Professionals discuss the future of the employee voice in HE

We all know that in order to keep employees motivated, engaged and excited about their workplace, we need to prioritise the employee voice. This is true for every sector, especially when going through a trying time, as the higher education sector is at the moment. Burnout, workload pressures and job insecurity means employees within HE are facing a lot of uncertainty and worry today — making the employee voice all the more important.

Within higher education, the employee voice has changed dramatically in the past decade, with a shift towards continuous listening and greater transparency.

To explore where this is heading next, and to ensure employees are being heard, People Insight recently hosted an HE listening workshop with forty higher education institutions. HE professionals reflected on how employee voice has evolved over the past ten years and shared their predictions for what it will look like in the next decade. Their insights highlight the need for more responsive listening strategies, greater leadership visibility and a balance between digital tools and human interaction.

First, let’s discuss how employee has changed within education over the last decade.

Related: Decoding the HE employee experience

How has employee voice changed in higher education?

Ten years ago, employee listening in higher education was largely reactive, with universities relying on large-scale employee engagement surveys conducted every one to three years. Today, there is a push towards continuous listening, where employee feedback is gathered, analysed and acted upon in a more agile way.

1. From occasional surveys to ongoing listening

Universities are moving beyond traditional engagement surveys and introducing multiple touchpoints to track employee sentiment throughout the year. This shift has led to:

• More frequent pulse surveys, which allow institutions to gather feedback on specific issues as they arise.
• Lifecycle surveys, capturing insights at key moments such as onboarding, internal moves and exits.
• Qualitative listening through workshops, where employees can share in-depth feedback in a collaborative setting.

This multi-channel approach allows universities to act on feedback in real time, rather than waiting years to identify (and begin to resolve) problems.

2. Employees expect action, not just questions

Employees today are more vocal about their expectations than they were a decade ago. It is no longer enough for universities to simply ask for feedback — they must demonstrate that employee concerns are being addressed.

HE professionals at the workshop noted that:

• Employees lose trust when they provide feedback but do not see meaningful change.
• Social media and external platforms have made it easier for employees to voice concerns publicly if internal listening mechanisms are ineffective.
• Institutions that close the feedback loop — communicating what actions are being taken in response to surveys — tend to have higher engagement levels.

This shift means universities must be transparent about what they are doing with employee feedback, rather than just treating employee surveys as a tick-box exercise.

3. Leadership needs to be more accessible

One of the biggest challenges discussed at the workshop was the hierarchical nature of university leadership. Many employees feel disconnected from senior leaders, with multiple layers of management making it difficult to have their voices heard.

To improve leadership visibility, universities have started introducing:

• Leadership roadshows, where senior leaders visit different campuses for face-to-face discussions.
• Virtual town halls, offering a more accessible way for employees to engage with leadership.
• Greater governance transparency, making leadership decision-making structures clearer.

The demand for more authentic leadership is growing, and institutions that fail to bridge this gap risk losing trust among employees.

What will the future of the employee voice look like?

Looking ahead to the coming ten years, HE professionals predict several major shifts in how employee listening will evolve.

1. Always-on listening will become the norm

The traditional model of annual or biennial engagement surveys will give way to a more continuous approach. Instead of waiting for scheduled surveys, universities will gather feedback in real-time, allowing them to act on concerns before they escalate.

This could include:

• AI-driven sentiment analysis, tracking employee engagement through internal communications and digital platforms.
• Instant feedback tools, where employees can provide thoughts on initiatives as they happen.
• Dashboards for leadership, offering real-time insights into employee sentiment.

By making listening an ongoing process, universities can respond faster and more effectively to emerging concerns.

2. AI will play a bigger role, but human connection will remain key

AI is already helping organisations analyse qualitative data, summarise large amounts of feedback and identify key trends. In the future, universities will likely use AI to:

• Automate survey analysis, reducing the time needed to process large datasets.
• Provide personalised listening experiences, asking employees only the most relevant questions.
• Identify hidden patterns in feedback that might otherwise go unnoticed.

However, the HE professionals in our workshop were clear that technology must not replace human connection. Universities will need to find a balance — using AI for efficiency while maintaining face-to-face interaction in a way that builds trust.

3. Leadership will need to shift from command-and-control to engagement-focused

Many universities still operate with traditional, hierarchical leadership structures, where decision-making is centralised and communication is top-down. However, this approach is becoming less effective, as employees expect greater involvement in decision-making.

To improve engagement, HE professionals suggested:

• Redefining leadership roles, placing greater emphasis on employee listening and engagement.
• Creating structured leadership visibility initiatives, such as regular drop-in sessions or employee panels.
• Training middle managers to act as effective conduits between employees and senior leadership.

Institutions that fail to adapt risk losing trust and engagement, particularly as employees have more avenues to voice concerns publicly.

4. More personal and inclusive listening strategies

Universities are recognising that one-size-fits-all listening does not work. Employee experience varies widely between different groups — academics, professional services employees and leadership all have distinct needs.

Over the next decade, HE professionals predict universities will:

• Customise surveys and feedback methods for different employee groups.
• Introduce multiple listening channels, including in-person forums, anonymous feedback tools and informal discussion groups.
• Actively seek out underrepresented voices, ensuring that all employees have a say in key decisions.

By refining how feedback is gathered and acted upon, universities will build stronger engagement across all areas.

Our workshop has made it clear that the future of the employee voice in higher education will be shaped by technology, leadership attitudes and the growing demand for real-time listening. The institutions that succeed will be those that embrace ongoing listening, increase leadership visibility and refine their approach to employee engagement.

As universities refine their strategies, employee surveys will remain a key tool — but they must be part of a broader approach that includes real-time feedback, transparent leadership and clear action plans.

If your university is looking to improve employee listening, speak to People Insight about running a higher education staff survey that delivers real impact.