Focus Groups are all around us in our modern world. Businesses use them to carry out constant data analysis to determine how people feel about their products or services. And ‘feel’ is the operative word here; we’re talking about a research method that is all about people’s subjective opinions and experiences.

Yet the origins of the focus group can arguably be traced right back to famed Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. An acolyte of Freud’s teachings, Ernest Dichter, schooled in the belief that people are often motivated by unconscious, irrational and often visceral desires, was one of the early pioneers of a much more qualitative approach. Instead of counting how many times a group carries out a task, his aim was to delve below the mere act and, through talking with participants, tease out precisely what it was that motivated people to buy one brand over another, or just about anything else involving making choices.

Top Tips & Traps – Employee Focus Groups

At one time it was all about quantity over quality. The common research method involved logging how many of one thing took place over another. Yet, this failed to give a qualitative sense of what was motivating those choices in the mind of the consumer. 

This is where the Focus Group began to find favor within the marketing departments of myriad companies and latterly political parties.

One of the earliest examples was the Betty Crocker 

. 1950s US housewives liked the idea of a ready-to-bake cake mix, but it wasn’t selling. Enter Ernest Dichter and one of the earliest examples of consumer Focus Groups. Dichter -- using what he called ‘motivational research’ -- gleaned, from speaking to working housewives, that they felt a sense of emotional conflict in serving ready-made recipes. 

The solution: change the recipe so that the customer had to add an egg to the mix, thus gaining a sense of participation in the act of baking.

Focus group data wasn’t so much about counting how many people chose one product over another, it was much more about gaining subjective, sometimes unconscious, consumer attitudes to what motivates or inhibits certain actions. Ernest Dichter thus pioneered much of the practices on how to 

In essence, the organizers of a focus group seek to pinpoint attitudes by interviewing small numbers of people. Participants are typically targeted because they have previously made choices relating to a product or service or those in its immediate competitive landscape. 

A focus group research example might be as simple as asking consumers why they chose a particular brand of well-known toothpaste over another, too much more subtle and nuanced discussions of people’s attitudes to a particular political party and its policies.

Yet, not all types of focus group discussions are equal. Where once a focus group would comprise a small cohort, perhaps of eight people, being interviewed around a table over a period of time, today modern methodology allows for 

 come into play here. With the massive growth in online and telemarketing companies seeking to survey key groups as a service to business, attitudes towards participation have rapidly changed.

, with a recognition that, for Focus Groups to continue to achieve meaningful contributions to market insights for business, a digital/online solution is but one part of a much broader range of tools (interview techniques and environment, visual aids and facilitator-led discussions being a few others) that 

… including the ‘traditional’ round table Q&A championed in the 1950s.

What remains clear is this: as long as there is competition for customer attention, there will always be a need to delve a little deeper than quantitative data can deliver. This is where the Focus Group reigns supreme. 

In its methods and application, the Focus Group has created an invaluable resource for reaching below the surface, to divine just what motivates our unspoken, often unconscious, needs wants, and desires.


What are the different types of focus groups?

The most common type of focus group is a single focus group. Within these groups there exists a moderator and an average group of 12 participants. It is the role of the moderator to ask a

 set of questions to the others in the group

, relating to a particular topic of research. During single focus group meetings, the organization conducting the research will observe the meeting from a distance. For example, through a camera or two-way mirror.


Similar to single focus groups, mini focus groups consist of a moderator and group of participants. However, mini focus groups generally consist of only four or five members. The reason for these smaller groups is to obtain more precise insight into the thoughts, viewpoints, and opinions of those participating.

Two-way focus groups consist of two separate groups of participants, with one partaking in the discussion and the other one observing. The second group does not take part in the conversation directly, but they are provided with the opportunity to comment and share their thoughts on what has been said by the first group. 

This type of focus group is particularly useful for complex or multi-dimensional topics where more in-depth coverage and opinion are required.


