The future of employee listening in HE

In higher education, academic and professional services teams face different pressures. Workloads rise and fall through the year and budgets are tight. It’s no secret that employee listening can be tricky. But it’s still important to get right. It underpins trust, retention and a better everyday experience at work. So what can be done to streamline employee listening in HE while making sure your institution is keeping up with the trends?

This report shares practical ways to modernise how you listen in 2026 and beyond so employees feel heard and leaders can act with confidence.

What the report reveals about listening in HE

• Many employees do not feel leaders listen or follow through

• Confidence in post-survey action is mixed across faculties and roles

• Short, focused check in surveys help managers talk sooner and act faster

• Multiple listening routes build inclusion for staff who are harder to reach

These insights point to a clear message. Listening is not only about surveys. It is about conversations, visible follow up and momentum between waves.

What you will learn inside the report

• Core listening tools used in HE today
  When to use annual surveys, quarterly check ins and targeted topic surveys, plus where one to ones and listening groups add depth

• The role of leaders in effective listening
  Practical ways leaders can show up, invite dialogue and close the loop with honest updates and clear follow through

• Trends shaping the future of listening
  Empowering managers as primary listeners, using AI and natural language processing for faster insight and opening up multiple feedback channels that fit your workforce

• Real examples you can adapt this term
  Focus group formats, town halls with Q&A, anonymous routes for sensitive topics and ways to combine them across the academic year

• Steps to move from feedback to action
  How to share the story, agree two or three team level actions and show progress between waves

Download the report today to stay ahead of the curve and to ensure a healthy feedback loop. To start really listening to your people, get in touch today for a higher education staff survey.

Other resources you might enjoy:

What’s it really like to work in HE?

Webinar: How pulse survey insights improve your employee experience

Professionals discuss the future of the employee voice in HE

Cardiff Metropolitan University: Masterclass in employee listening

Edinburgh Napier University: Employee listening excellence

Introducing Inspire HE: University ranking for employee experience

The ultimate faculty survey strategy guide

Report: The future of employee listening in HE

What international engagement data says about global higher education