The survey landscape is evolving as businesses need to get employee feedback more regularly and throughout the employee lifecycle. We polled companies and found that 25% are already using ‘pulse surveys.’ A growing number are also introducing joiners’ and leavers’ surveys. What advantage does this give companies though and are there any drawbacks?

One company we work with, insurance firm LV=, provides a great example as highlighted in a recent article. It has experienced sustained growth and executives wanted to assess the recruitment and induction experience. This is a formative time for employees, so getting data here can help inform strategy. LV= has been able to strengthen its employer value proposition and boost staff retention and engagement by doing so.

However, be aware of pitfalls when surveying more frequently – most obviously survey fatigue. If the same employees are repeatedly being asked for their views, they are likely to become disengaged. Think about who you want to survey and why. Communicate clearly with employees to let them know what the survey is for and how data will be used.

The evolution of the employee survey model is part of a wider trend of companies having metrics to assess everything. The limitations of only getting feedback from employees once a year, or even frequently may mean companies get an inaccurate picture of how employees are feeling.

It’s time to bring your survey cycle full circle to glean the data that will help give your company a competitive advantage.