Organizers of dual-moderator focus groups hold the opinion that two moderators are better than one. The role of the additional moderator is to work alongside the first to ensure the discussion is staying on track or that no particular topic is receiving too much attention. This way the meeting remains organized throughout and everything that needs to be covered gets covered.

With this style of focus group, the two moderators act as opponents, both taking different viewpoints on a matter in order to further open the conversation. By engaging with each other in such a manner, the moderators can ensure that every angle of the issue gets attention.


On rare occasions, clients will step out from behind the scenes, and participate in a focus group in person. This happens when the client wants to be fully reassured that the topic up for discussion is explored in as much detail as required. 

It also allows the client to steer the conversation in whatever direction they see fit. Clients will sometimes let their presence be known to participants and other times join the group anonymously.

With the advantages of technology, online focus groups are an option now more than ever and can be just as effective as in-person meetings. Online focus groups usually take place over video calls with members participating from separate locations remotely. 

Communicating virtually in this manner still allows participants to see and hear each other, and to observe each other’s mannerisms and body language.

What are the 5 methods of collecting data?

Collecting data through literary sources means getting the information required from texts that are already written and available. This is known as secondary data collection and the sources utilized include digital articles, government reports, online published papers, textbooks, and many more. This is an easily accessible method of collecting data that is generally inexpensive.


Another inexpensive and straightforward method of collecting data is through the use of surveys. A survey used for this purpose is aimed at a specific group of people to determine how they feel or are affected by a certain matter. 

These surveys can come in the form of online questionnaires or printed questionnaires, with both following a similar format that is easy to complete and easy to analyze.

Interviews are a more thorough form of data collection that aims to delve deeper into the thoughts and opinions of respondents. 

Carried out in a face-to-face setting, online video, or over the phone, interviews can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured, depending on the level of formality required.


This form of data collection consists of observing the behaviors and actions of a group of participants or else monitoring a specific environment. This can be a natural form of observation, with participants being viewed in their regular surroundings, or it can be a controlled procedure. 

There is also a third method of observation, which includes the person carrying out the observation becoming part of the group being analyzed.


Documents and records, in terms of data collection, are used to map out changes that have occurred over a point in time. In this way, organizations can determine the business practices that have benefited them and those that have not. 

Examples of records and documents used in data collection include customer surveys, phone recordings, minutes kept at meetings, staff reports, company reviews, and many more.

Focus groups are an extremely important asset to organizations as they provide an 

 into the attitudes, beliefs, and thought patterns of a specific group of people on a certain topic, product, or service. This is why it is unsurprising that focus groups are the most well-known form of market research.

There are a number of different ways that a focus group can be carried out and it is the role of the organization to determine which is the most appropriate method for their specific needs. To get the most out of a focus group and make it a success, businesses should be extremely well prepared. This includes having a set plan for the topics that will be discussed and carefully selecting those individuals who will be participating in the group.

Focus group research methods

“How hard can this be?” asked our exasperated client. “I mean, all they need to do is go to the website, fill in the form and select their benefits. It’s not neuro-surgery, it’s a form for #$$^&* sake!”


That frustrated communications manager thought rolling out a new benefits program would be a one-and-done thing. 

Three months in, enrollment is stalled, nobody is attending the information sessions and HR is struggling to keep up with emails enquiring about chiropody.

What we have here is a pretty classic case of resistance. Fortunately, resistance can often be overcome with some well-thought-out communication.

We know that about 70% of organizational change fails, and there are plenty of great models to understand how change should happen and why it doesn’t always work. 

 is called the Knoster model (fun fact, it was actually conceived by Dr. Mary Lippitt at Enterprise Management Ltd. in 1987 and adapted by Tim Knoster). 

The model proposes that successful change requires a solid vision, a good action plan, consensus, skills, and resources. The absence of any one or more of these creates everything from anxiety to sabotage to false starts.


We love this as a diagnostic tool, and we often add a “communications” column at the end to remind our clients that if you don’t communicate change properly, all that other good planning stuff goes out the window. 

