How to Increase Employee Survey Participation

Getting employees to complete a survey is a lot like asking your family to help clean the house. At first, everyone nods enthusiastically, "Sure! Of course!", but five minutes later, one person disappears into the garage "to organize tools", someone else suddenly has urgent homework, and the rest are "just about to start"... after one more episode. You're left standing in the living room with a mop, wondering how something so simple turned into a solo mission.

Surveys at work often get the same treatment. Leaders send them out with the best intentions (short, clear, even anonymous). But somehow they still end up ignored, half-finished, or answered by the same three people every time.

It's not that your team doesn't care. It's just that, much like chores at home, surveys feel like something people will "get to later". And later, of course, becomes never. So, what can you do to encourage employees to take a survey, really take it, not just skim and click?

Just like convincing your family that cleaning can be (somewhat) painless with the right playlist, timing, and maybe pizza as a reward, getting people to actually participate in surveys is possible. In this article, we'll walk through all the necessary steps to make feedback feel less like a chore and share some best practices on boosting employee survey participation rates.

Why Employee Survey Participation Rates Should Be High

A high participation rate in various types of employee engagement surveys is a must-have if you want insights that are meaningful and actionable. Think of it like hosting a potluck dinner where only three people show up with food: you'll end up with seven kinds of dip, no main course, and a lot of confusion. The same goes for surveys: if only a few voices are heard, you're missing the full spread of perspectives that make your team tick.

When only a small slice of your team responds, the results can be misleading, decisions get made on shaky ground, and trust in the entire feedback process starts to crumble.

So, why does it matter so much to get more people involved? Here's what's really at stake.

• Better data quality — the more responses you gather, the more accurate and reliable your survey results become.
  
  
• More representative insights — high participation means feedback comes from across departments, roles, and teams, which helps you get a better overview of the ongoing challenges.
  
  
• Stronger employee trust — when employees see that their input is genuinely wanted and actually used to make improvements, they feel more heard and invested in the process.
  
  
• Early detection of issues — widespread response rates increase your chances of catching problems early before they snowball into bigger challenges.
  
  
• Tracking progress — a strong participation rate gives you a solid baseline for measuring change over time and monitoring the impact of new initiatives.
  
  
• Boosted sense of inclusion — when surveys involve everyone, employees are reminded that their opinions carry weight just as much as anyone else's. It's a subtle but powerful way to build a more inclusive recognition culture.

Creating a Culture of Recognition

Article by

Mila Dliubarskaya

What Is a Good Participation Rate for an Employee Survey

Once you've sent your employee engagement survey announcement, the next question is inevitable: how many responses do you actually need for the results to matter? While there's no universally perfect number, there are reliable benchmarks to guide you, and they depend on a few key factors, like company size and culture.

While you might think that aiming for a 100% response rate is the gold standard, in reality, that can be a red flag. When everyone responds to a survey, it sometimes means participation wasn't entirely voluntary. For example, if filling out the survey is tied to performance reviews or pushed too aggressively by managers, people might respond to tick a box not sharing their genuine thoughts. That's why it's important to avoid being overly forceful.

This can lead to such an issue as "satisficing" when employees rush through the survey, giving quick or generic answers just to get it over with. Signs of that include picking the first decent-sounding option without reading the rest, defaulting to "I don't know", or choosing answers at random.

Another warning sign is "straightlining". That's when someone selects the same number or option for every question, like marking a "3" across the board. These patterns distort your results and make it harder to trust the data.

So, what is a good response rate for an employee engagement survey? That depends a bit on company size, but here is a solid employee survey response rate benchmark to keep in mind:

• Small teams and companies (under 100 employees) should typically aim for a 75–85% response rate. With a smaller headcount, each individual voice carries more weight, so broad participation is key to avoiding bias.
  
  
• Medium-sized companies (~500 employees) should strive for a response rate of 70–80%, giving you a solid pulse on engagement without unrealistic expectations.
  
  
• Large organizations (1,000+ employees) normally target a response rate around 65–70%, which is often enough to get a reliable view, though higher is always better if it reflects honest input.

