5 ways to create more performance with an employee survey

I recently attended the Teamgage online event "Less Survey More Performance" with Teamgage CEO and co-founder Noelle Smit, and Head of Client Strategy Matt Dodson.

The whole session felt grounded in the reality of modern workplaces; how HR teams are under so much pressure right now, the pace of change and the growing need for organisations to respond faster and perform better.

If you have 30 minutes, you can watch the full event below. Otherwise, scroll down for my five key takeaways on how to create more performance with an employee survey, quickly and simply.

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1. Create performance by making feedback easier to give

One of the strongest points Matt made early in the session was that employees are not tired of being listened to; they are tired of exhausting survey processes that ask too much all at once.

Or in his words "overengineered science projects."

For example, introducing a survey gets delayed because teams are busy, leaders are stretched and it feels like a major piece of work. Then when the survey finally happens, every possible topic gets bundled into the process so the organisation can “make the most of it”. The challenge is that asking 60 or more questions in one sitting creates fatigue for everyone involved. Employees lose focus, leaders are left with huge reports and momentum slows down.

The session challenged that mindset completely. Asking seven focused questions once a month is much easier for everyone and actually creates more data points that are timely and relevant.

Matt also referenced research showing that participation increases when questions feel directly relevant to the work people are doing every day. That feels important because employees are much more likely to engage thoughtfully when the process feels practical and useful rather than administrative.

So in short: Ask less. Ask better. Ask more often.

That simple idea probably summarised the entire webinar!

2. Create performance through continuous listening

Another major takeaway was the benefit this continuous listening model can have for organisations.

Noelle spoke about how quickly workplaces are changing right now. Priorities shift constantly, teams evolve rapidly and (for many) AI is already reshaping workflows and expectations. In that environment, relying on one large annual survey creates a huge delay between when issues emerge and when leaders become aware of them.

Instead, the discussion focused heavily on continuous listening through smaller and more regular feedback cycles.

Noelle shared examples of established ASX-listed Teamgage customers using pulse surveys monthly with their 1,500 staff around the world, while smaller innovation-focused organisations were collecting feedback fortnightly because of the pace they operate at. The key point was that listening should match the rhythm of the workplace itself.

That rhythm is really important because high-performing teams are constantly adjusting and improving. They're identifying problems earlier, discussing them openly and making smaller course corrections before issues grow into larger problems.

3. Create performance by reducing cognitive overload

One of the more interesting parts of the webinar centred around cognitive load and how badly designed surveys can unintentionally lower the quality of employee feedback.

Noelle referenced research from Imperial College London showing that when surveys become mentally demanding, people disengage from the process. Long questions, complicated wording and excessive volume all contribute to cognitive overload; once that happens, employees stop giving thoughtful responses.

Matt also shared a really relatable example about his wife completing a long workplace survey late at night after a difficult day. She began answering carefully, but halfway through became tired and started clicking through just to finish it. Everyone listening probably recognised themselves in that story somewhere.

It highlighted a really important point that organisations often invest huge amounts of energy into survey programs, while overlooking how unreliable the responses can become when employees are overwhelmed by the process itself.

The Teamgage approach focused heavily on simplicity and really human-centred design. For example, questions that sound natural and use an organisation's tone of voice and specific values and terminology. That way it feels more like something a leader would genuinely ask in a conversation, not a piece of academic, cookie-cutter language employees need to mentally unpack before responding.

That human element matters more than many organisations probably realise because simple communication builds trust, engagement and more honest participation.

4. Create performance by helping leaders act faster

This was probably the most practical takeaway from the session for me.

Noelle spoke openly about how much responsibility traditional survey models place onto HR teams. HR is often expected to run the survey process, analyse the findings, communicate the results, support leaders, and somehow solve organisational challenges across the entire business...usually while being under-resourced themselves.

The Teamgage approach contrasts with that, by focusing more on decentralising these actions (over time) by putting more of the team's survey insights directly into the hands of team leaders.

That distinction is super important because most leaders genuinely want to improve team performance and support their people, but many are unsure of the reality of the situation and where to focus their attention. Huge reports and broad recommendations often create paralysis rather than action.

Sometimes teams simply need earlier visibility, quicker conversations and the confidence to address smaller issues before they escalate.

That felt like one of the strongest arguments for continuous listening because it helps leaders respond to live issues rather than historical data.

5. Create performance by making speaking up feel safe

The final theme that came through strongly throughout the webinar was psychological safety and its connection to team performance.

Noelle referenced research from Harvard’s Amy Edmondson around teams that speak up regularly, reflect together and adapt quickly. Those teams tend to perform better over time because they identify issues earlier, address them faster and continuously improve rather than allowing problems to sit unresolved in the background.

What stood out to me was the idea that trust can actually build through the survey process itself, because it's a constant theme in my interactions with Teamgage customers. For example, when employees are regularly asked for input, see leaders responding constructively and notice genuine action being taken, they become more comfortable sharing concerns, ideas and frustrations because they can see their voice is welcomed and valued.

Noelle highlighted that many organisations looking to measure and strengthen psychological safety, can actually improve it (and show evidence of it) simply through this process of listening regularly and responding visibly!

It was also noted by Matt that modern workplaces have fewer natural opportunities for informal conversations than they once did. Years ago, leaders often picked up important signals about how people were doing through casual chats, coffee breaks or Friday afternoon catch-ups. Hybrid work, digital communication and busier schedules mean many of those moments happen less often now; which makes structured opportunities for safe, regular feedback even more important.

Final thought

What I took away most from the Teamgage session was that employee listening should actively help organisations improve performance, not simply measure sentiment.

That requires shorter feedback cycles, simpler custom questions, faster action and stronger connections between employee voice and leadership response.

Less survey doesn't mean less listening. It means listening in a way that is more practical, more human and far more connected to how modern teams actually work.

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