Using this tool our client quickly realized there was a skills gap. The old benefits plan offered great coverage and was easy for employees to use because they filled out a paper form and shipped it to HR for processing. 

The 8 C-steps to successful business transformation communication

The new program would require them to set up a profile on the insurer’s system, enter their own claims and upload the documentation themselves.

A little bit of digging revealed the company’s many hourly workers were not comfortable using the unfamiliar tool and many did not have smartphones or computers at home. In other words, the skill gap was creating anxiety about not being able to file claims easily or having claims rejected.

There is a myth that humans are afraid of change. As a species, we’re actually pretty adaptable. What we do fear is loss. 

When you’re facing some resistance and can’t quite place it, consider what the resistant groups might fear they are losing. Is it power, influence, security, autonomy or, in the case of our client’s employees, money?

We often see loss turning up as a source of resistance in changes such as a restructuring or office moves. 

Years ago, I faced a near rebellion when my team was temporarily moved to another floor in our building while they renovated. Even though everyone was moved to the same size workspace with the same people around them, there was resistance. 

Turns out the issue was where the executives were sitting. Some of the team were anxious because the poo-bahs would not see them slaving away at all hours; others were terrified the executives would stop by and ask questions about their work. 

In the end, we all had fun playing Lost Boss Bingo since the executives ignored the floor plans and spent the first month trying to find their own offices.

Behavior drives messages (and the other way around)

Once you’ve got a good handle on where your resistance is coming from, you can begin to address it using communication. We use a simple grid we borrowed from our agency days. 

First, we list what we want employees to do – in the case above, sign up for the new benefits program. Then we list the top two or three things this group of employees needs to believe for this action to make sense, and what facts will support that decision.

In the case above, our client’s employees needed to believe that the new plan was better, that they would be reimbursed faster, and that full training and support would be provided. 

Leading through change: The 4 catalysts of successful business transformation

The rightmost column is pulled from the resistance analysis and lists what the employees are thinking now. Our client pulled some of the comments from her research including: “I like the way things work now”. “I don’t understand our benefits; I count on HR to input the claim properly.” “I am afraid I will do it wrong”.

Based on the employees’ current thinking and her desired outcomes, our client was able to draft a handful of key messages to focus her communications. Working with the insurer she created a new set of materials for front line managers, HR business partners, and leaders to use to encourage sign-ups.

If you’re facing resistance to change in your organization, taking the time to understand where it’s coming from and then tuning your communications to help people push past it, may help move things along.

Facing change resistance? Understand it first, then get your communications right

How do you create a successful communications plan? A sound communications plan is an effective tool for any communications manager.

The plan needs to cover multiple bases and will involve your whole communications team. A successful plan needs to be managed well throughout the phases, from initial assessment, right through to measurement. Here are our six steps for an effective communications plan.

The ultimate guide to internal communications strategy

Assess your current communications strategy

 is to take a look at your current plan. Assess your strategy to identify any gaps or communications methods that are working.

Consult with your communications team – get their input on what they think you're doing well, and areas where you need to make improvements. Brainstorm new content ideas or new ways of doing things.

Ask your audience – you can do this with some simple Pulse Surveys where you ask specific, targeted questions on your current communication plan.

Look at how other departments in your organization communicate with their audience. Are they doing anything innovative or particularly successful?

When you've gathered all your data it's time to put your plan into practice by defining your objectives – what do you want to achieve with your communication messages, what are your goals?

 to organize or better project manage your plan.

Let's break it down: you need specific goals and a defined plan; you need to be able to measure the effectiveness of your plan; you need to 

allocate specific tasks to relevant members of your team

; the plan needs to be realistic both in terms of action and budget, and you need to monitor the success of the plan over a pre-defined time period.

