What To Do When Your Employee Engagement Surveys Show Poor Results

When employee engagement surveys come back with poor results, it can hit hard. As a leader or manager, investing in these surveys means you're trying to listen and improve. So when the feedback isn’t great, it may feel like you’ve missed something big. But rather than seeing it as a setback, it's better to treat it as a wake-up call. These results give you the chance to rebuild trust and make changes that actually matter to the people on your team.

Low engagement scores often mean there's something deeper going on—things like communication breakdowns, unclear goals, lack of recognition, or burnout. If you ignore these warning signs, they don’t get better on their own. But with attention, care, and steady follow-through, teams can recover and even grow stronger. It all starts with understanding what the results are really saying and what actions come next.

Understanding The Results

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after reading negative survey feedback, especially if the scores dropped more than expected. But before jumping into action, it helps to take a step back and figure out what the numbers and comments are pointing to. Sorting feedback into broad themes can help turn messy input into something useful.

Look for patterns in questions related to:

- Communication: Do people feel informed and heard?

- Workload: Are responsibilities realistic and fair?

- Management: Is leadership helping or getting in the way?

- Recognition: Do team members feel valued?

- Growth: Are there paths for learning and moving forward?

Often, the problems aren’t about the tasks themselves but how people feel about doing them. For example, one manager noticed low scores in recognition. After asking around, she discovered her team didn’t feel like anyone saw their extra effort, even though they were hitting big goals. Once that became clear, it gave her a solid place to start shifting the energy.

It’s also helpful to think about timing. Was there a recent reorg? A hard deadline? A new policy? A huge shift can affect how people feel about their jobs, especially if it changed how they worked day to day. Context matters when breaking down survey results, and figuring out what changed recently can shine a light on why things have dropped.

Immediate Steps To Take

After sorting through the results and getting a sense of the deeper problems, the next move is handling things quickly but thoughtfully. If people took the time to answer honestly, they’ll be watching to see what happens next. Silence or delay can signal that leadership isn’t listening, which can make things worse.

Start with these key steps:

1. Acknowledge the results. Don’t sugarcoat it. Share a brief overview of the low points, and be clear that you understand there’s room for improvement.

2. Show appreciation. Thank your team for their honesty, even if the results were hard to hear. That openness is a step in the right direction.

3. Clarify the plan. Let everyone know that leadership is reviewing feedback and will be following up with specific actions and support.

4. Set a timeline. People want to know when things will change. Providing a window, even if small, can help rebuild trust.

5. Create listening spaces. Open up smaller opportunities, like suggestion boxes or focus groups, where people can continue to share feedback safely.

The key here isn’t to fix everything at once. It's to show that something is happening and people are paying attention. Teams don’t expect perfection overnight, but they do need to know that their voices weren’t ignored. Even small steps made right away can have a calming effect, especially when the energy has been tense.

Next steps should focus on how to turn these short-term actions into long-term progress, so nothing slips through the cracks again. That starts with a clear strategy for sustained, thoughtful improvement.

Developing A Long-Term Strategy

After the dust settles from the initial response, it's time to do the groundwork for real improvement. Quick fixes help get things going, but long-term changes need structure and consistency. This is where many teams get stuck—they want to improve but don’t put systems in place to make it happen.

Focus on creating habits that reinforce engagement over time. Every workplace is different, but here are a few strategies that usually pay off:

- Schedule regular one-on-ones. These check-ins help managers stay connected with staff on a - Schedule regular one-on-ones.personal and professional level.

- Offer flexible work options where possible. Giving people some control over their time can improve morale.

- Invest in development. Whether it’s training, coaching, or mentorship, showing you’re willing to help employees grow keeps them engaged longer.

- Recognize wins, big and small. You don’t need a fancy program. Just being specific, timely, and sincere goes a long way.

- Revisit roles and responsibilities. As teams shift, old job descriptions may not reflect what people are actually doing.

You don’t need to roll out everything at once. Pick two or three priorities to start, explain the reasoning behind them, and get feedback as you go. The goal is to build a workplace that doesn’t just respond to low scores, but actively nurtures better engagement over time.

Leadership’s Role In Improving Engagement

Leaders shape the culture more than any policy or program. How they show up affects how safe, supported, and motivated the team feels. That means when it comes to improving engagement, leadership behavior carries a lot of weight.

Some leadership habits that drive better engagement include:

- Being visible and approachable. People feel more at ease when they see their managers actively listening and involved.

- Leading by example. If leaders want openness, respect, and accountability, they need to model it daily.

- Following through. If a leader says they’ll check on something or take action, actually doing it builds trust.

- Staying self-aware. Strong leaders pay attention to how their words, tone, and actions land with the team. Feedback isn't just for employees.

For example, one department lead in a mid-sized company learned his team viewed his feedback style as dismissive. Instead of denying it, he asked for help from a coach and worked on his delivery. Over time, employees noticed and started participating more in meetings. Shifts like this may seem small, but they can completely change how people engage at work.

This kind of leadership doesn’t have to come from the top job either. Middle managers, supervisors, or team leads all play a key role in making the environment healthier from day to day.

Turning Feedback Into Real Action

Feedback without action wears down trust. After a survey, words need to turn into visible progress—something people can actually see or feel. That doesn’t mean overhauling your whole company. It means setting clear priorities and keeping your team in the loop along the way.

Try this simple rhythm:

1. Choose two or three focus areas based on the survey themes.

2. Create small teams or task groups to brainstorm ideas.

3. Test one or two changes on a short timeline.

4. Check in with staff to see what’s working and what’s not.

5. Make adjustments and repeat.

Transparency is key here. Even when a proposed change isn’t possible, explaining why shows people you gave it real thought. Updates don’t need to be big or polished—just honest and regular.

It’s helpful to track progress too. A shared dashboard, casual pulse surveys, or open team discussions can show that change is happening. When employees feel their input made even a small difference, they’re more likely to speak up next time. That kind of feedback loop builds strength across the team.

Keeping The Momentum Going

Once you've worked through the hard feedback and turned things around, it's important to keep that momentum going. A strong culture doesn’t only show up when things are going well. It grows when teams are flexible, treat each other with respect, and feel safe sharing ideas.

Keep an eye on how people collaborate each day. Are team meetings respectful? Do people speak up openly? Can anyone add suggestions or share concerns without worry? These are core signs of a workplace where people feel supported and want to stay.

Don’t wait until the next survey to check in. Keep the lines of communication open. Add simple routines that reinforce connection and show that you're listening. This could mean quarterly reviews or informal coffee chats. It all makes a difference.

Engagement can drop again without steady attention, but with continued effort and small improvements, teams can stay responsive, motivated, and connected to the work they do. The more you support clear communication and shared trust, the easier it becomes to keep people invested for the long term.

To ensure your team stays motivated and engaged long-term, explore how our leadership coaching services can help. At HR.Coach, we work with you to create real progress by turning honest feedback into practical strategies that strengthen your team's culture and connection.