As an increasing number of companies embrace remote working, it’s more important than ever for employers to regularly check in with employees. Gathering feedback is key to understanding how to help remote employees work more effectively, and how to support their mental well-being. This is where remote pulse surveys come into play.
Remote pulse surveys have been used by companies for years to measure employee satisfaction and engagement levels, and they’re steadily growing in popularity. So what exactly are they, and how can they help your business going forward?
What is a Remote Employee Pulse Survey?
A remote employee pulse survey is a short survey consisting of around 5 to 10 questions that track how remote employees are feeling about work. Pulse surveys are more frequent than traditional employee surveys, usually sent out weekly or monthly. Because they’re relatively short and easy to complete, pulse surveys give employees the opportunity to let you know how they’re feeling on a regular basis.
The questions can address different aspects of remote working, such as employee satisfaction, communication, and productivity. By monitoring survey results and identifying potential problem areas, managers and HR professionals can quickly develop new procedures to address the needs of employees.
The Benefits of Remote Pulse Surveys
There are many benefits of using pulse surveys, but here are the main reasons why many employers find them so valuable:
They Keep Employees Motivated
Sending out regular pulse surveys is a simple way to help remote employees feel less isolated and more connected to the business. Reaching out regularly underlines the fact that you value every member of your team and respect their opinions, which ultimately boosts employee productivity and motivation levels. According to a Salesforce report, employees who feel that their opinions are valued are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.
They Provide Real-Time Data
With a constant stream of feedback from employees, any issues that come to light can be swiftly addressed before they become more problematic. Gaining frequent insights also gives team leaders a clearer picture of how employees are feeling and progressing over time.
They Have a High Response Rate
Unlike a traditional employee survey that might occur annually, remote pulse surveys are short and easy to complete. This means that more employees will be willing to cooperate, so you’ll receive more feedback from all departments.
They’re Cost-Effective
Longer employee surveys can be expensive because of the time it takes to create them and the expertise required to analyze the data. With the right software or HR expertise provider, pulse surveys can be created quickly and the results are easier to analyze. In the long term, pulse surveys reduce your costs by helping you avoid problems caused by employee dissatisfaction and disengagement.
They Help Build a Positive Company Culture
Finally, using pulse surveys encourages employees to communicate more openly, creating a more collaborative company culture. As a result, employees feel more empowered to express themselves, which reduces feelings of isolation and anxiety that remote working can create. Ultimately, this improves employee retention. A survey from HAYS found that 47 percent of people looking for a new job blamed company culture as their main reason for wanting to leave their current position.
How to Set Up a Remote Pulse Survey
Communicate in Advance
First, tell employees what you’re planning to do. Explain what you hope to achieve, how long each survey will take to complete, and how employees can benefit from taking part.
Define Your Objectives
Next, consider your objectives. For example, you might want to offer better support to staff. In this case, you need to ask questions about how employees are coping with remote work and what support they need. Alternatively, you might want to improve communication between departments. In this instance, you need to ask employees what they think of their current tools for communication.
There are various goals you might want to achieve, so it’s important to focus on one goal at a time. When each survey focuses on a specific theme, you can identify particular employee challenges and then offer practical solutions. Here are some example pulse survey themes:
- How is your team coping with remote work?
- How happy are employees in their current role?
- How do employees feel about career progression?
- How satisfied are employees with the company culture?
- How do employees feel about management and the support they receive?
- Do employees have the appropriate tools to work effectively?
Create the Questions
Now it’s time to compile the questions. To get a better response rate, keep them brief; each survey should only contain around 5 to 10 questions. Also, make sure the questions are relevant to all employees. If you want to learn more about specific topics or the attitudes of specific departments, send out more focused surveys at another time.
There are various question types to build your survey. Consider one of the following:
- Multiple choice questions.
- Simple “yes” or “no” questions.
- Questions that ask respondents to rate something on a scale of 1-5 or 1 – 10.
If you feel you need additional context to analyze the results, consider including an optional comment box next to each question. This allows employees to provide more specific answers.
Decide on the Survey Frequency
With remote pulse surveys, it’s a good idea to stick to a regular delivery frequency and format. This way, employees will become accustomed to the surveys and get into the habit of completing them in a timely manner. Whether it’s a five-question survey delivered weekly, or a 10-question survey delivered monthly, decide what suits your objectives and stick to it.
Use the Right Survey Tool
There are numerous survey tools available online, and some of these platforms offer free trials. Many of these tools are also compatible with Android and iOS devices. The best survey tools allow users to choose from a library of questions and build survey templates. They also give users the option to automate reminders to increase response rates.
The Follow-Up
It’s crucial to analyze the results of each survey and take measures to address any issues that you may identify. It’s also a good idea to explain to employees what changes you’re putting into place. This will build trust among employees and help improve your survey response rates.
Try sending out the same set of questions over an extended period of time. This way, you can track responses and discover if the changes you make are having a positive impact on employee satisfaction.
Final Thoughts
As the trend of remote working continues to grow, it’s crucial for employers to check in with employees they don’t see every day. Listening to staff and taking measures to address the challenges they face is key to supporting the well-being of employees, improving employee retention, and maintaining a productive workforce.
By conducting remote pulse surveys regularly, employers can discover what motivates employees and provide solutions to support the various needs of all workers. This will not only help employees feel more connected to each other and to the company, it will also help you avoid problems before they even arise.
Need Help Creating a Pulse Survey?
Taskly, a leading HR expertise provider, is helping organizations transition to a remote workforce by leveraging employee pulse surveys. Taskly helps by providing organizations with access to HR experts who can complete a variety of tasks. To learn more, visit Taskly.com