You have your objectives laid out, you now need to identify who your audience is. The more you know about your audience, the more you can tailor your message and content to their requirements. You may need to segment your audience and have specific messages that are relevant to certain groups. 

 that allows you to effectively segment your audience, using different content, greetings, and subject lines, which allows you to better personalize your message and to drive up user response.

Different communications channels will be more effective with different groups of people. We've written about 

 in the past, who are more likely to engage with mobile-based channels as they are seldom at a desk. 

Use the information you have gathered in your assessment phase, combine that with your target audience data and you should be in a good place to decide on the best communications channels for your message.

You and your project team will now be loaded with pertinent information on which you can build a successful plan. The key to this is having realistic timelines – rushing at this stage isn't a good idea. You've done all the groundwork, now you need to set out your timeline.

When are you going to kick start your communications plans

What are the steps and when does each step need to be completed

What will be the frequency of your communications (once you've made that decision, stick to it)

We can never underestimate how important it is to analyze your communications. Poppulo’s 

 are a simple way to view all key data in one clear interface. Reviewing your communications plan will be an ongoing project – assess each communication you send out and identify its strengths and weaknesses. 

If you're noticing poor response rates, make tweaks in your next communication and continue to assess. Over time, you will be able to narrow down the points for success and focus on those – these might be as simple as sending out communication on a specific day and time. But it is only through constant monitoring that you will be able to see if your efforts are making a difference.

What are the important elements of a project communication plan?

 – This is the origin of the message and determines its intended audience and expected time delivery.

 – The message lies in the heart of what is being communicated and the way in which it is delivered. This includes everything from the words selected to grammar, style, and tone used.

 – This involves methods of communication such as mobile apps, email, video meetings, etc. The style and tone of communication can differ depending on what channels are selected. A group chat may be informal and use emojis, whereas a professional email may opt for more formal language.

 – The receiver of the message will analyze its intended meaning, including any underlying meaning. For example, a message that includes exclamation marks will be interpreted differently than the same message without one.

 – Feedback gives insight into the clarity of the message. If a message does not receive a reply, it must be determined if this is because the message was not understood by the receiver.

 – The environment is the space in which the message is communicated to its audience, whether it is face-to-face in the office, or virtually. This environment also comprises a psychological element; people think differently in an online environment than they do in a crowded conference space.

 – Context is a vital element of a project communication plan as it defines the tone and expectation of any particular communication. If these expectations do not align with how the message is being delivered, it can cause significant problems.

 – Interference is anything that occurs which alters or prevents the meaning of a message from being understood correctly. This can be anything from a person not paying attention in a meeting to someone not regularly checking their emails.

The complete internal communication software to engage your employees

How do you write a project communication plan?

Start with your project’s communication needs

When it comes to writing a project communication plan, you will first need to understand that every project is different and varies in size, nature, and intention. This must all be taken into consideration when it comes to deciding on the most appropriate types of communication for the project.

Having a clear idea of your project's purpose can aid greatly in reducing the number of unnecessary emails and messages sent out to workers. 

Deciding on what is important for employees to know and what is not, prevents them from getting distracted from the task at hand. Be conscious of all communication with employees and make sure that every update they are receiving has a clear purpose.

It’s important to determine the best method of communication for your project. Is it the type of project that requires weekly face-to-face meetings, or would a project discussion board or group chat work best? Think about what would be the most effective method of keeping your specific team up to date and productive.

Deciding how often communication will take place throughout the project sets clear expectations from the start. In this way, participants will be prepared for any upcoming meetings or interactions ahead of time. 

By understanding the outline for communication, those involved in the project can rest assured that they will be kept in the loop and that there is no need for them to request status updates in the meantime.

Identify the project owner and key stakeholders

The project manager is not always capable of handling communications by themselves and therefore some responsibilities must be delegated to others. Assigning this ownership will aid your plan in reaching its full potential by allowing each chosen individual to take ownership of a specific communication method.

Why is it important to have a communication plan?

