4 ways to use intranet feedback forms to engage employees

The transition from top-down to two-way comms

The voice of the employee is continuing to grow stronger. Instead of relying solely on senior leaders to pass information down to their teams, many enterprises are increasingly embracing two-way internal communications models that encourage everyone to contribute to the conversation.

Employers will likely view the shift to more open communications pathways favorably because two-way messaging is linked with significant benefits. Team members who feel heard at work are nearly 5 times more likely to be high performers. Similarly, HR practitioners with an employee listening scheme in place have noted a 24% performance improvement amongst their workforce.

While it’s evident that giving your employees a platform to raise their voice can generate powerful results, not every enterprise has been quick to take advantage of it. In fact, only 35% of employees feel like their voice is being heard by their current employer, despite more than 80% of workers noting that they actively want to share their insights with their team.

Amplifying employee voices in the new world of work

COVID-19 has taken a serious toll on employee experience, with a 16% drop in workplace engagement since the start of the pandemic. As leaders looks towards their next chapter, rebuilding employee engagement and boosting morale are likely to rise to the top of the priority list.

But what does it really take to motivate your employees and create the kind of workplace experience they’re looking for? The first step to engaging you workforce is simple: listening to them. However, as colleagues disperse and enterprises increasingly embrace hybridized working, leaders can no longer rely on face-to-face conversations to get employee feedback. Instead, digital channels have become the primary medium for employee listening.

Below are 4 examples of Unily customers using forms within their company intranet to promote employee voice and monitor sentiment.

Insider insights: how our community leverages intranet forms to ensure every voice is heard

Forms can be a powerful feedback mechanism, but exactly how and when should you take advantage of them? From polling users about their return to office plans to sending out a survey after your next event, there are many ways to leverage forms to gain employee feedback.

#1. Give everyone a seat at the table

Townhalls can be an ideal opportunity for employees to speak directly with stakeholders. But when your meeting has hundreds, if not thousands, of attendees, how can you make sure everyone has a chance to speak?

Leading metals and industrial products manufacturer Samuel, Son & Co. leverages forms to give everyone a say during their Leadership Huddles. Previously reserved for the enterprise’s 150 senior-most employees, Samuel recently opened the door to these meetings by publishing them on The Torch, their employee experience platform.

Rather than just watching Leadership Huddles, employees can fill in forms on the page to actively participate in the conversation. Users have the chance to submit a huddle call idea, rate their experience with Leadership Huddles, and submit questions directly to stakeholders.

#2. Gather insights to inform future iterations

Whether you just launched your platform or you’re looking to take it to the next level, employee feedback should shape the evolution of your workplace technology. While some team members may be quick to voice their opinion directly to project leads, other employees will need some encouragement to share their insights.

Make it easy for everyone to raise their voice by adding a feedback form to the footer on your employee experience platform. IT Solutions provider SCC keeps it simple by asking employees what they love about their platform and how can they improve it. Since these questions are incorporated into the footer on every page of their solution, employees can always share their thoughts.

#3. Spotlight deserving employees

Employee recognition has always been linked with strong engagement, and it’s even more meaningful in the remote age. 64% of employees believe that recognition is more important while working from home.

When employees can’t give their colleagues a high-five or a handshake for a job well done, what can you do to make sure they still feel recognized? Samuel, Son & Co. launched an Employee Spotlight recognition scheme on The Torch to honor top performers from across the organization. To encourage peer-to-peer recognition, the page includes a nomination form, which employees can fill out to recognize their colleagues that are making a difference.

#4. Encourage everyone to show their support

It’s not just employee-employer relationships that are changing. In the new world of work, your people will want your organization to take a stance on societal and political issues. In fact, 74% of employees now expect their employer to become more actively involved in the cultural debates of the day.

When your organization launches a new initiative or releases a statement, your employees need the chance to respond. VCU Health gave their teams just that by including a feedback form on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) homepage.

Once employees read the organization's statement on diversity, inclusion, and equity, they can show their support by signing and submitting their name. The form also includes space for comments, which gives everyone the chance to contribute to conversation surrounding equity and inclusion.

Are you ready to enhance two-way comms within your organization?

The importance of the employee voice will only intensify in the new world of work. If you’re looking to take two-way communications to the next level by launching an employee experience platform and leveraging forms, get in touch with our digital workplace experts.