Employee feedback is important. But what’s even more important is honest employee feedback. Many business owners are quick to assume that online surveys are about the only viable way of collecting such information. However, this is not always the case. 
​
Whilst it’s hard to underappreciate the convenience of online questionnaires, paper-based employee surveys are still going strong, and here are just a few solid reasons why:

• Access to technology. It’s important to remember that not all employees are desk-bound. Many employee populations, such as manufacturing workers, floor staff and drivers (to name a few), spend very little, if any, time at the computer on a daily basis. While electronic surveys can usually be completed from any device, including smartphones and tablets, the odds of an employee making active effort to complete such questionnaires are low. In addition, sending work-related notifications to personal devices is arguably a bit too invasive. Paper surveys solve this dilemma with ease. 

 

• Convenience. In addition to the issues outlined above, for those working away from computers completing an electronic survey would often mean doing so outside of the work hours, which is both unwelcome by the employee and not very ethical. On the other hand, paper surveys can be quickly and easily completed during the working day and then submitted at the employees’ convenience to the survey provider. This results in more honest feedback and higher participation rates.

 

• Privacy. Even employees with desk jobs don’t always enjoy electronic surveys, as those create a digital information trail which can potentially be hacked. Chances are slim; however, employees really can get suspicious and will sometimes refuse to complete online surveys solely because of this! Paper surveys can easily eliminate this concern, as they are widely perceived as more confidential. In turn, less concerns about anonymity mean better response rates and more honest feedback, which is the main point of conducting employee surveys at the first place. 

Of course, paper surveys are not ideal for all organizations, and there are several factors to consider such as additional effort in planning and processing. However, for many businesses, opting for paper surveys is well worth the effort, yielding amazing response rates and helping connect with the employees.

Hiring a third party that specializes in Paper Employee Surveys is always the best way to receive the most honest employee feedback possible. Which is of course what matters the most. 

​Industries that can benefit from paper surveys: 
- Manufacturing
- Construction 
- Health Care 
- Hospitality 
- Publishing

Author: ​Ellie Stojanovski 

Ellie works at The Tandem Team and is here to support our clients every step of the way doing what she does best. For all survey questions please contact me directly at ellie@thetandemteam.com