To identify and implement a range of communications activities

To ensure the alignment of staff members and stakeholders

To include relevant input in the communications process

To gauge your plan’s success and areas of weaknesses

The main goal of a project management communication plan is to determine the methods through which important information and messages are delivered throughout the project. This includes deciding who will receive the communication, when they’ll receive it, and how often they should expect to receive new information. 

The importance of having a project management communication plan in place lies in the fact that poor communication can lead to project failure, and as a result, lead to a big financial hit for businesses.

On the other hand, organizations that take the necessary steps involved in creating a communication plan will be capable of effectively sharing vital information and updates throughout the project. This steady flow of communication, allowing all participants to be on the same page throughout, will greatly aid the project in reaching a successful outcome.

Project management communication plan example

As the business world adjusts to the next stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, one can see the “next normal” beginning to emerge: a workforce that’s a mix of employees who come into the office and those who choose to work from home.

This new dynamic will especially demand leaders to apply soft skills – the most important being adaptability and communicators to convey these skills broadly. 

More than ever, leaders and communicators will need to be flexible, because nobody knows exactly what the future holds. What key elements of adaptability will help you and your team’s health and success? Read on.

How to coach your leaders to ace their communications

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, organizations faced a situation that they had never encountered before. In many situations, leaders, aided by internal communicators, rose to the occasion, supporting employees as they faced physical and mental health challenges, family issues and isolation.

This higher awareness for the wellbeing of employees was also accompanied by a breakdown of hierarchies. On Zoom, employees saw their leaders operating from spare bedrooms, kitchen tables and attics, joined by cats, dogs and children. Similarly, the mode of dress chosen by leaders relaxed, just like their teammates.

This decrease in visible hierarchy will likely continue in the “next normal” both because of the COVID experience and the influence of mores from millennials and Silicon Valley. Besides these cosmetic changes, there are some tangible qualities which adaptable leaders should demonstrate as they interact with employees.

However, there is an essential role that internal communicators can play. They help adaptable leaders show their true colors.

First, they need to be on the same wavelength as those communicators to understand their true nature.

Second, they need to craft communications which highlight the best characteristics of adaptable leaders. Third, they need to use a wide range of channels to spread those messages, whether it is communications such as email, speeches, contributions to yammer groups, etc. Internal communicators ideally should convey the following qualities that an adaptable leader possesses:

 Leaders will need to summon their courage to help their teams cope with a more fluid environment. They’ll need to show their mettle to develop creative solutions to new problems and reassure employees about the positive future for the organization as it weathers uncertain times.

Leaders will also need to show courage in how their company responds to societal issues that are meaningful to employees given the increasing focus on this area. 

Finally, leaders are going to need to be brave to honestly convey challenges in the early experimental days of the return.

 This is true for several reasons. First, the way companies have communicated with their employees, vendors and partners during the pandemic has been more open and less hierarchical than ever before.

This has extended from the CEO down. Second, given the fact that people do not actually know what the future holds, it will be important to win the trust of your team to explain the challenges and opportunities that a specific situation holds. Finally, being transparent requires a leader to show their humanity, such as sharing their true emotions or relevant personal stories.

This quality is part of an adaptable leader’s power both because many elements of hierarchy were wiped away during the pandemic and because of the needs of an unsettled workforce. The days of a slick, ersatz, distant leader have faded.

Leaders today must be accessible and on the same wavelength as their team. One leader we work with uses podcasts to more effectively connect with his employees. Leaders like that frequently enlist internal communicators to persuade and lead people. Similar to transparency, an approachable leader needs to reveal their personal vulnerability as a signal to their teammates.

 An adaptable leader needs to be empathetic. The pandemic has taxed people’s mental and emotional health. Some have lost relatives, friends and co-workers to the virus and are understandably grieving.

Others have shouldered an inordinate amount of work (both professional and personal) and are exhausted. Some employees are apprehensive of what the future holds professionally. An adaptable leader demonstrates that they value the feelings of their teammates and care about helping them to return to normal.

