Employee Pulse Checks
Employee pulse checks are an increasingly popular tool used by organisations to gauge employee satisfaction, engagement, and overall wellbeing.
Particularly effective in environments with large numbers of employees, such as call centres, these pulse checks provide managers with real-time insights into their workforce.
This article aims to define employee pulse checks, explain their importance, and offer strategies for implementation, supported by industry data.
What are Employee Pulse Checks?
Employee pulse checks are short, frequent surveys that measure employees’ sentiments, engagement levels, and overall workplace experience.
Unlike traditional annual surveys, pulse checks are designed to be quick and focused, typically containing just a few questions.
These surveys can be conducted weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, providing a continuous stream of feedback.
Benefits of Employee Pulse Checks
Recent studies highlight the effectiveness of conducting employee pulse checks (and acting on the feedback).
According to a Gallup report, companies with high employee engagement report 23% higher profitability, 81% improved attendance, 18% productivity in sales and a 10% improvement in customer engagement/loyalty, amongst other benefits.
Some of the benefits of using Employee Pulse Checks in your business include:
- Real-Time Feedback: Pulse checks provide timely insights into employee morale and satisfaction, allowing managers to address issues promptly.
- Increased Engagement: Regular check-ins demonstrate that management values employee input, fostering a culture of openness and engagement.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Data from pulse checks can inform strategic decisions related to HR policies, employee development, and organisational changes.
- Early Issue Detection: Frequent surveys can identify potential problems before they escalate, such as burnout, dissatisfaction, or disengagement.
- Improved Communication: Pulse checks encourage ongoing dialogue between employees and management, strengthening relationships and trust.
Implementing Employee Pulse Checks
If we’ve managed to convince you that starting Employee Pulse Checks in your business is a good idea, here’s some tips on how to get started.
- Define Clear Objectives: Determine what you aim to achieve with pulse checks, such as improving engagement, identifying training needs, or monitoring wellbeing.
- Keep It Simple: Design short and focused surveys with clear, concise questions. Aim for 5-10 questions per survey to ensure high response rates.
- Use Technology: Leverage survey tools and platforms that facilitate easy distribution and analysis of pulse checks. Tools like SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, and TINYpulse are popular choices and you can find a list of Suppliers of Employee Pulse Check tools on the ACXPA Supplier Directory >
- Ensure Anonymity: Guarantee anonymity to encourage honest and open feedback from employees.
- Act on Feedback: Demonstrate that employee input is valued by acting on the feedback received. Share results with the team and outline steps being taken to address any issues.
Whilst Employee Pulse Checks are different from Employee Engagement surveys, a recent 2024 Contact Centre Best Practice report in Australia provided some insights into how often employee engagement is measured.
| How often is Employee Engagement Measured | Frequency |
| Weekly | 4% |
| Fortnightly | 2% |
| Monthly | 9% |
| Bi-Monthly | 2% |
| Quarterly | 20% |
| Bi-annually | 27% |
| Annually | 34% |
| More than every 12 months | 2% |
Sample Employee Pulse Check Questions
There aren’t any hard and fast rules on what questions you should ask, as they typically depend entirely on your goals.
But it wouldn’t be like us not to help you, right?
A quick search on the internet will provide lots of ideas, so we’ve collated 25 example questions you could use that can be scaled (i.e. 1 to 10) or statements that can be yes/no responses.
- On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with your current role?
- Do you feel your work is valued by the team and management?
- How would you rate your current workload?
- Do you have the necessary resources and support to perform your job effectively?
- How likely are you to recommend our company as a great place to work?
- How happy are you at work on a scale of 1 to 10?
- I know what doing a good job looks like
- Are the expectations of your role clear to you?
- I have access to all the tools I need to succeed
- Do the systems you use make it easy for you to complete your work?
- I receive meaningful recognition for doing a good job
- Do you feel like there is genuine care and concern for employees?
- I feel comfortable sharing my opinions to management
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your work-life balance?
- My personal values are aligned to the company’s vision and mission
- Do you feel internal departments work well together?
- Do you feel that innovation is encouraged and rewarded in the workplace?
- How likely are you to recommend <insert your company> products and services to a friend?
- How likely are you to recommend <insert your company> as a place to work to your family or friends?
- Do you feel proud of the products and services our company offers?
- I am given opportunities to develop my skills
- Do you feel you have the skills and training you need to be successful in your job?
- Do you feel like your manager is approachable?
- Do you feel like you receive regular feedback on your performance?
- I can see clear career progression in my role
Best Practice Tips for Optimising Employee Pulse Checks
Like everything in business, there is often no hard and fast rule for success.
However, the following tips can help you optimise your employee pulse check and garner powerful insights from your employees.
- Frequency: Determine the optimal frequency for your organisation. Too frequent surveys can lead to fatigue, while infrequent surveys may miss capturing real-time sentiments.
- Timing: Choose appropriate times for conducting surveys, avoiding peak work periods.
- Communication: Clearly communicate the purpose and importance of pulse checks to employees.
- Follow-Up: Regularly review and act upon survey results, and communicate any changes or actions taken in response to the feedback.
Conclusion
Employee pulse checks are a powerful tool for maintaining a healthy and engaged workforce.
By providing real-time insights and fostering open communication, pulse checks help managers identify and address issues proactively.
Implementing effective pulse checks can lead to improved employee satisfaction, higher productivity, and reduced turnover.
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ACXPA connects contact centres, customer experience, digital experience, customer service and employee experience professionals in Australia to create better customer, business, career and industry outcomes.
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