{"id":6745,"date":"2019-11-07T12:53:56","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T20:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bwblogdev.wpengine.com\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/"},"modified":"2022-12-22T02:46:55","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T10:46:55","slug":"should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Authentic feedback is the cornerstone of any effective employee engagement strategy. When employees provide genuine responses to an engagement survey, leadership can use it as the basis for targeted, well-informed decision-making. And, one of the most common and effective ways to ensure authenticity in employee feedback is through the use of anonymous employee surveys.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>However, since an organization should have a full understanding of any initiative before implementing it, we wanted to take a closer look at anonymous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/5-open-ended-questions-you-should-be-asking-in-your-employee-engagement-surveys\/\">employee engagement surveys<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/6-reasons-anonymous-employee-feedback-will-improve-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">benefits they bring to an organization<\/a>, and examine any potential drawbacks as well.<\/p>\n<h2>Anonymous vs. Confidential<\/h2>\n<p>Anonymity in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/guide-to-creating-an-employee-engagement-survey\/\">creating surveys<\/a> is a powerful tool that breeds a sense of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/why-some-employees-dislike-or-distrust-engagement-surveys\/\">security and trust<\/a> from a workforce. When management assures employees that their responses are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/6-reasons-anonymous-employee-feedback-will-improve-engagement\/\">anonymous<\/a> \u2013 meaning direct managers, stakeholders, senior leadership, and even HR cannot discover the identity behind survey responses \u2013 workers do not have to worry about retribution or lack of anonymity from the employee survey provider. They can feel free to provide unfettered feedback that is accurate and honest without endangering their position, career, and livelihood.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/2242239\/Hyphen_ConfidentialVAnonymous.png\" alt=\"Anonymous vs. Confidential\" width=\"3350\" height=\"908\"><\/p>\n<p>A genuinely anonymous survey means there\u2019s no way to circumvent or break that anonymity. An organization must clearly communicate that the full scope of the survey is anonymous \u2013 every time they message the workforce regarding the survey. Likewise, while defining anonymity for employees, it\u2019s also crucial to distinguish between an anonymous survey and a confidential one.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, HR and leadership must also keep in mind that the very same anonymity that creates a sense of security for employees can also inhibit meaningful insights from the data. This is an area where external survey providers shine, giving both the employer and employees the best of all worlds. The right survey provider and solution can protect employee identities while still allowing the organization to reveal granular details that would otherwise stay buried.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Also, a confidential survey typically means that an employee\u2019s manager and peers do not know their identity. However, that doesn\u2019t prevent HR or whoever analyzes the results from knowing a person\u2019s identity. Confidentiality is more about protecting someone\u2019s privacy rather than their identity, and the difference between the two is a critical one. With a confidential survey, responses do not become public knowledge, whereas with an anonymous survey, no one in the organization, irrespective of their title, has access to identities.<\/p>\n<h2>The Benefits of Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys<\/h2>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve defined anonymity and distinguished it from confidentiality, let\u2019s take a look at some of the benefits of using anonymous surveys within an employee engagement strategy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/2242239\/Hyphen_AnonymousBenefits.png\" alt=\"Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys\" width=\"3350\" height=\"908\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Confidence<\/strong> \u2013 Anonymity gives employees the confidence to speak up and be honest in their survey responses.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Safety<\/strong> \u2013 As mentioned, anonymous surveys remove the fear of retribution or judgment by superiors.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Trust<\/strong> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/how-to-collect-anonymous-employee-feedback-creating-rules-guidelines\/\">Anonymous feedback<\/a> develops trust within an employee base, not just regarding safety, but that management wants to hear authentic opinions, and values an employee\u2019s voice. Once an organization establishes trust, employee feedback provides a more accurate pulse on a workforce. Employees don\u2019t worry about leadership drilling further down into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/how-to-increase-employee-survey-response-rates-participation\/\">survey response rate<\/a>s to reveal identities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Innovation<\/strong> \u2013 Honesty breeds a more open mindset and sharing of ideas that inspire nonlinear thinking, driving innovative thought within an organization.