Recharge days, meaningful mentoring and genuine flexibility are no longer ‘nice-to-have’ perks. Employees increasingly want – and expect – more. Research by Perkbox Vivup Group in 2024 found that a quarter of UK managers are reporting rising demands from employees.

And these demands are no longer about traditional perks and benefits. Employees expect organisations to have a strong sense of community and provide purpose-driven work.

But while 82% say it’s important that their employer sees them as a person – not simply as an employee – only 45% believe they’re seen in this way, according to Gartner research. 

The trend is for employers to keep asking their people what they want. But is this really the right approach… or a slippery slope?

Why ‘happy meters’ don’t work

It’s not that employee surveys themselves are the problem, it’s the way leaders use them.

Surveys were introduced because leaders weren’t taking the perspectives or experiences of employees into account. And while it’s a huge positive step for employee surveys to be part of our working life, we’ve possibly gone too far.

The truth is that many leaders are asking the wrong questions. We shouldn’t be using employee surveys as ‘happy meters’; this doesn’t drive performance.

Instead, knowing how to ask the right questions is key to ensuring leaders get honest, quality, helpful information to inform their decisions.

The right questions to ask

Switch your questions from ‘what do you want?’ to ‘How does this work?’.

Rather than treating surveys like a suggestion box for perks and initiatives, design questions that diagnose the lived experience of the job – not just opinions on how things could be better.

This shifts the conversation from demands to operational reality.

So, rather than the question, ‘Are you happy with your benefits?’, ask about fundamental, tangible aspects of people’s working life.

For example, ask your employees if they agree with the following statements:

• I have enough uninterrupted time to focus on important tasks
• My manager provides timely and actionable feedback to help me improve
• The technology I use allows me to do my job efficiently

Embed shared accountability questions

Many organisations need to reframe the employer-employee relationship as a true partnership. 

With this adapted positioning, surveys can then be used to promote mutual accountability as part of their organisation’s culture.

Instead of thinking ‘what should the company give me?’, employees are encouraged to reflect on their personal ownership and responsibilities as a team for their organisation. 

If shared purpose is the true goal, then ask the extent to which your employees agree with the following:

• I am held accountable for my results and performance
• I am confident my teammates will follow through on their commitments
• I can rely on my colleagues to perform at their best
• I clearly understand how my individual contribution advances the organisation’s strategic goals

These will change people’s mindset and demonstrate that you’re aiming for a high-performing partnership (over transactional dependency).

It’s a win-win for employers as it creates accountability for those in leadership roles, too.

How to use employee feedback

Knowing how to gather proper employee feedback is the first step. But you then need to know what to do with it.

Think collaboratively. Move beyond a simplistic ‘you said, we listened’ response to show a deeper, systemic understanding of your organisation.

Avoid using surveys in isolation. Integrate staff answers with hard operational data, such as customer experience data, retention rates, sickness and absence figures, and exit interview themes.

Aim to strengthen connection and a sense of purpose by shifting from top-down delivery to co-creation. 

Ensure the process, as well as the action plans, are owned by the teams giving the feedback. This will help you build trust and buy-in toward the results.

A valuable tool to promote shared responsibility

At a time when salary and benefits are no longer enough to attract and retain top talent, the experience your organisation offers is more important than ever.

Employee surveys miss a trick when they simply list questions asking people what they want. This creates a culture where your employees feel entitled to keep asking for more. It’s not that leaders should ignore what staff want – but they shouldn’t look at it in isolation.  

To get the most useful results for your organisation, you need to ask the right questions from a range of perspectives. In a world where information is more available than ever, by doing this, you can propel your organisation’s mission while giving people a sense that they’re connected to it.

More broadly, your HR team needs to foster a sense of purpose and encourage high performance, while also showing recognition and care for people as individuals.

It’s a tough juggle in a climate where opinions can be more readily shared one way, going unchallenged and unchecked.

But when you start using surveys as a channel for encouraging employee contributions, rather than a raft of opinions, they become one of the most dynamic and collaborative diagnostic tools for your business.