The fastest way to kill the momentum of an Employee Experience (EX) survey?

Hand the results to managers without support and say, "Good luck."

If you want surveys to lead to real change, you must equip managers to lead the next chapter — not just survive it.

Here’s how to turn managers into confident, capable drivers of action.

Why Manager Enablement Matters

Managers aren't just "messengers" of survey results. They're the interpreters, connectors, and builders.

When managers:

• Understand the data

• Own the conversations

• Co-create solutions with their teams

... feedback turns into trust, and trust turns into transformation.

Without support, managers:

• Feel overwhelmed

• Default to defensiveness or avoidance

• Miss opportunities for real impact

5 Essentials for Manager Enablement

1. Train Managers Before Results Are Shared

Don't assume managers know how to:

• Read survey data meaningfully

• Facilitate open, safe conversations

• Translate insights into priorities

Offer simple, practical training sessions or toolkits before handing over results. Help managers turn survey insights into visible action.

Tip: Keep it human. Focus on empathy, not "data analysis."

2. Provide Conversation Guides

Facilitating a team discussion about tough feedback is a leadership skill — and a vulnerable act.

Give managers:

• Sample discussion questions

• Listening tips (e.g., "Ask before assuming. Acknowledge before defending.")

• Templates for action planning

Confidence in how to have the conversation drives confidence in what to do next.

3. Focus on Local Action

Not every insight needs a company-wide initiative.

Empower managers to:

• Identify 1-2 actionable team-level improvements

• Co-create small, visible changes with their people

Micro-actions matter. They're how culture shifts from the inside out. Build feedback cultures by supporting frontline leaders.

4. Create Safe Spaces for Manager Learning

Some managers will struggle. Some will feel exposed.

Build safe peer forums where managers can:

• Share challenges

• Swap ideas

• Learn from one another

Normalize that listening, learning, and evolving are leadership strengths, not risks.

5. Recognise and Reward Follow-Through

Celebrate managers who:

• Engage bravely with their teams

• Share progress transparently

• Act on feedback consistently

Recognition reinforces that how managers respond to surveys matters deeply.

Example: Manager-Led Change in Action

A global logistics firm revamped their post-survey strategy to equip managers as leaders of listening.

Results?

• 85% of managers facilitated team discussions within 30 days

• Action planning completion rates rose 40%

• Trust in immediate managers increased by 18% in the next cycle

When managers moved from "recipients of data" to "owners of evolution," everything changed.

The VALUE Method™ Lens on Manager Enablement

• Vision: Frame manager roles as culture leaders, not just task owners.

• Architecture: Provide simple, supportive structures.

• Listening: Equip managers to listen bravely and curiously.

• Understanding: Help them make meaning with empathy.

• Evolution: Empower them to lead visible, local action.

Managers aren't the "middle" of your organisation. They're the multipliers.

Final Thought: Empowered Managers Build Empowered Cultures

The way you support managers after a survey shapes whether feedback becomes a movement — or a missed opportunity.