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Participation rates<\/strong> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sfu.ca\/jmde\/index.php\/jmde_1\/article\/view\/487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Recent research<\/a> indicates that anonymity plays a vital role in survey participation rates, where 75% of people state they are more likely to respond to a survey when guaranteed anonymity. Greater response rates directly correlate with more accurate information, providing leadership with a better gauge on a workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Collectively, these benefits to anonymous surveys provide management with an accurate, timely barometer on a workforce. From there, an organization can use that genuine feedback to inform action plans that will improve employee engagement. Higher engagement then creates a cascading effect that drives better culture, productivity, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/how-people-analytics-can-help-solve-attrition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">retention rates<\/a>, and several other critical metrics.<\/p>\n<h2>The Drawbacks of Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys<\/h2>\n<p>While the benefits of using anonymity in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/13-employee-engagement-survey-questions-backed-by-academic-research\/\">employee engagement surveys<\/a> are undoubtedly appealing, there are a few potential drawbacks as well. In many cases, capable engagement software helps address these drawbacks, but it\u2019s still important for an organization to take them into account while developing an employee engagement strategy.<\/p>\n<h3>Individualized Feedback<\/h3>\n<p>When anonymous feedback generates a highly individualized response, perhaps an employee complaining about harassment from their supervisor, the anonymity meant to protect the worker from retribution can also impede decisive action. In that case, an anonymous survey would usually prevent HR from following up since it wouldn\u2019t know the person\u2019s identity. However, using Betterworks Engage&#8217;s solution as an example, choosing the right engagement software alleviates that issue, allowing HR to <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anonymously message that worker for additional feedback without ever learning their identity.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Anonymously message that worker for additional feedback without ever learning their identity.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>Broad Responses<\/h3>\n<p>This drawback is most common in bigger organizations with large workforces spread out across several teams, departments, offices, and locations. Since anonymity limits specificity in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/what-to-do-with-employee-survey-results-a-7-step-process-for-hr\/\">survey results<\/a>, where individual responses are scrubbed of any identifying factors, it can be difficult for HR and management to isolate pain points and issues driving a negative response. Also, once the surveys are fully anonymized, the organization loses the ability to categorize data by specific, highly targeted employee segments like department, location, seniority, and others.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/2242239\/Hyphen_AnonymousFeedback.png\" alt=\"Broad Responses\" width=\"3350\" height=\"910\"><\/p>\n<p>In essence, the organization is accepting a trade-off when using anonymous surveys, sacrificing responses specific to an individual employee\u2019s experience for a greater level of accuracy and honesty. Still, if using the right engagement solution, organizations don\u2019t have to completely sacrifice one for the other. The right software can still categorize the survey data into smaller segments \u2013 demographics, teams, tenure, salary, and others \u2013 thus, making it easier for HR and leadership to spot trends within those segments.<\/p>\n<p>If there are too few data points to provide that level of detail while still preserving anonymity, the solution can use minimum response thresholds to simply stop segmenting the responses. In those instances, the organization still benefits from accurate, authentic survey data but loses the ability to view it from more granular perspectives.<\/p>\n<h3>Unproductive Feedback<\/h3>\n<p>Some employees mistakenly assume anonymity is an invitation to go on rants that are neither productive nor relevant to the survey questions. To minimize this dynamic, HR needs to stress that, although anonymous, there are still boundaries and guidelines to observe when taking a survey. While this is an area we\u2019ve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/how-to-collect-anonymous-employee-feedback-creating-rules-guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">discussed in the past<\/a>, employees must understand that anonymity is not carte blanche to needlessly vent or behave in an inappropriate or unprofessional manner.<\/p>\n<h2>When Anonymous Surveys Aren\u2019t a Good Fit<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s fair to say that the benefits of using anonymous surveys generally outweigh their drawbacks, especially when coupled with an engagement solution that can minimize the impact of those drawbacks. However, there are certain areas where anonymous surveys typically aren\u2019t the best choice.<\/p>\n<h3>Onboarding<\/h3>\n<p>Onboarding is a personalized process, most effective when it plays to an individual\u2019s strengths. While anonymous surveys can provide a more thorough macro perspective of an organization\u2019s onboarding strategy, it\u2019s often beneficial to survey personal experiences instead. This helps an employer better understand if a new hire has the tools he or she needs, and feels well-equipped during their ramp-up.<\/p>\n<h3>Exit\/Alumni Surveys<\/h3>\n<p>The same premise is true for exit and alumni surveys, where anonymity can actually hinder an organization\u2019s ability to improve the employee experience. In exit surveys, for instance, it\u2019s important to understand the reasons prompting the move, preferably in a one-on-one interaction with HR or, at the very least, a more personal environment. Also, for both exiting employees and alumni, anonymity is usually less important since the worker is either leaving or already left the employer.