How to Increase Employee Engagement Survey Participation

Motivating employees to complete a survey isn't always as straightforward as it sounds. For many team members, the first thought isn't "Great, I can finally share my thoughts", it's more like, "Why should I complete an employee survey?"

With packed calendars, tight deadlines, and a dozen other priorities, surveys can easily slip through the cracks or feel like just another checkbox on a long to-do list. So, how do you cut through the noise and get people to respond? Let's look at some practical ways to boost employee survey participation (no pushy reminders or awkward nudges required).

Get Managers Involved and Responsible

If managers see surveys as just another HR checkbox, employees will likely treat them the same way. One of the most efficient strategies for how to increase employee survey participation is starting with clear communication.

Leaders should elaborate on the survey's value by discussing it in team meetings and showing how past feedback led to tangible changes. For instance, they could say, "Last time, your feedback helped us improve our workflow and reduce meetings. We're asking again to see what's working and what isn't."

Personal reminders through 1:1s or direct messages are often more effective than generic company emails. Managers can also carve out time for survey completion by blocking 10 to 15 minutes during team meetings or encouraging employees to complete it during work hours.

Sharing participation rates with managers helps them track progress and nudge those who haven't responded yet, but it's crucial to avoid being too pushy. The goal is to make participation feel natural and valued, not forced.

Offer Complimentary Rewards 

Another smart approach for how to increase employee survey participation is to provide small incentives. Simple rewards like gift cards to popular stores (Amazon, Starbucks, etc.), extra PTO hours, or a free lunch at a local restaurant can motivate employees to take the time to fill out the survey. 

Other great ideas include offering a choice of a company-branded item (like a hoodie, water bottle, or mug), a donation to a charity of their choice, or even a few extra hours of flexible work time to catch up on personal errands or simply relax. You can also consider more creative rewards, such as giving employees the chance to pick their preferred parking spot for a week or organizing a casual team outing (like a happy hour, virtual celebration, trivia game, or team-building activity).

Turn It into a Friendly Challenge

A bit of healthy competition can be a great way to make survey participation more engaging. Creating a friendly contest between teams or departments, like seeing who can achieve the highest participation first, can turn the survey from a tedious task into an exciting challenge. You could set a specific target, such as "First team to hit 90% participation wins!" or even introduce smaller milestones, like a team reward for every 10% increase in responses.

Plus, you can offer a fun, non-intrusive reward for the winning team, such as a casual team lunch, a gift card, or even bragging rights. It's important to keep the challenge light-hearted and voluntary. The goal is to spark enthusiasm and interest, not create pressure or make employees feel obligated to participate. 

Show That Feedback Leads to Action

Nothing kills motivation faster than when feedback vanishes into a black hole. Employees need to know that their time and thoughts are respected. Among several proven ways for how to increase employee engagement survey participation is demonstrating that feedback leads to real outcomes. After collecting survey responses, it's essential to share the key results with your team by being transparent about what was said and, most importantly, showing what's being done in response. 

For example, if feedback indicates that employees are frustrated with the current meeting schedule, it's a sign to implement changes to make meetings shorter or more efficient. And let them know those adjustments were made based on their input.

Stick to Survey Best Practices

Sometimes, low participation rates are a result of the survey itself not being up to par. Long, confusing, or irrelevant surveys are easy to dismiss for busy employees. To improve participation, it's essential to make decent surveys and concentrate on the following employee survey best practices:

• keep your questions clear, concise, and meaningful;
• avoid using jargon or overly complex language;
• ensure each question serves a specific purpose;
• limit the length of the survey to 5-10 minutes;
• communicate that their responses are confidential.

Should Employee Engagement Surveys Be Anonymous?

Article by

Mila Dliubarskaya

More Tips on Encouraging Employee Survey Participation

If your first round of reminders didn't spark a participation frenzy, don't panic. There are more best practices on how to encourage survey participation (and no, they don't all involve bribing people with snacks, although… snacks do help). From clever reminders to smarter timing, here are a few extra tricks to turn "I'll do it later" into "Done and dusted".

Choose the Right Words to Encourage Survey Participation

Sometimes, it's not just what you say, it's how you say it. The tone, clarity, and warmth of your message can make a huge difference in whether people click "Start Survey" or ignore it completely.

