LONDON, UK. June 16th, 2026 – Only 53% of employees say they believe feedback shared through surveys will lead to action, based on new global benchmark data from People Insight, underscoring a growing challenge in turning employee listening into visible change.
The report warns that many organisations are “listening loudly but acting quietly”, putting employee trust, engagement and future participation at risk.
The findings come from People Insight’s new report, The senior leader’s role in employee surveys, which argues that employee feedback must be treated as a core leadership responsibility rather than a one-off HR initiative.
The report identifies a common organisational pattern: senior leaders sign off surveys but disengage from outcomes, HR teams carry responsibility for actions beyond their authority, and managers are expected to deliver change without sufficient backing.
This disconnect can gradually erode trust, lower participation in future surveys, and reduce the effectiveness of employee listening efforts.
The report also warns against overpromising, suggesting organisations build trust by being transparent about what will change, what will not, and where progress will take longer.
People Insight emphasises that successful employee listening requires sustained leadership involvement beyond survey launch.
That includes setting priorities based on results, taking ownership of decisions and trade-offs, and maintaining regular communication on progress.
Without this, organisations risk a “belief-in-action gap”, where employees continue to share feedback but lose confidence in its impact.
“Employees are not expecting everything to change overnight, but they do expect honesty and visible progress,” said Tom Debenham, Managing Director at People Insight.
“When only 53% of employees believe action will follow a survey, it is a clear signal that something is breaking down. If people repeatedly give feedback and see little change, they will question the value of speaking up.
“Leadership buy-in has to go beyond approval. It means making decisions, focusing on the right priorities and showing progress over time. The organisations that get this right treat employee feedback as a leadership responsibility, not an HR exercise.”
The senior leader’s role in employee surveys examines what leadership buy-in involves, why it frequently falls short, and how organisations can build stronger ownership to turn feedback into action.
The report also covers sponsorship visibility, decision-making structures, accountability mechanisms, communication strategies, and measurement and planning.
Read the full report at peopleinsight.co.uk/senior-leadership-employee-surveys.
