It’s Engagement Survey season!
And with all that data… it’s so tempting just to focus on the comments. The negative comments, that is.
If you’re like me, you know the value of feedback, but you also get context. Recent Culture Amp data showed negative comments are twice as long as positive ones… and more importantly, comments are not representative of employee sentiment. The people who are most dissatisfied tend to share much more than those who are happy, which is natural - when we’re not happy, we’re much more motivated to speak up.
Whilst employee comments can offer valuable insight, comments highlight the extreme, skewing perceptions and leading to an outsized focus on the loudest voices.
Here’s how I recommend approaching employee comments to ensure you’re making well-rounded decisions:
Don’t Jump to Conclusions: Take comments for what they are – a snapshot, not the whole picture. Always combine them with your overall engagement metrics.
Look for Themes: Instead of reacting to individual comments, identify trends across multiple surveys or business units. This will help you pinpoint consistent issues rather than isolated concerns.
Engage in Conversations: Use comments as a starting point for deeper discussions. If something stands out, talk to your team. The nuance and insight you gain from real conversations will be more valuable than written feedback alone.
Feedback is essential, but balance and context are everything. If you’re looking to create meaningful change in your workplace, focus on the data, not just the noise.