1 and our own experience suggests three things are true:
The gap between survey results and action – the ‘data-action gap’ – isn’t caused by apathy. It’s caused by friction and behavioural science tells us that behaviour changes when three things come together: Capability, Opportunity and Motivation (known as the COM-B framework2).
So let’s think about some of the behaviours involved in taking action, and what might actually stop them.
Managers that fall at the first hurdle might not even look at their results or might just glance at them and give up. In our experience, its not because they don’t care but could be because they:
Understanding survey data is not as straightforward as we’d like. Even data‑literate managers struggle when:
While many managers are now data literate, we can’t assume that to be the case. In fact, we surveyed managers last year and only 29% said that they have access to the learning and resources they need for the ‘hard’ side of management.
Design and analytics play a huge role. Managers shouldn’t need to be analysts or engagement experts - the insight should come to them.
I’ll mention AI later, but this is an area where AI and Data Science has so much to offer, because when insights are crystal clear, then action becomes much, much, simpler.
Even with clear insights, managers still have a lot to interpret, such as:
If the action planning process starts at the top, then leadership can share what issues are being tackled centrally, then at functional or country level, and so on. This becomes easier if every manager from the CEO down involves their team in discussing results and action.
This is where it gets messy and emotional. Managers may avoid team discussions because of:
Much of enabling managers to have conversations with their teams is about building more general, transferable skills, and it’s also about promoting a psychologically safe environment, but it’s also important to provide:
Creating an action plan is the midpoint, not the end of the survey process, and we know that it’s not only on survey action plans that execution falters.
Earlier I mentioned that you can exert effort at the action planning stage, or reduce friction. Friction starts at the beginning of the survey process and can be compounded at each additional stage.
If your survey is:
…then meaningful action becomes much more achievable.
But even the best process won’t overcome one universal truth: overworked, under-supported managers struggle to engage
AI and data science are now filling gaps that once required time, effort and deep expertise (usually in the form of consultants):
This is exciting, because it makes once-expensive support, to close the data-action gap, accessible at scale.
Employee surveys only matter when people can see something change because of them.
Our guide shows you how to turn raw feedback into clear conversations, meaningful actions, and long‑term business improvements without overcomplicating the process.
A straightforward guide for responding to feedback quickly, communicating honestly, and building a more trusting culture.
Download The Guide
Book a demo to see our platform in action
Enjoy more reads from our Employee Voice, Explained series:
Church, Allan & Golay, Leslie & Rotolo, Christopher & Tuller, Michael & Shull, Amanda & Desrosiers, Erica. (2012).Without Effort there can be no Change: Reexamining the Impact of Survey Feedback and Action Planning on Employee Attitudes. Research in Organizational Change and Development. 20. 223-264.
Michie, S., van Stralen, M.M. & West, R. The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implementation Sci 6, 42 (2011).