Encouraging active participation in the IT Happiness Scan is essential for obtaining meaningful insights into your team’s digital workplace experience. Since the survey remains open for only three weeks from the first response or until you reach 300 responses, you have a limited window to collect feedback. To ensure you maximize participation, it’s important to send timely reminders and encourage responses early in the process.
To help you increase response rates and get the most out of your IT Happiness Scan, we’ve compiled best practices for encouraging participation and sending effective reminders.
1. Set Clear Expectations Before Launching the Survey
Before sending out the survey, inform your team about its purpose and how their feedback will contribute to a better digital workplace. People are more likely to respond when they understand why their input matters.
How to do this:
✅ Announce the survey in advance via email, a company newsletter, or during a team meeting.
✅ Clearly state the survey deadline to create urgency.
✅ Emphasize that it’s anonymous and only takes a few minutes to complete.
✅ Let them know how the results will be used—for example, improving IT support, collaboration tools, or overall digital work experience.
💡 Tip: Use internal champions, such as team leaders or IT representatives, to advocate for participation within their teams.
2. Send the Survey Through the Right Channels
Distribute the survey in a way that maximizes visibility and accessibility.
📩 Email: The primary method—ensure the survey invitation is sent from a recognizable sender.
💬 Chat tools (Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.): Post a message in relevant channels to remind employees.
🖥️ Intranet or employee portal: Feature the survey link in a noticeable spot.
📅 Team meetings: Encourage managers to remind employees and set aside time for participation.
💡 Tip: If possible, include a one-click access option so employees can start the survey immediately without extra steps.
3. Send Timely and Engaging Reminders
Most people won’t respond to the first email alone. Sending reminders is one of the most effective ways to increase responses.
Best practices for reminders:
📌 First reminder (after 3-5 days):
- Keep it short and friendly: “Still haven’t shared your thoughts? There’s still time to help improve our IT experience!”
📌 Second reminder (1 week before the deadline):
- Add a sense of urgency: “The survey closes in one week—your input is crucial for improving IT tools and support.”
- If possible, mention how many responses have already been collected to encourage participation.
📌 Final reminder (1-2 days before closing):
- Be direct: “Last chance to have your say! The IT Happiness Scan closes tomorrow.”
💡 Tip: Vary the wording of your reminders to keep them fresh and avoid sounding repetitive.
4. Leverage Leadership Support for Higher Engagement
Employees are more likely to respond when they see that leadership values the survey.
👥 Ask managers to personally remind their teams and encourage participation in team meetings.
📢 Have an executive sponsor (e.g., CIO, HR leader, or IT manager) send an email explaining why feedback is essential.
💡 Tip: A message from leadership that says, “We are looking at your input to improve the digital workplace—your feedback makes a difference!” can be highly effective.
5. Monitor Responses and Adjust Your Approach
Throughout the survey period, track the response rate. If participation is lower than expected, consider:
📈 Sending an additional reminder in a different format (e.g., video message or a post on internal communication platforms).
🤝 Personally reaching out to key departments or teams with low response rates to ask if they need assistance.
🔍 Checking for email delivery issues (e.g., emails going to spam or being overlooked).
💡 Tip: If employees say they didn’t receive the survey, verify that it didn’t end up in their spam or “Other” inbox.
6. After the Survey: Share Results and Show Appreciation
A common reason for low participation in future surveys is that employees don’t see the impact of their feedback. Show them that their input matters!
📊 Summarize key findings in a follow-up email or internal newsletter.
👏 Thank participants for their time and acknowledge their role in improving the IT experience.
📢 Communicate next steps, such as actions being taken based on their feedback.
💡 Tip: Even if no immediate changes can be made, let employees know that their voices have been heard and that the data will inform future decisions.