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, it\u2019s incumbent upon the organization to determine if anonymous surveys are in their best interest. For the vast majority of employers, anonymity provides levels of authenticity and accuracy that are otherwise difficult, if even possible, to achieve. Above all else, accurate data is essential for unlocking the full potential of any employee engagement strategy.<\/p>\n<hr>\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606799528704\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the purpose of employee engagement surveys?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Employee engagement surveys can provide feedback that may be analyzed to help create better employee engagement. This means that they ultimately measure an employee&#8217;s connection to the company.<br\/><br\/>Employee engagement is typically the reason that an employee will stay with the same company rather than accept other offers. In fact, employee engagement and retention are directly linked.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606799533168\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Why are anonymous surveys better for employees?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When a survey is anonymous, an employee feels more open as if he or she can provide a completely honest answer to a question. Instead of worrying about repercussions, they can focus on expressing their true feelings.<br\/><br\/>Employee surveys can be used for a number of things, but ultimately, they are meant to make the working environment better for employees. Allowing employees to provide anonymous answers can be a quicker path to that outcome.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606799533979\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Why are anonymous surveys better for employers?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Employee surveys are utilized by companies so that they may analyze the results with particular metrics in mind. When employees provide anonymous answers, they are typically more honest.<br\/><br\/>A survey filled with answers that an employee hopes their team leader wants to hear isn&#8217;t very helpful to the management team. The cover of anonymity allows them to provide a clearer picture, which can be important when implementing new strategies and creating new processes.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Authentic feedback is the cornerstone of any effective employee engagement strategy. When employees provide genuine responses to an engagement survey, leadership can use it as the basis for targeted, well-informed decision-making. And, one of the most common and effective ways to ensure authenticity in employee feedback is through the use of anonymous employee surveys.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":77868,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[236,237],"tags":[],"featured_location":[],"industry":[],"class_list":["post-6745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employee-engagement","category-employee-experience"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.1 (Yoast SEO v23.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Betterworks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BetterWorks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1320\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1320\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Betterworks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Betterworks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Betterworks\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Betterworks\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/832a837b6587250dcb55ebd67fb92947\"},\"headline\":\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\"},\"wordCount\":1582,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Employee Engagement &amp; Retention\",\"Employee Experience\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\",\"name\":\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg\",\"width\":1320,\"height\":1320,\"caption\":\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/\",\"name\":\"Betterworks\",\"description\":\"HR software to align and develop your workforce\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Betterworks\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/BW_Logo_Black.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/BW_Logo_Black.svg\",\"width\":\"1024\",\"height\":\"1024\",\"caption\":\"Betterworks\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BetterWorks\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Betterworks\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterworks\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterworks\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BetterworksHQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/832a837b6587250dcb55ebd67fb92947\",\"name\":\"Betterworks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4b7e3677d51780551c4d956cdc31b08b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4b7e3677d51780551c4d956cdc31b08b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Betterworks\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/author\/kris\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704\",\"name\":\"What is the purpose of employee engagement surveys?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Employee engagement surveys can provide feedback that may be analyzed to help create better employee engagement. This means that they ultimately measure an employee's connection to the company.<br\/><br\/>Employee engagement is typically the reason that an employee will stay with the same company rather than accept other offers. In fact, employee engagement and retention are directly linked.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168\",\"name\":\"Why are anonymous surveys better for employees?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"When a survey is anonymous, an employee feels more open as if he or she can provide a completely honest answer to a question. Instead of worrying about repercussions, they can focus on expressing their true feelings.