Instead of bland reminders like "Please complete the employee survey by Friday", go for something more engaging and personal like this: "We're building the future of our workplace together and your feedback is the first step."

Use words that are inviting and appreciative: thank employees for their time, recognize their expertise, and show that their voice truly matters. It's better to stay clear of cold corporate phrases or vague messaging, so speak like you would in a team huddle, not a legal memo. 

Use Fun Activities to Boost Survey Participation

Adding fun, interactive elements can turn them into something team members actually look forward to. Incorporating light-hearted activities or gamified moments is among the common hacks for how to increase employee engagement survey participation, as colleagues are more likely to take part when the process feels enjoyable and rewarding. Let's take a sneak peek at several fun ways to encourage survey participation:

• interactive gamification (create survey bingo cards, point-based challenges, or spin-the-wheel prizes to make participation feel like a game);
• employee testimonials (share real stories or quotes from staff explaining how past surveys led to real improvements);
• "Treat for a click" station (set up a snack or coffee station where employees can grab a treat after showing they completed the survey);
• "Secret survey agents" game (assign anonymous "agents" who surprise-reward coworkers they see completing the survey or promoting it);
• pop-up prize wheel (set up a spinning prize wheel at lunch or in the break room that employees can spin after they show their completed survey).

Make Space for Survey Participation in the Workday

Instead of hoping employees squeeze it in, create a clear window during the workday for them to complete it. Block off 15 to 20 minutes on calendars, announce a "survey hour," or designate time at the beginning or end of a team meeting. The key is to give them permission and space to participate without pressure or needing to use personal time.

For teams that are mobile or don't sit at a desk, like frontline workers or warehouse staff, accessibility is crucial. Set up a tablet or computer kiosk in a shared area or break room. You can also use QR codes on posters or signage that link directly to the survey, so people can take it quickly from their smartphones.

Ensure Your Survey Is Easy for Everyone to Access

One of the biggest barriers to survey participation is simply the hassle of accessing the survey itself. If employees face issues logging in, navigating different platforms, or encountering complicated verification steps, they're likely to abandon the survey altogether. Thus, it's crucial to make the survey as simple and seamless as possible when considering how to increase employee engagement survey participation.

For companies using tools like Slack, OrgaNice provides a fantastic solution. It integrates directly into the platform, making it easy for team members to participate without needing to leave their workspace. There's no need for extra logins, external sites, or confusing setups, just a quick way to submit feedback right where everyone's already working.

With this team surveys Slack bot, you can use pre-built templates for employee engagement surveys. They are designed to be quick and easy to use, so you don't have to spend valuable time creating survey questions from scratch. Whether you need a simple pulse check, detailed feedback, or a more in-depth survey, the templates cover all the bases and can be customized to suit your needs.

Once your employees submit their responses, the tool automatically sorts responses into a neat dashboard. This eliminates the need for digging through messy spreadsheets or manually analyzing results. The dashboard provides real-time insights, allowing you to track trends, measure engagement, and identify areas for improvement.

Furthermore, OrgaNice offers helpful features like automated reminders, which can ping employees to complete the survey if they haven't already. You can also integrate survey results with performance reviews or recognition programs, ensuring the feedback loop is tied into your overall company culture and employee development efforts.

Better yet, OrgaNice offers a 14-day free trial, so you can try it out before committing, and it's only $1.25 per user per month afterwards (with extra savings on annual plans), making it a highly affordable and efficient way to gather feedback.

Final Thoughts on How to Increase Employee Survey Participation

Ultimately, enhancing employee survey participation is all about making your team feel heard and valued. When you clearly communicate the purpose of your survey, you show employees how their feedback can truly drive change. The more they feel involved in the process, the likelier they are to participate. A bit of creativity, fun incentives, and open, transparent communication can transform your survey from a simple task into an engaging experience employees are excited to be a part of.

If you're still wondering how to increase employee engagement survey participation, OrgaNice is here to help. With its easy Slack integration, you can launch a survey in minutes (no complicated tools or setups needed). Moreover, it comes with great features like an org chart builder, time-off tracker, and a kudos bot to keep things running smoothly. Don't be shy to reach out to us if you have any concerns, we're here to make your employee engagement surveys and other HR processes a breeze!