An adaptable leader also recognizes the sacrifices and contributions that their team has made during this challenging situation, to applaud their diligence, determination and commitment. 

Employee Engagement and Retention Report* 

said that 52% of workers are considering looking for a new job as things return to “normal,” this empathy and appreciation may significantly reduce turnover.  Clearly, this skill may yield more returns than all the others combined. 

As they face the “next normal”, leaders will be buffeted by more challenges.  

If they can rise to the situation through bravery, transparency, approachability and empathy, they will enjoy an adaptability which will help them position their employees to adapt as well. 

Internal communicators play an enormous role in conveying those leaders’ qualities to employees, whether formally or informally. Ideally, these communicators can accurately translate the qualities of an adaptable leader to craft authentic communications that have the greatest impact.

https://www.achievers.com/resources/white-papers/workforce-institute-2021-engagement-and-retention-report/

Here’s how Internal Communicators can help adaptable leaders show their true colors

 in the New Yorker, which looked at the history of reports in the US on race riots, spanning over a century. 

Almost all of these reports asked the same questions, found the same answers, and made the same recommendations. It’s worth quoting from Lepore’s article in depth:

“In a 1977 study, “Commission Politics: The Processing of Racial Crisis in America,” Michael Lipsky and David J. Olson reported that, between 1917 and 1943, at least twenty-one commissions were appointed to investigate race riots, and, however sincerely their members might have been interested in structural change, none of the commissions led to any. 

The Changed Workplace 2021: What employees want and what leaders and communicators need to do about it

"The point of a race-riot commission, Lipsky and Olson argue, is for the government that appoints it to appear to be doing something, while actually doing nothing.”

. The many reviews (for example, the McGregor-Smith report) on treatment of underrepresented groups here in the UK have also made recommendations, many of which have not been implemented. Some have been implemented, so it’s good to see some progress.

And yes, of course, there’s been so much progress over the last century. Women can vote and be financially independent of men. Marriage is now legal for everyone in the four nations of the UK. 

These are real wins, but when you realise that there is still a gender pay gap (which 

), an ethnicity pay gap, a disability pay gap… you realize that we are measuring progress against a system that is, by its very nature, unequal. 

Therefore, unless that system itself changes, we simply can’t fix it once and for all. Something else will always come up. Just look at the year we’ve been through, which has made it just that little bit harder to turn a blind eye to our society’s glaring inequalities. 

Of course, there are those who have no problem turning a blind eye: there will always be people and governments which continue the legacy described by Lepore of being more interested in 

In my work, I look for ways that organisations can change their cultural fabric in order to start replacing the old system with something that works better for everyone. In fact, the act of changing your culture in this way is how I would define inclusive leadership:

Inclusive leadership focuses on making the invisible* structures of systemic inequality visible – and then changing them. 

(*invisible to those whom they privilege)

It’s practical, hands-on change, and it benefits everyone.

One example of something you can do to change the fabric of your culture and make it more inclusive is to really re-think the definition of “success.” Success is and has traditionally been aligned with a certain kind of trajectory – one that is focused on being promoted upwards through a hierarchy, making it to the top, in a steady flow. 

But this linear progression doesn’t suit everyone nor is it to everyone’s taste; but if there’s only one route to attaining this idea of success, people don’t have much choice.

So start at the top and redefine success: one thing you could do would be to allow for (in fact, encourage!) career breaks for 

Another good way in which to redefine success is to move away from the equation that full-time = successful; in other words, work to destigmatize part-time and flexible working for everyone.

I always encourage people to implement quick wins when it comes to inclusion, but not at the expense of the bigger picture. Training is a good example. I think training individuals is important, but not if it’s just sheep-dipping – and the only way to ensure that it’s not sheep-dipping is to plug it into a bigger picture. 

Like every other kind of initiative, inclusion has to be embedded in the fabric of the culture or it won’t stick – I can take a course on learning to speak Arabic or on how to be an electrician, but if it’s not part of my everyday life, it’s unlikely that I’ll retain those skills. 

