How Can You Increase Response Rates in an Employee Survey?
One of the most common concerns organisations have before launching an employee survey is: “Will enough people take part?” While response rates do matter, experience shows that how you design, communicate, and manage the survey process has a far bigger impact than chasing people at the last minute.
Here are the most effective ways to increase response rates — and how Protostar supports clients at every stage.
Start with clear, human pre-launch communication
Employees are far more likely to respond if they understand why the survey is happening and what will happen next. Before launch, we help organisations clearly communicate the survey’s purpose, focusing on how feedback will be used to make meaningful improvements.
This often includes short, personalised videos from senior leaders and your consultant that explain the process in plain language, reinforce the organisation’s commitment to listening, and—crucially—reassure employees that their responses are anonymous.
Build employee survey trust by utilising staff representatives
Trust drives participation. That’s why we regularly work with employee representatives, staff forums, or unions ahead of launch. Gaining their buy-in helps build confidence across the organisation and reassures employees that the survey is legitimate, fair, and worthwhile.
When employees see that their representatives support the process, response rates naturally rise.
Make the survey invitation credible and recognisable
Survey emails are easy to ignore—or mistake for spam. To avoid this, the survey invitation is sent from the client’s Chief Executive or senior leader, not from an external provider. This significantly increases open rates and reinforces that the survey is a priority for the organisation, not just an HR exercise.
The message is short, clear, and focused on participation rather than persuasion.
Use survey response reminders intelligently
Most people don’t respond to surveys the first time they see them. Well-timed reminders are essential. We schedule regular but respectful reminders throughout the survey window and tailor them where possible—particularly targeting departments or groups with lower response rates.
This avoids blanket chasing while keeping momentum high.
Allow enough time for everyone to complete your survey
Surveys fail when they don’t account for holidays, sickness, shift patterns, or operational pressures. Keeping the survey open for around three weeks gives everyone a fair opportunity to take part without feeling rushed, while still maintaining urgency.
Keep employee surveys simple and accessible
Clear language, mobile-friendly design, and a sensible survey length all make a difference. Employees are more likely to respond when the survey feels easy to complete and respectful of their time.
A final thought on survey response rates
While increasing participation is important, it’s worth noting that response rate alone is not the best indicator of survey quality. What really matters is whether the results reach a robust statistical confidence level—something we’ll explore in a future post.
Our role is to help clients achieve meaningful, reliable insight, not just high percentages.
If you’d like to understand how to maximise participation in your next employee survey—or ensure the results truly represent your organisation—Protostar can help – just ask.