17 Employee Survey Communication Templates

Well-written employee survey communication templates can improve employee participation rates and we’re here to help with 17 templates you can use at your organization (find below). They anticipate and address common concerns. 

“Advise employees from the outset that survey responses will be reported in aggregates only and kept absolutely confidential to ensure that everyone feels comfortable providing honest answers to the questions. Some employees may question the confidentiality of online surveys, given the ability to track IP addresses, e-mail addresses and other information. Having a third-party vendor conduct the survey usually helps assuage employees’ fears of being identified on surveys.” – Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Skepticism around employee survey confidentiality, for instance, will never disappear. There’s always going to be skeptics. But expertly worded assurances can convince some of the most disbelieving people that their opinions are as safe as gold bullion at Fort Knox. Especially when a third-party survey vendor is involved. And because these survey communication templates have been used by numerous organizations year after year, they’re a verifiably effective tool.

The bonus is that your internal human resource staff can focus their time and effort on other important tasks. There’s no need to have someone plan what needs to be written. Or to craft messages when you can use and tailor templates like those from WorkTango. Simply and easily. 

Key Survey Communication Messages

Thoughtful pre-survey communication: 

• Clarifies the purpose (WHY) 
• Emphasizes the value of everyone’s opinion (WHO) 
• Secures buy-in across ALL levels,  
• Assures the survey is a safe platform for everyone to express themselves with candor 
• Generates higher participation rates – which means more data for better analysis 

Timing Your Employee Survey Communication

The ideal time to start talking loudly about a major full-population survey is six weeks in advance. Three weeks before deploying your annual or biennial Employee Engagement Survey or a baseline Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion survey, for example, internal communication should be in full force. Pulse surveys require far less of a communication push. But clarity of purpose, the value of every opinion, and confidentiality assurances are just as important. 

Templates for the Entire Employee Life-Cycle

What do your employees think from their first onboarding experience to their last day on the job?  

Every bit of information you collect goes a long way towards creating a culture where people are engaged and your organization excels.   

It’s important, however, that your response rates mirror your workforce across departments and geographies, occupations and demographics. Otherwise, your results may be skewed. And skewed results aren’t going to give you the kind of reliable insights needed to make credible decisions. 

Effective employee survey communication templates play a huge role in helping to collect that feedback. Persuasive reasons for participating elevate response rates. Messages relayed with conviction and transparency kick it up a notch. And reminder notices lift response rates even higher. 

Keep in mind the timing of this correspondence is as important as the content. 

17 Survey Communication Templates to Boost Employee Response Rates 

Here are some free pre-survey communication templates, compliments of WorkTango.

Leaders, 

As you’re all aware, in our ongoing efforts to improve the employee experience at <COMPANY NAME>, we’re rolling out a <DESCRIPTION – i.e., short quarterly pulse survey> to ensure the voice of our people is being consulted and heard. 

So that we can collect authentic feedback, we have partnered with a third-party; WorkTango will ensure that all responses remain anonymous. No one in the organization will have access to information revealing sentiment sources. Confidentiality is a major consideration for us on this initiative, and echoing this message to the members of your team will help us build trust with our people. 

On <DATE>, all employees will receive an email with instructions inviting their feedback. We’re hoping for full participation, and ask for your support by encouraging everyone on your teams to provide their insights. 

Thank you very much in advance for your part in making this initiative a success.  

Pre-Survey Leadership Notice – Sample 2

Leaders,  

In an effort to improve the employee experience at <COMPANY> we’re kicking off a survey initiative on <DATE> to help us better hear the voice of our employees. 

As part of this process, we want to empower you with insights from your team by giving you access to this data through a new WorkTango platform. You will be receiving an invitation in the near future to participate in a training webinar around the tool (and how to use it for your optimal advantage). 

Key points to keep in mind and communicate to others: 

• To collect genuine, candid feedback we have partnered with WorkTango, a specialized third-party employee survey company that will ensure all responses remain confidential and anonymous. 
• Although survey participation is voluntary, we hope everyone takes the opportunity to share their opinions. 
• Each survey link is unique – please do not share your link with other colleagues.  
• The minimum number of responses required for anyone in our organization to see aggregated segment level data (e.g., department, location, etc.) is <number>. 

We’re excited about next steps and are here to support you throughout this process. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. 

Pre-Survey Leadership Notice – Sample 3

Leaders,  

As you know, we’re kicking off a survey initiative on <DATE> to help us hear the voice of our employees and use data to improve the employee experience. 

One of the primary goals of this initiative is to give you visibility into your team’s data, so that these empowering insights around what’s going well and where improvements would be beneficial, can guide your leadership actions. 

The People Team at <COMPANY NAME> are here to support you every step of the way, especially when it comes to understanding the data and navigating challenges, so feel free to reach out.  

Key points to keep in mind and communicate to others: 

• To collect genuine, honest feedback we have partnered with WorkTango, a specialized third-party employee survey company that will ensure all responses remain confidential and anonymous. 
• The minimum number of responses required for anyone in our organization to see aggregated segment level data (e.g., department, location, etc.) is <number>.  
• Although survey participation is voluntary, we hope everyone takes the opportunity to share their opinions. 
• Each survey link is unique – please do not share your link with other colleagues. 

Keep a look out for a calendar invite scheduling training for the WorkTango tool we will be using for this initiative. 

Pre-Survey Notice to All Employees 

Team, 

In an effort to continuously improve our employee experiences at <COMPANY NAME>, a <DESCRIPTION – i.e., short quarterly pulse survey> is being introduced to ensure everyone’s voice is consulted and heard. 

Your candor is key. So is anonymity. To that end, we have partnered with WorkTango, a specialized third-party employee survey company that will ensure all responses remain confidential. That means no executives, no leaders, no one in the organization, period, will have the ability to see individual responses. 

On <DATE> you will receive an email, with more instructions, inviting you to share your feedback. Please take this opportunity to participate. 

Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to help make <COMPANY> an ever-better place to work! 

Pre-Launch Reminders – For Employees 

Team,  

As you know, our <DESCRIPTION – i.e., short quarterly pulse survey> is taking place on <DATE>. Please look out for an email from [email protected] with a link to the survey. Your link is unique, so please do not forward it to others. This enables WorkTango to track response rates and aggregate data (by location, department, etc.). 

The goal is for the entire organization to participate so that insights about the employee experience here at <COMPANY NAME> are heard, and drive meaningful improvements. 

Please contact <PROJECT CONTACT> with any questions or concerns. 

Messaging to Reinforce Confidentiality and Position WorkTango [3rd-Party Survey Vendor]

Description: WorkTango helps companies hear the voice of their employees, which is integral in today’s rapidly changing workplace. The WorkTango platform creates a space for employees to anonymously offer their feedback and helps companies get real-time insight to quickly act on feedback, make better decisions, and build a more aligned and engaged workforce. 

Communication copy: We have selected WorkTango as a third-party vendor to ensure that everybody’s responses and comments remain confidential. That means no executives, no leaders, no one in the organization, period, will have the ability to see individual responses. Anonymity is a major consideration for this initiative as intentions are to use this honest feedback for better-decision making to improve everyone’s work experience.  

Please see WorkTango’s employee promise for more information. 

Survey Invite Email Examples

The stage is set. It’s time to launch.

Suggested invitation components include: 

• Context – why this initiative matters 
• Confidentiality and anonymity details 
• Expiry date – when the survey needs to be completed by 
• Approximate time survey takes to complete