<br\/><br\/>Employee surveys can be used for a number of things, but ultimately, they are meant to make the working environment better for employees. Allowing employees to provide anonymous answers can be a quicker path to that outcome.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979\",\"name\":\"Why are anonymous surveys better for employers?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Employee surveys are utilized by companies so that they may analyze the results with particular metrics in mind. When employees provide anonymous answers, they are typically more honest.<br\/><br\/>A survey filled with answers that an employee hopes their team leader wants to hear isn't very helpful to the management team. The cover of anonymity allows them to provide a clearer picture, which can be important when implementing new strategies and creating new processes.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?","description":"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?","og_description":"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/","og_site_name":"Betterworks","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BetterWorks\/","article_published_time":"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1320,"height":1320,"url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Betterworks","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?","twitter_description":"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.","twitter_creator":"@Betterworks","twitter_site":"@Betterworks","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/"},"author":{"name":"Betterworks","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/832a837b6587250dcb55ebd67fb92947"},"headline":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?","datePublished":"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/"},"wordCount":1582,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg","articleSection":["Employee Engagement &amp; Retention","Employee Experience"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/","url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/","name":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg","datePublished":"2019-11-07T20:53:56+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-22T10:46:55+00:00","description":"Take a closer look at anonymous employee engagement surveys, the benefits they bring , and examine any potential drawbacks as well.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Should-You-Use-Anonymous-Employee-Engagement-Surveys.jpg","width":1320,"height":1320,"caption":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Should You Use Anonymous Employee Engagement Surveys?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/","name":"Betterworks","description":"HR software to align and develop your workforce","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#organization","name":"Betterworks","url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/BW_Logo_Black.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/BW_Logo_Black.svg","width":"1024","height":"1024","caption":"Betterworks"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BetterWorks\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Betterworks","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterworks\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterworks\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BetterworksHQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/832a837b6587250dcb55ebd67fb92947","name":"Betterworks","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4b7e3677d51780551c4d956cdc31b08b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4b7e3677d51780551c4d956cdc31b08b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Betterworks"},"url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/author\/kris\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799528704","name":"What is the purpose of employee engagement surveys?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Employee engagement surveys can provide feedback that may be analyzed to help create better employee engagement. This means that they ultimately measure an employee's connection to the company.<br\/><br\/>Employee engagement is typically the reason that an employee will stay with the same company rather than accept other offers. In fact, employee engagement and retention are directly linked.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533168","name":"Why are anonymous surveys better for employees?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"When a survey is anonymous, an employee feels more open as if he or she can provide a completely honest answer to a question. Instead of worrying about repercussions, they can focus on expressing their true feelings.<br\/><br\/>Employee surveys can be used for a number of things, but ultimately, they are meant to make the working environment better for employees. Allowing employees to provide anonymous answers can be a quicker path to that outcome.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/magazine\/should-you-use-anonymous-employee-engagement-surveys\/#faq-question-1606799533979","name":"Why are anonymous surveys better for employers?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Employee surveys are utilized by companies so that they may analyze the results with particular metrics in mind. When employees provide anonymous answers, they are typically more honest.<br\/><br\/>A survey filled with answers that an employee hopes their team leader wants to hear isn't very helpful to the management team. The cover of anonymity allows them to provide a clearer picture, which can be important when implementing new strategies and creating new processes.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6745\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6745"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=6745"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betterworks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=6745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}