Launching an Employee Experience (EX) survey without preparation is like setting sail without checking your boat.

You might survive. You might even stumble onto success. But more likely, you'll drift, stall, or sink the trust you're trying to build.

Here are five essential things to do before you launch your next EX survey.

1. Clarify Your Vision

Don't just ask: "What do we want to measure?"

Ask first: "What experience do we want to create through listening?"

A clear vision aligns:

• Survey design

• Communication

• Action planning

Tip: Use the VALUE Method™ to frame your vision: listening for evolution, not just evaluation.

2. Secure Leadership Buy-In

Employees will take their cue from leaders.

If leaders are disengaged, dismissive, or silent about the survey, employees will mirror that energy.

Checklist:

• Brief leadership early

• Align on why the survey matters

• Secure commitment to sharing results and acting on them

Leadership’s visible support can double your response rates and trust levels.

3. Build the Right Architecture

Think through:

• Timing: Are there major initiatives, restructures, or seasonal workloads that could impact participation?

• Audience: Whole organisation? Specific segments?

• Format: Mobile-friendly? Multilingual? Anonymous?

Set yourself up for clean data, inclusive participation, and easy analysis. Start with a strong survey design to ensure effective listening.

4. Design Human-Centred Communication

Don't wait until survey launch day to talk about it.

Before launch:

• Share "why" you're listening, not just "what" you're doing.

• Use authentic, leader-led messages.

• Preview what employees can expect.

Tip: Avoid "corporate-speak." Communicate like you would to a valued team member face-to-face. Craft a thoughtful communication plan to support survey success.

5. Plan Your Post-Survey Response Now

The biggest mistake? Scrambling for a plan after results come in.

Before you launch:

• Decide who will review data

• Map out how and when results will be shared

• Outline your initial action planning process

Employees will ask, "What happens next?" Be ready to answer with confidence.

Example: Success Built on Preparation

A logistics company shifted from "launch and hope" to "prepare and lead." They:

• Aligned leadership messaging

• Set clear expectations for managers

• Built a 90-day action loop in advance

Result? 78% participation, clear insights, and faster post-survey momentum than ever before.

Preparation wasn't extra work. It was the work.

How the VALUE Method™ Anchors Pre-Survey Prep

• Vision: Clarify the purpose

• Architecture: Design intentionally

• Listening: Set expectations for openness

• Understanding: Prepare for honest sense-making

• Evolution: Commit to action before asking for feedback

Final Thought: Trust Is Built Before the First Question Is Asked

You don't earn employee trust during the survey. You earn it in everything you do before it.