So train your people by all means. But make sure that when they come into the workplace (whether that’s physical or virtual), they can put those skills to use.

There was a great example of ensuring training contributes to challenging systemic inequality given in the 

. In a case study looking at the NHS, they noted that data was collected, analysed and published regarding the likelihood of underrepresented groups accessed non-mandatory training, “including that which is designed to improve their career opportunities.”

And ultimately, this is the best tool I can offer you: if you always keep your eye on the big picture (aka the strategic narrative) – on the 5 year plan, the 10 year plan – when you devise your inclusion initiatives, then that will help you to focus in on the right ideas to create strategic cultural change that will have a lasting impact and legacy.

Why you've got to embed Inclusion into the fabric of your company's culture

 published this week is the dominance of surveys and the underutilization of focus groups and digital listening.

Over the past two years, Howard Krais, Mike Pounsford and myself have conducted interviews, run workshops and examined case studies. And in this latest report, we delve deep into approaches to listening through a global survey with more than 500 communication managers.

Many critics see the ‘employee survey industry’ as the antithesis of good listening. The constant cycle of questionnaires often appears to meet a management need to count opinions rather than an employee’s need to feel that their opinion counts.

The constant cycle of questionnaires often appears to meet a management need to count opinions rather than an employee’s need to feel that their opinion counts.

Despite the growth in new digital tools, the results of our study clearly illustrate that surveys dominate the way organizations listen. 

We found that the ‘large-scale engagement survey’ is used by 59 percent of respondents at least annually and is mentioned most often as the approach delivering insights. 

The Changed Workplace 2021: How employees feel and what leaders and communicators need to do about it

Additionally, 35 percent of respondents said that pulse surveys are used monthly, quarterly or on an ongoing basis. In contrast, 77 percent of respondents stated that focus groups were rarely or never used. This suggests that there is a broad under-appreciation of the insights that focus groups generate.

We acknowledge the benefits of surveys - they provide a comprehensive overview of opinion and enable comparative data analysis across functions, areas, and time. 

Differences or trends can be ascribed to events or processes which can be reviewed and changed or improved. Anonymity is also an important aspect of a survey – something that was raised many times in open comments in our research. 

But what also stands out from open comments is the importance of ‘face to face’ interaction (it may be virtual or physical) where employees can talk about their opinions and emotions – often with leadership there to hear and respond. 

Focus groups or dedicated listening sessions demonstrate a concern for the views of employees and generate deeper insights through more open and free-ranging discussion of experiences. Although they may appear to be more difficult and time-consuming to organize, focus groups are well worth the effort.

Perhaps the most surprising result in our latest research is that 53 percent of respondents agreed that employees are more comfortable speaking up on internal digital platforms than in other settings (19 percent disagreed). 

At the same time, 58 percent of respondents rarely or never monitor discussions on digital platforms. This suggests that a method of expressing views that employees are comfortable with using is the one that is not used very much for listening.

Furthermore, reviewing discussions on internal digital platforms is more strongly associated with beneficial outcomes such as generating good ideas on how to work effectively than other listening methods used on an ongoing basis.

As organizations move to a hybrid model of working this year, digital will play an important role in future organizational listening strategies. However, there are also some issues with digital listening. These include:

Low participation (often, significantly, including leaders) in online forums and discussions

Ethical concerns that digital listening feels like eavesdropping if employees are unaware that discussions will be monitored

The problems of access being limited for some groups of employees because of the nature of their work.

The potential for insights from digital listening should not be under-estimated. A combination of pulse surveys, increased use of focus groups, and better internal digital listening are the cornerstones for any listening plan. 

Get this right and organizations will see tangible benefits such as effective change management, the generation of good ideas for effective working, responding well to changes, and the creation of innovative new products and services.

This blog by Dr. Kevin Ruck is based on the findings of the latest Who's Listening research report, From Measurement to Meaning, which you can download

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