Your Employees Aren’t Disengaged. They’re Fed Up
SurveyMonkey’s CEO on how listening can be the key to reinvigorating employees.
In a landscape of "quiet quitting" and "resenteeism," engagement is at a decade low. But disengagement isn’t just a problem—it’s a signal. As CEO of SurveyMonkey, I’ve found that the antidote to a checked-out workforce is radical curiosity.
If you want to move from performative productivity to genuine engagement, you have to change how you listen. Here is how to turn feedback into a competitive strategy.
In a landscape of "quiet quitting" and "resenteeism," engagement is at a decade low. But disengagement isn’t just a problem—it’s a signal. As CEO of SurveyMonkey, I’ve found that the antidote to a checked-out workforce is radical curiosity.
If you want to move from performative productivity to genuine engagement, you have to change how you listen. Here is how to turn feedback into a competitive strategy.
1. Ask Better Questions to Find Truer Truths
The quality of your data depends on the quality of your inquiry. Small shifts in phrasing can unlock the honesty you’ve been missing.
Separate Feelings from Solutions: Don’t bundle emotions with logistics. Ask, "How do you feel about our communication?" Then, separately ask, "What would make it better?" This gives you a clear emotional pulse and a practical roadmap simultaneously.
Kill the "Double-Barreled" Question: Avoid asking about two things at once (e.g., "Are you happy with your pay and benefits?"). Split them up to ensure your data isn't blurred.
Embrace the "Harsh Truth": Innovation lives in discomfort. If you aren't prepared to hear criticism, you aren't ready to lead. When you show a genuine appetite for the "ugly" truth, employees feel safe enough to re-engage.
Be Transparent About Anonymity: Be clear about when feedback is private and when it’s attributed. Trust is built on clear ground rules.
The quality of your data depends on the quality of your inquiry. Small shifts in phrasing can unlock the honesty you’ve been missing.
Separate Feelings from Solutions: Don’t bundle emotions with logistics. Ask, "How do you feel about our communication?" Then, separately ask, "What would make it better?" This gives you a clear emotional pulse and a practical roadmap simultaneously.
Kill the "Double-Barreled" Question: Avoid asking about two things at once (e.g., "Are you happy with your pay and benefits?"). Split them up to ensure your data isn't blurred.
Embrace the "Harsh Truth": Innovation lives in discomfort. If you aren't prepared to hear criticism, you aren't ready to lead. When you show a genuine appetite for the "ugly" truth, employees feel safe enough to re-engage.
Be Transparent About Anonymity: Be clear about when feedback is private and when it’s attributed. Trust is built on clear ground rules.
2. Normalize "Micro-Listening."
Annual reviews and 50-question surveys often feel like clinical box-ticking. When feedback feels like it’s disappearing into a dashboard, people stop giving it. To combat this, make listening lighter and faster:
The 60-Second Pulse: Use short, hyper-focused surveys that respect an employee's time.
The Meeting Closer: End every team session with: "What is standing in your way today?"
The Human Follow-Up: If a comment needs clarity, pick up the phone or walk over. Avoid the coldness of a Slack thread.
Prove You Listened: Regularly share one specific change you made based on recent feedback. Follow-through is the only way to build lasting trust.
Annual reviews and 50-question surveys often feel like clinical box-ticking. When feedback feels like it’s disappearing into a dashboard, people stop giving it. To combat this, make listening lighter and faster:
The 60-Second Pulse: Use short, hyper-focused surveys that respect an employee's time.
The Meeting Closer: End every team session with: "What is standing in your way today?"
The Human Follow-Up: If a comment needs clarity, pick up the phone or walk over. Avoid the coldness of a Slack thread.
Prove You Listened: Regularly share one specific change you made based on recent feedback. Follow-through is the only way to build lasting trust.
3. Treat Every Comment as a Catalyst
Even a single, "minor" remark can shift a company's culture. In a recent benefits survey at SurveyMonkey, one employee asked: "What about the janitorial staff?"
That one question prompted our Chief People Officer to overhaul benefits for all contract partners, including health insurance and PTO. The result? A massive surge in pride and productivity across the entire company. We didn't just help our vendors; we proved to our full-time staff that we actually care.
Even a single, "minor" remark can shift a company's culture. In a recent benefits survey at SurveyMonkey, one employee asked: "What about the janitorial staff?"
That one question prompted our Chief People Officer to overhaul benefits for all contract partners, including health insurance and PTO. The result? A massive surge in pride and productivity across the entire company. We didn't just help our vendors; we proved to our full-time staff that we actually care.
The Path Forward: Better is Better
You can’t reverse a year of disengagement in a single afternoon, but progress compounds. If you get a vague "Everything is fine" response, push deeper: "If this project is a 9/10, what would make it a 10?"
Resenteeism is a signal that your strategy needs to evolve. Start small, stay curious, and remember: Better is better.
What question will you ask your team today?
You can’t reverse a year of disengagement in a single afternoon, but progress compounds. If you get a vague "Everything is fine" response, push deeper: "If this project is a 9/10, what would make it a 10?"
Resenteeism is a signal that your strategy needs to evolve. Start small, stay curious, and remember: Better is better.
What question will you ask your team today?