At Puls, we believe that the work following an employee survey is not just about what managers and leadership should do. Employees also have valuable knowledge, perspectives, and the ability to influence the work environment, collaboration, and engagement within their teams.
That is why this is an important part of our methodology. When employees complete a survey, they do more than reflect on their own experiences. They also receive concrete activity suggestions that can contribute to positive change. These might include raising a topic during a team meeting, giving feedback to their manager, sharing knowledge with a colleague, or recognizing someone in the team for a job well done.
While these activities are owned by employees, managers still play a crucial role. Their responsibility is not to own every improvement initiative, but to create the conditions that make it possible for those activities to happen.
A common trap is for managers to feel that they must personally drive every action that follows an employee survey. However, if the goal is to strengthen engagement and self-leadership, the manager’s role is better described as an enabler rather than the sole driver.
This means:
- Demonstrating that these activities matter
- Providing the time and space to carry them out
- Following up with curiosity
- Recognizing initiative
- Reinforcing the behaviors they want to see more of
So, what does this look like in practice?
1. Create Psychological Safety
Some activities require courage. Giving feedback to your manager, raising a concern, or challenging an existing way of working can feel uncomfortable if employees do not feel safe expressing their opinions.
This is where managers play a critical role. If employees believe that staying silent is the safer option, many of these activities are unlikely to happen.
2. Create Opportunities and Keep the Conversation Alive
Many activities require more than willingness—they also require opportunity.
If employees are encouraged to provide feedback, share knowledge, suggest improvements, or recognize colleagues, there also need to be natural opportunities to do so.
For example:
- If many employees want to give feedback, set aside time for it during performance reviews, team meetings, or retrospectives.
- If employees want to raise concerns or improvement ideas, make sure there is room on meeting agendas for discussion.
- If knowledge sharing is a priority, create forums where employees can exchange experiences and lessons learned.
- If employees want to recognize one another, introduce simple ways to celebrate contributions during team meetings or through internal communication channels.
Simply encouraging people to do something is rarely enough. If we want to see a behavior more often, we also need to create situations where that behavior becomes natural.
For example, if an employee receives the suggestion to give positive feedback to a colleague, it may only take a few minutes to do. But if the manager regularly sets aside time during team meetings to recognize great work, that behavior quickly becomes much more natural. Suddenly, it is no longer just an individual activity—it becomes part of the team’s culture.
Behavior is not shaped solely by individual motivation. It is also influenced by the environment and structures that surround people.
To prevent these activities from being forgotten, managers should also keep the conversation alive. This can be as simple as asking:
“Has anyone tried one of the suggested activities over the past month?”
Or:
“Which activities do you think would make the biggest difference to the way we collaborate?”
The goal is not to monitor people—it is to create opportunities for reflection and learning.
3. Lead by Example
If the activities focus on feedback, knowledge sharing, or collaboration, managers should go first.
A manager’s own behavior sends a powerful message about what is truly valued within the team.
When managers ask for feedback, share lessons learned, show vulnerability, or express appreciation to others, it becomes much easier for employees to do the same.
4. Recognize Small Behaviors
Many organizations celebrate results but overlook the behaviors that create those results.
When someone raises an important issue, helps a colleague, shares knowledge, or provides constructive feedback, those actions deserve recognition.
It does not have to be complicated. Sometimes it is enough to say:
“Thank you for bringing this up—it gives us an opportunity to improve.”
Or:
“Thank you for sharing your experience. That’s valuable knowledge for all of us.”
Simple recognition reinforces the culture you want to build.
5. Follow Up with Curiosity, Not Control
There is a significant difference between asking:
“Have you completed your activity?”
And asking:
“Have you tried anything new since we last spoke?”
“What have you learned?”
“Which activity feels most relevant for you right now?”
The first question can feel like a compliance check. The others communicate curiosity, trust, and support.
Self-leadership does not mean that managers step aside. It means that more people take ownership of the work environment and contribute to continuous improvement in their everyday work.
The manager’s role is to create the right conditions, encourage initiative, and make it easier for people to contribute.
When both managers and employees act on the survey results, the employee survey becomes more than just a measurement. It becomes the starting point for continuous improvement and shared development.
