You’ve sent out the employee engagement surveys, collected the data, and… nothing has changed. Sound familiar?
That’s because listening isn’t enough—employees want to see action. In fact, Gallup Research has found that disengaged employees exhibit 37% higher absenteeism and 18% lower productivity. The real value of surveys lies in acting on the results.
This is where most organizations miss a golden opportunity. Surveys collect important insights, but if you’re not following up with action, it’s all just noise.
Here’s why turning feedback into action is key and how you can fix the process to make employee engagement surveys actually work.
Step 1: Data Means Nothing Without Action
If we are being honest, many companies treat engagement surveys like a checklist. They get the feedback, compile some nice charts, and maybe put together a presentation. Then, everyone moves on until the next survey rolls around. But what about actually solving the problems employees bring up?
Surveys should lead to a plan—a real, tangible strategy to address key concerns and take advantage of opportunities. Without this, feedback is just a bunch of numbers. Taking the insights and showing what you are going to do about it is essential to build — and keep— employee trust and engagement. That’s where action planning comes in.
Tools like WorkBuzz’s Action Planning Tool guides organizations through turning those insights into clear, actionable steps. Instead of letting feedback sit in a spreadsheet, it becomes the foundation for meaningful change.
Step 2: Show Employees You're Serious
As we said above, it's simply not enough to just collect feedback. Employees need to feel that their voices are being heard and that their input matters. When companies act on feedback, employees are more likely to trust that the organization values their opinions, leading to better morale and higher job satisfaction. It's important to point out that transparency is key here—share what you learned from the surveys and what you plan to do about it.
For example, WorkBuzz’s five-step methodology makes it easy to communicate findings back to your team, prioritize the most pressing issues, and create a timeline for change. When employees see real progress, they stay engaged and feel valued.
Step 3: Make it About More Than Just Feedback
We all know that surveys are about listening to employees, but many leaders overlook they’re also a critical tool for driving organizational growth. When employees feel heard, they’re more motivated to perform. This boosts productivity, reduces turnover, and creates a healthier workplace culture.
Companies that invest in action planning see better retention, higher levels of engagement, and improved performance across the board. Tools like the WorkBuzz survey platform are designed to make this process seamless, from survey results to actionable outcomes, leading to stronger businesses and happier teams.
Bottom Line: Action is Everything
Employee engagement surveys aren’t the problem—it’s the lack of follow-through. If you’re serious about improving your workplace, you can’t just ask for feedback and ignore it. Turning insights into action is the only way to make a real impact on both employee satisfaction and overall company performance.
Ready to close the feedback loop? Check out WorkBuzz’s action planning tool and start transforming your employee feedback into real results.
