Knowing Your End Game When Using Wellness Surveys

Surveys are everywhere, from your doctor’s office to your favorite retail store. The stream of questions seems endless, yet the people who take the time to respond rarely see visible results. When you complete a short survey at a store to commend a helpful employee and enter to win a prize, the exchange feels fair enough: a few minutes for a small chance at recognition or reward. But when workplace surveys ask for more of our time and candor, the stakes and expectations become much higher.

The first time an organizational wellness survey lands in an inbox, employees often feel a sense of relief: “Finally, they care what I think.” But that optimism fades and can turn to distrust when results are never shared and concerns go unaddressed. As the 2024 Harvard Business Review article “Why Workplace Well-Being Programs Don’t Achieve Better Outcomes” notes, superficial wellness efforts that ignore underlying systemic issues, sometimes called “care washing,” can actually worsen disengagement and mental health (HBR. https://tinyurl.com/4eksnhm2). Without meaningful follow-through, even well-intentioned surveys risk doing more harm than good.

Outcomes researchers know that patients are more likely to complete a patient-reported outcome measure if they believe their responses will improve their care. Similarly, employees want to feel that their time is valued by their organization. If employees are going to complete a wellness survey, they want confidence that their feedback will drive improvement and that honesty will not lead to retaliation.

In her book Radical Candor, Kim Scott emphasizes the importance of leaders demonstrating a genuine willingness to publicly hear and act on candid feedback. This openness creates a culture where individuals feel safe giving and receiving honest input. In contrast, administering surveys and then failing to share the results, good or bad, undermines trust. It sends the message that leadership may have something to hide, or worse, that they don’t value employees’ time, ideas, or commitment to improvement. Too often, the act of conducting the survey becomes the goal, rather than using the findings to drive meaningful organizational change. Declining response rates on wellness surveys should raise concern. Low participation often signals that faculty no longer see the value in responding, either because past surveys led to no visible improvement or because they fear retaliation, even when anonymity is promised. When people stop completing surveys, it speaks volumes about the institution, suggesting that employees no longer believe their voices lead to action.

A few years ago, my affiliated medical school conducted a faculty survey, and not all the results were positive. That did not stop the dean from presenting the findings at an all-hands meeting within a few months. This act of transparency built trust and eased frustration. Sharing the data reassured faculty that they were not alone in their concerns and provided a foundation for organizational improvement.

At a 2023 Society of University Otolaryngologists (SUO) panel on faculty retreats, one key takeaway was clear: You only get one chance to get it right. The same principle applies to wellness surveys. Leaders must respect employees’ time, use their input meaningfully, and show a genuine commitment to systemic change. A survey should not be the end game but the beginning. Results should be shared transparently, with targeted task forces addressing key concerns and tracking progress toward improvement. Otherwise, we must ask: What is the true return on investment for these surveys? 

– Robin