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Ali Khan
Co-founder
In today's work world, listening to what employees think and feel is very important. But, the old ways we used to get their ideas aren't working well anymore.
Imagine this: only about 3 out of 10 workers think their bosses really care about what they have to say. And just as few believe their ideas help make their workplace better.
For those in charge of making employees happy and engaged, like HR managers, founders, or people officers, this is a big problem.
Yearly surveys asking how employees feel don't get many responses, the answers they do get don't tell much, and the lack of data in between surveys leaves gaps in your ability to make continuous improvements.
Employees are scared that being honest could make things difficult for them at work. Even quick questions or suggestion boxes don't seem to do the job well.
So, how can we make things better and make everyone feel included and happy at work without knowing what everyone thinks?
Thankfully, new technology is here to help. Some smart tools use anonymity and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to make giving feedback easy and safe.
These tools work right in the apps employees already use, so they don't have to bother with new accounts or extra steps.
This makes more employees willing to share their thoughts. In fact, with these tools, more than 75% of employees from different places and jobs start to share more openly. These tools can also combine team feedback from different sources and assemble it into one automated report saving precious hours in a week.. This helps us find new insights and trends we couldn't see before.
In this guide, we'll show you how these new anonymous employee feedback systems can fix the problems with the old ways.
We'll look at how a smart tool in Slack, for example, can ask quick questions that employees can answer without anyone knowing who they are, making anonymous employee feedback possible.
Then, we'll see how these tools can look at all the answers to find common themes and how people feel, all without revealing anyone's identity. This means companies can understand and act on what everyone thinks, not just the few who always speak up.
The big takeaway? When done right, asking for anonymous employee feedback without revealing who said what can change everything for the better.
It helps everyone learn faster, come up with new ideas, and feel like their voice matters. This makes people want to stay with the company longer and do their best work. Let's dive in and see how it works.
Anonymous feedback allows employees to provide honest and open feedback about their working environment without fearing repercussions. It allows employees to express themselves freely, knowing their feedback will remain confidential.
This type of feedback helps employers gain insight into how their staff perceives the workplace and can help identify areas that need improvement.
Anonymous feedback refers to perspectives shared without names or identities attached.
For your employees, anonymity is transformative:
As we delve into the specifics of how these anonymous employee feedback systems work and their impact, it becomes clear that anonymous feedback can transform workplace culture, leading to enhanced employee satisfaction and retention.
But how can leaders actually enable candid sharing? Practical solutions exist making broad-based anonymous feedback simple and ethical.
Employers have various options available to gather anonymous feedback from their employees. Here are the 4 steps you need to complete to collect feedback anonymously:
By focusing on these steps, you ensure a smooth process for collecting anonymous feedback, setting the stage for honest and actionable insights.
Now let's explore the practicality of running anonymous surveys in three popular workplace platforms:
Each platform offers unique features and approaches for engaging with employees and collecting their feedback confidentially.
Did you know Slack is not just for daily chats and project updates? It's also a fantastic way for you to gather anonymous feedback from your team. Given its popularity among big companies for organizational communication, leveraging Slack for this purpose is both smart and efficient.
Let me walk you through two easy ways you can start collecting valuable insights from your employees on Slack today:
Anonymous suggestion boxes are an effective way to collect employee feedback. These boxes provide employees with a secure and convenient way to share their ideas or concerns without fear of being identified. This allows employers to get honest and accurate feedback that they can use to make informed decisions.
Though Slack doesn’t allow for anonymous messages on its own we will use Wrenly.ai to collect employee feedback.
How to use the Wrenly suggestion box
Here are the steps to create an Anonymous suggestion box to collect employee feedback:
This step is foundational as Wrenly.ai is designed to facilitate anonymous feedback collection directly within your Slack workspace.
Adding Wrenly.ai is straightforward; search for it in the Slack App Directory and install it following the instructions.
Once Wrenly.ai is added, access your Wrenly dashboard and locate the suggestion box section. This area allows you to manage and create new suggestion boxes.
Here, you'll see existing suggestion boxes and have the option to create new ones. This page is your control center for managing how feedback is collected within your organization.
At this step, you have the option to create a new user group or upload an existing one. This functionality includes selecting specific Slack channels to include in the group and enhancing the targeted collection of feedback.
Additionally, you can establish a recognition channel for this group and set up a dedicated suggestion box to welcome feedback submissions.
All anonymous suggestions gathered will be accessible in one central location, making it easy to review and act upon the feedback.
Below is the process for employees to provide anonymous feedback is streamlined and user-friendly, ensuring that everyone can share their insights without hesitation.
Activate Wrenly's suggestion box feature by navigating to any Slack text box and typing /wrenly followed by pressing enter.
This command prompts a dialogue box to appear, serving as your gateway to setting up the anonymous feedback collection process.
Craft an engaging feedback request that encourages participation. The beauty of Wrenly.ai lies in its AI-driven capabilities to assist you in creating compelling messages.
If you’re uncertain about what to say, let Wrenly AI suggest a message based on your feedback theme, such as gathering insights on the evaluation process.
Before launching, preview your message to ensure it's clear and inviting. This step is crucial for making any necessary adjustments that can enhance clarity and engagement.
The goal is to ensure your message resonates well with your team, encouraging maximum participation
With your message ready, launch the suggestion box. Your team can now start submitting their feedback anonymously. This step marks the culmination of your setup process, transitioning you to the feedback collection phase.
Online surveys are among the most common ways to collect anonymous employee feedback. Surveys provide employers with a structured way to ask questions and receive responses without directly interacting with staff members.
