The most common satisfaction survey mistakes and how to prevent them

Many companies invest time and money in employee satisfaction surveys, but they regularly make mistakes that undermine the value of these surveys. These errors can lead to misinterpretations, employee frustrations, and even lower engagement. Fortunately, these errors are preventable.

Research shows that companies with a high level of employee engagement are up to 21% more profitable and have a 41% lower staff loss rate. Employee satisfaction surveys are essential to measure and improve this engagement, but only when done properly.

In this article, we discuss the most common mistakes in employee satisfaction surveys and provide tips to prevent them. This way, you get the most out of your research and ensure action-oriented, reliable results that make a real impact on your organization.

Chapter 1: Insufficient scientific evidence

Mistake 1: Insufficient scientific basis for the research

A common mistake in employee satisfaction surveys is that the questionnaires are not scientifically substantiated. Companies often use self-made questions without being properly validated. This can lead to unreliable results, where questions are misinterpreted or important aspects are overlooked. A lack of scientific methodology can also lead to bias in results, so you don't get a fair picture of the level of satisfaction within your organization.

Case Study

A medium-sized company in the technology sector conducted an ad-hoc employee satisfaction survey, but the questionnaire was not scientifically validated. The results suggested a high level of employee satisfaction, but when the company conducted further research with a validated tool, major pain points such as poor communication and unclear goals were missed. This led to wrong assumptions and missed opportunities to improve engagement.

Quantitative versus qualitative research

Companies that only use quantitative data, such as scores from 1 to 5, often miss the nuance needed to address deeper issues. A scientifically based approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods, allowing you to understand not only numbers, but also the underlying reasons of employees.

Hint: Make sure you use scientifically validated questionnaires and methodologies. At Deepler, we work with proven techniques that provide consistently reliable results. This helps to prevent biases in the results and ensures that responses are representative of the entire employee population.

Chapter 2: Bad questionnaire in satisfaction survey

Mistake 2: Poorly designed questionnaires

The quality of the questions you ask is critical to the success of your research. A common mistake is using vague, ambiguous, or guiding questions. This makes it difficult for employees to provide accurate answers, which significantly reduces the usability of the data. In addition, questionnaires that are too long are a problem because they lead to loss of concentration and lower response quality. According to a SurveyMonkey study, the response rate decreases significantly for questionnaires that contain more than 20 questions.

Example of a poorly worded question:

“Are you happy with the way your manager leads?”

This is a vague question that provides no clear direction and may provide guiding answers.

Well-worded question:

“How do you agree with the statement: My manager provides clear and timely feedback that helps me improve my work.”

This question is concrete, measurable and focused on a specific aspect of leadership, providing better and useful answers.

Hint: Ask clear, concise questions that are not guiding. Preferably use questions that are easy to understand and specific enough to provide valuable insights. It is also important to keep the length of the questionnaire manageable. Short, targeted questionnaires are often more effective and lead to higher response rates and more reliable data.

Chapter 3: No follow-up to results

Mistake 3: Not taking action on results

Many companies collect valuable data through their satisfaction surveys, but then do nothing with the results. This causes employees to feel unheard and can even have a negative impact on their engagement. When employees see that no action is being taken on their feedback, they lose confidence in the process and are likely to be less likely to participate in future surveys. A Gallup report shows that only 27% of employees think their feedback leads to changes.

Preview

A retail company conducted a satisfaction survey every year, but the results disappeared into the drawer without concrete action plans. This led to employee disappointment and a drastic drop in response to future surveys, as employees felt that their opinions were not being taken seriously.

Hint: It is essential to take immediate action after a satisfaction survey. Analyze the results thoroughly and create an action plan that shows clear areas for improvement. Communicate these plans transparently to employees and make sure you make progress visible. At Deepler, you not only get results, but also recommendations that help you take targeted actions.

Chapter 4: Inconsistency in the time of investigation

Mistake 4: Inconsistency in the timing of the satisfaction survey

Some companies conduct their satisfaction surveys too often, causing employees to experience “survey fatigue”, while other organizations wait too long between surveys. Too frequent investigations lead to employee irritation and often to less reliable answers. On the other hand, a lack of consistency leads to incomplete data, making trends and changes in satisfaction difficult to monitor.

Survey fatigue

When employees are asked for feedback too often, they lose interest and respond less carefully. A Gartner study shows that companies that conduct quarterly satisfaction surveys often collect less accurate data than companies that measure annually or biannually.

Hint: Conduct your employee satisfaction surveys on a regular basis, such as annually or biannually, and make it an integral part of your HR strategy. This ensures that you get a good idea of the development of employee engagement without overloading them. Consistent measurements make it easier to identify trends and make targeted improvements. Deepler helps you set up a consistent research schedule that fits your organization's needs.

Chapter 5: Surveys that are too long

Mistake 5: Surveys that are too long

Another common mistake in employee satisfaction surveys is using questionnaires that are too long. While it can be tempting to gather as much information as possible from your employees, a long questionnaire often leads to respondents' fatigue. This is known as “survey fatigue”. When employees feel overwhelmed by the number of questions, they are less likely to answer carefully or drop out halfway, resulting in incomplete and unreliable data.

Impact of long surveys

SurveyMonkey research shows that questionnaires of more than 20 questions lower the response rate by 15-20%. In addition, the quality of responses decreases significantly as the survey gets longer, because employees tend to respond more quickly to complete the questionnaire.

Example:

An internationally operating consulting company conducted an employee satisfaction survey with a questionnaire of more than 50 questions. Employees said they found the questionnaire too long and the response rate was less than 40%. This meant that the company only had a limited and probably unrepresentative data set to base on. After a review, a shorter questionnaire of 15 questions was introduced, leading to an increase in response rate of up to 80%.

Tip: Keep your questionnaire short and to the point. Focus on the most important topics and ask questions that directly contribute to your goals. An effective questionnaire contains between 10 and 20 well-formulated questions. If you need more detailed information, consider splitting your research into several shorter surveys over a longer period of time.

Conclusion

An employee satisfaction survey can provide valuable insights, if done properly. By avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure that the data you collect is reliable and usable. Provide scientific evidence, ask clear questions, take action on the results, and conduct your research at a consistent time. And don't forget: shorter, targeted questionnaires increase the chance of getting reliable answers.

Avoiding these mistakes can make the difference between a useful investigation and a waste of time and resources. If you want to ensure a well-conducted satisfaction survey that contributes to improving your organization, make sure you take the right steps and use the best tools.

Do you want to avoid mistakes and get the most out of your employee satisfaction survey? Try Deepler and learn how our scientifically valid surveys can help you achieve reliable results and improve employee satisfaction. For more information, see www.deepler.io

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