If a tree falls in the woods, and nobody is around, does anyone hear it? A fine philosophical question to ask, but one we prefer here at People Insight is: If you run an employee survey but nobody knows about it or cares about it much — is it of any use to anyone?
This brings us onto a topic we’re quite passionate about — effective communication. Through our years of experience, we know that an effective employee survey communication plan is so incredibly important to achieving high participation rates and getting the kind of feedback that will lead to meaningful change. It should come as no surprise that a well-structured plan not only informs employees about the survey but also emphasises its importance and reassures them about confidentiality.
But knowing the importance of survey comms is one thing — how can you do it the right way? Our survey consultants and our incredible communications team have got together to provide an incredibly impactful six-step process that will ensure your survey results count.
Get everyone all in with this employee survey communication plan.
Below, we’ll outline a six-step communication plan, including templates and best practices, to help maximise the effectiveness of your survey.
Step 1: Create a survey brand
Branding your employee survey is an exciting opportunity to make it more engaging while encouraging participation. A memorable name can transform the survey from a routine HR task to a fun initiative. Consider aligning the survey name with your company values for added relevance.
Here are a few famous examples to inspire you:
Fuller’s Brewery: Your Shout
La Perla: An Intimate Talk
World Animal Protection: We’re All Ears
Involving employees in the naming process helps create a sense of ownership, further boosting engagement. Try to keep the branding consistent across all communications, including emails, intranet pages and posters.
Step 2: Engage line managers
If you want your employee survey to be a success, you need to get line managers on board, pushing it forward and supporting it every step of the way. The reality is, employees are more likely to engage when their direct supervisors explain the purpose of the survey, why it’s important and what it could lead to. Take the time to prepare managers with the necessary tools to support the survey:
Provide them with a briefing document containing key messages, deadlines and FAQs.
Encourage them to bring up the survey during team meetings and individual check-ins.
Share talking points to help them explain how survey results will be used and why participation is important.
Active support from managers can significantly increase response rates. When they understand the survey’s purpose and can convey this clearly to their teams, employees feel more confident and motivated to participate.
Step 3: Launch your survey with style
A strong survey launch sets the tone for the entire process. Use a combination of communication channels to build momentum and highlight the survey’s importance:
CEO video message
Dedicated intranet page
Targeted email invitations
Team briefings or informal coffee chats for in-person engagement, particularly in non-desk-based roles.
Take the time to make sure employees understand the survey’s purpose and duration — they should also be crystal clear on how to access the survey itself. Here’s an example of a survey launch email:
Survey launch email template
Subject: Share Your Thoughts – [Company Name] Employee Survey Now Open
Dear [Employee Name],
We value your insights and invite you to participate in our employee survey, open from [Start Date] to [End Date]. Your feedback will help us enhance your experience at [Company Name].
The survey is confidential and will take around 10 minutes to complete. Please click the link below to share your thoughts: [Survey Link]
Thank you for contributing to our continuous improvement. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Position]
Increasing survey participation isn’t an easy task — it requires ongoing communication and reassurance. We recommend you shoot for a response rate of 60-70%, which is considered strong across industries. To achieve this:
Reassure employees about confidentiality – emphasise that survey responses are anonymous and only aggregated data will be shared.
Offer incentives – consider donating to a charity for each completed survey or starting initiatives like tree planting through Eden Reforestation.
Combat survey fatigue – acknowledge previous issues, and make it clear that this time, things will be different.
Use reminders strategically – employees may need several nudges. Set up automated reminder emails and encourage managers to follow up directly — check out our action centre page to find out how we use nudges to encourage greater participation in surveys.
Subject: Reminder: Your Feedback Matters – Complete the [Company Name] Employee Survey
Dear [Employee Name], This is a friendly reminder to complete the [Company Name] employee survey by [End Date]. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve your work environment. The survey is confidential and takes around 10 minutes. Access it here: [Survey Link]
We appreciate your time and input. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Position]
Step 5: Provide templates for consistent messaging
Pre-written templates simplify communication and ensure consistency. Below are key templates for different stages of the survey process:
Survey launch invitation template
Subject: Your Voice Matters – Take the [Company Name] Employee Survey Today! Dear [First Name], We’re launching [Survey Name] to better understand your experience at [Company Name] and how we can improve. The survey takes just 10 minutes, and your responses will remain confidential. Click below to take part: [Survey Link] Thank you for your time – your feedback helps shape the future of [Company Name]. [Your Name / Survey Partner]
Survey reminder template
Subject: Reminder: Have You Shared Your Feedback Yet? Hi [First Name], If you haven’t completed the [Company Name] Employee Survey yet, there’s still time! The survey closes on [Deadline], and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Your feedback is anonymous and helps us make meaningful changes. Click below to take part now: [Survey Link] Thanks for your input! [Your Name / Survey Partner]
Post-survey thank you template
Subject: Thank You for Your Feedback! Dear [First Name], Thank you for taking part in the [Survey Name]. We appreciate your time and honesty. We are now reviewing the responses and will share the key findings on [Date]. Stay tuned for updates on how your feedback will help shape our next steps. Best, [Your Name / Survey Partner]
Step 6: Share results and keep communication going
You’ll want to be transparent with your survey results. Employees want to know their feedback is being heard and acted upon and that the employee feedback loop is being closed. Share high-level findings through various channels:
Company-wide email or intranet update
Infographic summarising key themes
Town hall meeting with senior leaders
Ongoing communication ensures that survey results lead to meaningful action. Regular updates, such as quarterly “You Said, We Did” summaries, help keep employees engaged and informed.
Survey results communication template
Subject: Thank You for Your Feedback – Survey Results Dear [Employee Name], Thank you for participating in the [Company Name] employee survey. We’ve compiled the results and would like to share some key insights with you:
[Key Finding 1]
[Key Finding 2]
[Key Finding 3]
Your feedback is instrumental in shaping our initiatives. We will keep you informed about the actions we plan to take in response to these insights. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Position]
A successful employee survey communication plan goes beyond just sending out an invitation. It involves careful planning, branding, manager involvement and clear, consistent messaging throughout the survey process. By keeping employees engaged and informed, you’ll increase participation rates and gather valuable insights that can lead to meaningful change.
At People Insight, we help organisations run effective employee surveys that drive real improvements. Contact us today to see how our communications team can support your next survey and help you turn feedback into action.
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