They also allow employers to get feedback quickly and easily, as staff can complete the survey online.
Here are the steps to run online surveys to collect anonymous employee feedback
Log into your Wrenly account and select the ‘Surveys’ section to start creating a new survey.
Craft a survey tailored to the feedback you seek. This includes formulating questions that are clear, concise, and designed to elicit useful responses.
Choose the employees or specific departments you wish to target with the survey. This ensures the right individuals provide feedback relevant to the areas you're exploring.
Decide when the survey will be sent out. Timing can be crucial, so consider choosing a moment when employees are most likely to respond, such as the beginning of the workweek.
Pick which Slack channel(s) or direct messages (DMs) the survey will be distributed through. This could be a general channel for company-wide surveys or specific channels for departmental feedback.
Once the survey period ends, gather and analyze the feedback. Wrenly's dashboard aggregates all responses, allowing for an overview of insights and trends within the feedback.
Wrenly facilitates a direct and user-friendly way for employees to anonymously submit feedback through Slack
In the message input area of your Slack channel or DM and press enter. This command brings up the Wrenly survey interface within Slack.
Select the option "Create a new survey." Here, you'll enter the questions you've been asked or wish to respond to as part of the feedback process.
You can also have the option to select a variety of questions you would like to ask your employee.
This step might be more relevant to those setting up the survey, but as an employee, you might simply be responding to the survey questions provided.
Although primarily for survey creators, as a respondent, ensure your feedback is submitted within the given timeframe.
Your survey responses will be submitted anonymously through the selected Slack channels, ensuring your privacy while providing valuable insights.
Your employee will see the survey in selected Slack channels and give feedback anonymously.
In conclusion, leveraging Slack for anonymous employee feedback, whether through suggestion boxes or online surveys, offers a modern, efficient way to engage with employees.
However, success with these methods depends on thoughtful implementation, clear communication about the purpose and confidentiality of feedback mechanisms, and an organizational culture that values and acts on employee input.
In transitioning from the discussion on leveraging Slack for anonymous employee feedback, it's equally important to consider how Microsoft Teams can be utilized for this critical task.
Much like Slack, Teams serves as a central hub for workplace communication but requires a slightly different approach for gathering feedback due to its unique ecosystem and integrations.
Here are the steps to create an Anonymous suggestion box to collect employee feedback in Teams:
First off, you'll integrate Wrenly.ai with your Teams setup. This tool is specially designed to enable anonymous feedback within Teams, making it easy for you to gather insights without compromising privacy.
Within Teams, navigate to Wrenly.ai, and select the option to share feedback. This action kick-starts the feedback collection, signaling to your team that their voice is valued and heard.
This is where you craft a message that resonates with your team, inviting them to share their honest feedback. The anonymity provided ensures they can speak freely, offering you invaluable insights.
Take a moment to preview your message, ensuring it's clear, encouraging, and ready to go. This step is crucial for making any necessary tweaks to maximize engagement.
With everything set, launch your suggestion box. Your team can now start submitting their feedback, right within the familiar confines of Teams.
In essence, using Microsoft Teams for anonymous feedback is a smart move toward building a transparent and open culture. Integrating Wrenly.ai into this process ensures your team knows their feedback is anonymous, valued, and acted upon.
Remember, the success of gathering and implementing feedback lies in your commitment to listen, analyze, and act. This way, you empower your team to help shape a better workplace together.
Collecting anonymous employee feedback through Google Forms is a straightforward and effective method. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up an anonymous survey:
Once employers have established a way to collect anonymous employee feedback, they must also ensure they take the right steps to implement an effective process. Here are four key steps:
Employers should start by creating a set of policies and guidelines for how employees can provide feedback anonymously. These should outline what types of comments are appropriate and how they can be submitted. Clear guidelines will help ensure the feedback is constructive and relevant and provide staff with a sense of security.
Employers should also create an effective system for collecting anonymous employee feedback. This could include setting up online surveys, creating anonymous suggestion boxes, or using employee engagement platforms. By establishing a reliable system for collecting feedback, employers can ensure they get the best information from staff members.
Encouraging employees to participate in anonymous feedback initiatives is key to ensuring success. Employers should publicize their efforts and create an environment where staff feel comfortable sharing their opinions without fear of retribution or judgment. This can increase participation rates and ensure employers get honest and accurate feedback from their staff.
Finally, employers should analyze the anonymous employee feedback they receive and take action where needed. By examining the responses carefully, employers can identify areas for improvement and create strategies to address any issues. This will help create a better work environment for staff members and ensure they feel comfortable voicing their opinions.
By taking these steps, employers can ensure they collect anonymous employee feedback effectively and constructively. Ultimately, this will help them gain valuable insights into their workplace and make informed decisions that benefit employers and employees.
In this guide, we've looked at how anonymous feedback from employees can change the workplace for the better. We've shown why it's key to really understand how employees feel, encourage everyone to speak up and create a sense of belonging for all.
We've covered practical ways to collect this important feedback without revealing who said what, using tools like Slack, Teams, and Google Forms. For success, it's vital to be open about what you're doing, communicate clearly, and act on what you learn.
Here's what to remember from this guide:
By valuing anonymous feedback and acting upon it, you can foster a workforce that is more involved, happier, and more productive. This leads to a stronger company culture, better performance, and keeping employees longer.
Starting to listen to your employees marks the beginning of building a brighter future together. Give them the chance to share their thoughts, and they'll help you make your workplace even better.
