Tired of lengthy questionnaires with horrible response rates? Looking for a way to regularly stay connected to your team's needs or concerns? You need a pulse survey.
What is a pulse survey, though? Unlike other common surveys, a pulse survey is designed to quickly tap into the current sentiments and feedback of target audiences. Below, we’ll talk more about what it is, its advantages, and how you can create a pulse survey to serve your exact needs.
What’s a pulse check survey exactly?
A pulse survey is a short, focused questionnaire designed to capture respondents' feelings, perceptions, and opinions quickly. It’s typically used for employees within an organization.
Unlike comprehensive annual surveys, which are extensive and infrequent, pulse surveys are conducted regularly, allowing for real-time feedback. This frequency enables surveys to be answered in minutes, ensuring a higher response rate.
Why are employee pulse surveys conducted?
Pulse surveys can be used for continuous improvement, employee engagement, and bridging communication gaps in an organization. They’re conducted to gather timely feedback, monitor employee sentiment, and identify emerging trends or issues.
By regularly checking the "pulse" of a team or organization, leaders can make informed decisions, address concerns swiftly, and maintain a positive, engaged workplace environment.
The advantages of pulse surveys
Pulse surveys offer many advantages:
- They facilitate real-time feedback
- They help address issues promptly before they escalate
- Their concise nature ensures higher response rates
- They promote open communication, boosting employee engagement and morale
- They offer frequent insights into the efficacy of initiatives
- They enable data-driven decisions
Now, let’s discuss what you need to keep in mind when creating a pulse survey.
Creating a pulse survey: everything you need to know
How to create a pulse survey
To craft an effective pulse survey that captures meaningful insights, you need a structured approach. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process:
- Decide on a goal: Before drafting questions, pinpoint what you aim to uncover. Is it gauging employee satisfaction, gathering feedback on a recent change, or understanding training needs?
- Create pulse survey questions: Once you have a clear goal, craft short and direct questions that align with it. Remember that pulse surveys should be brief, so prioritize essential questions.
- Decide on a survey platform: There are many online platforms available, from free and simple ones like Google Forms to specialized and paid tools like SurveyMonkey. Choose a survey platform that meets your needs.
- Create your survey: Input your questions using your chosen platform. If using Google Forms, customize the design to match your brand and configure necessary settings, such as anonymity. Once ready, test it before rolling it out.
Are weekly pulse surveys necessary?
The frequency of pulse surveys depends on the objectives and context behind the surveys. Typically, these surveys are meant to be administered more regularly than annual surveys.
Many organizations conduct monthly or quarterly pulse surveys, which helps strike a balance between gathering continuous feedback and avoiding survey fatigue among respondents.
Weekly pulse surveys aren’t always advised, as you won’t see significant changes in results more often than not. However, if you're addressing a specific event or change, you may want to conduct them weekly. In such a scenario, it's essential to keep the survey brief and ensure that the intervals allow enough time for management to analyze results properly.
How to keep track of pulse survey responses
Organizing and adequately storing pulse survey responses is vital for taking those insights into action. Proper organization helps in systematic analysis and maintains data integrity.
Moreover, maintaining an indexed archive of responses allows for year-over-year comparisons, trend identification, and a better understanding of feedback's evolution over time. Proper organization and storage practices not only streamline the analysis process but also ensure valuable feedback is never lost or overlooked.
For better storage, consider integrating your survey platform with a tool that allows you to do so effectively. Form Publisher is an add-on to Google Forms that helps save responses in your Google Drive in multiple different file formats with a naming convention tailored to your preferences. That’s especially helpful when it comes to open-ended responses, which involve careful reading.
Form Publisher is the employee pulse survey tool you need
Insights revealed through pulse surveys should be acted upon and not just accumulated. With Form Publisher's advanced workflow capabilities, you can effortlessly bridge the gap between gathering responses and translating them into meaningful action.
With Form Publisher’s workflow features, as soon as feedback comes in, you can ensure the right people in your organization are signaled to take the following action.
Are you ready to elevate your pulse survey game? Explore Form Publisher!