Surveys are everywhere.

Whether it’s checking in on employee engagement, understanding culture, or measuring wellbeing, organisations love to ask questions. And in theory, that’s great. Giving people a voice at work is an essential part of a healthy, thriving organisation.

But here’s the catch: a survey is only as valuable as what you do with it. And without a clear purpose, a solid framework, and meaningful follow-through, surveys can do more harm than good.

So let’s talk about it. The real reasons for doing employee surveys, and the real risks if you get it wrong.

Why do we love a workplace survey?

Surveys are often framed as a tool to boost engagement or give employees a chance to speak up. That idea taps into some really solid psychological principles:

1. Employee voice and fairness

   Psychologically, when people feel heard, they’re more likely to feel valued and respected. The very act of asking employees for their input can build trust and reinforce organisational justice. Even if you can’t act on everything, the process of listening matters.

2. Motivation and reciprocity

   Surveys signal that the organisation cares, and that can boost morale. When employees feel consulted and cared for, they’re more likely to go the extra mile. It’s a simple case of give and take. When the business invests in its people, they tend to invest back.

3. Insight and improvement

   Let’s not forget the practical benefits. Surveys can uncover blind spots. Whether it’s a spike in stress, confusion about values, or low trust in leadership, surveys can illuminate things you might otherwise miss.

When surveys go wrong…

For every organisation that runs a meaningful survey and acts on the results, there are many others that don’t. And unfortunately, that can backfire. Here’s how:

1. Tick-box exercises breed cynicism

   If employees don’t see any action after sharing their thoughts, trust is damaged. People quickly learn the difference between a genuine invitation to speak and a hollow formality. It’s not that they’re tired of surveys. It’s that they’re tired of nothing happening afterwards.

2. Poor design, poor data

   A badly designed survey can actually cause confusion, or worse, lead decision-makers in the wrong direction. It’s easy to oversimplify complex issues, misinterpret results, or collect data that doesn’t actually tell you anything useful.

3. Inaction is worse than silence

   There’s something uniquely frustrating about being asked your opinion and then being ignored. When this happens more than once, it can lead to disengagement, resistance, and even higher turnover. The message is clear: don’t ask if you don’t mean it.

4. Survey fatigue is really ‘lack-of-action fatigue’

   Ever heard someone groan at the mention of “another survey”? It’s usually not because they hate answering questions. It’s because they’ve filled in countless forms, and nothing has changed. The fatigue comes from broken promises, not too many forms.

A survey is the start of a conversation, not the end

Surveys can be powerful. They can open up honest dialogue, highlight what’s working, and shine a light on what needs fixing. But to have that impact, they need to be intentional, thoughtful, and followed up with action.

We’re not saying don’t do surveys. We’re saying do them well or don’t do them at all.

Let’s get it right

At Mindset, we help organisations get to the heart of what matters to their people.

Whether it’s designing effective, inclusive surveys or auditing your existing ones, we can help you uncover what’s really going on and what to do next.

Want to run a survey that leads to meaningful action? Get in touch.