Survey Distribution Platforms

Survey Distribution Platforms

“I didn’t get the survey, was it emailed or something?” 

“I didn’t have time to complete the survey, was it important?”

“Why am I being asked to complete this survey?”

 These are just some of the responses employers often hear when they attempt to gauge the satisfaction or engagement of their non-desk workers. This, of course, makes sense when you consider that many workers in industries like manufacturing or construction rarely check their work email—if they even have one. Fortunately, a special type of platform exists to make employee survey distribution easier and more effective for these workers. 

 This brief guide to survey distribution platforms will cover everything you need to know about making and distributing impactful employee surveys, including:

• Why employee surveys are important
• The different types of employee surveys
• How to create and distribute an effective survey

Let’s jump right in, starting with the reasons why employee surveys are meaningful in the first place.

Why Do We Distribute Surveys to Employees?

Simply put, surveying employees enables an employer to better understand—and meet—their team’s most pressing needs. Whether a survey is meant as a quick “pulse check” or something more substantial, it can yield valuable insights. In addition to giving their workers a voice, surveys help improve the employee experience while demonstrating a commitment to worker satisfaction, safety, and so on. For non-desk industries, robust communication and feedback systems are essential not just for engagement but also for operational efficiency and safety. Effective communication directly impacts safety, helping prevent incidents and ensuring adherence to proper protocols.

In the modern world of work, employee engagement—broadly defined by Gallup as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace”—is a vital consideration. What’s the secret to engagement? According to a statistic cited by Workhuman, “When employees feel heard at work, they are nearly 5x more likely to give their best effort.” In other words, the secret to engagement is based on listening. Companies that give their workforce a voice tend to create more dynamic, productive, and inclusive work environments. When employees feel heard and valued, they connect more deeply with the company's purpose and goals. This connection is particularly crucial in non-desk settings where workers may feel disconnected from leadership.

The problem? According to a recent Gallup study, only around 33% of workers in the United States are considered to be “engaged.” In response, many office-based work environments have started to use employee surveys on a regular basis. In many cases, though, in an office-based environment, employers sometimes go overboard with surveys, diluting their impact. After all, it’s easy to survey in-person or in-office personnel, who are constantly connected to work email, instant messaging, or other technologies. 

On the other hand, it’s more difficult to affect engagement among non-desk workers—who you might be surprised to learn account for up to 80% of the global workforce (according to Forbes). That’s why it’s important to not only recognize the importance of employee surveys but the importance of well-designed and effectively administered surveys, too. 

Unsure where to start? The first step to creating an employee survey is to determine what kind—or kinds—of insight you are looking for. Next, let’s discuss the different types of surveys you might consider deploying to a non-desk workforce, and what you can gain from each.

What Are the 2 Types of Survey Questionnaire?

There are 2 main types of employee surveys, which differ in their frequency and depth of insight: 

• Pulse surveys are brief and targeted, meant to be used for frequent, recurring “check-ins.” They may occur on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis—which is why it’s important to keep them brief and focused. With that in mind, a pulse survey shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes to complete, helping to prevent “survey fatigue.” Pulse surveys are particularly effective for gauging immediate concerns and gathering quick feedback on specific topics. They help organizations monitor employee sentiment and make timely adjustments when necessary.
• Engagement surveys are meant to provide more in-depth insights around the worker experience, including how employee satisfaction trends over time. They occur much less frequently—possibly on a quarterly or annual basis—and take a little longer to complete. Because “engagement” can mean a lot of different things, engagement surveys can serve a wide range of purposes. For example, they can be used to gauge things like:
• Employee Opinion | How satisfied are employees, and how do they feel about the organization?
• Employee Culture | Are the company’s mission and values reflected in the workplace
• Employee Engagement | Are employees committed and motivated to do their best work, or are they feeling purposeless or burnt-out? 

Once you know what you want your survey to gauge, the next consideration is how you’ll distribute the survey and drive participation. 

What Are the Different Methods of Survey Distribution in the Workplace?

Generally speaking, the most common survey distribution methods include paper surveys, online surveys, telephone-based surveys, and one-on-one interviews. Of course, within an office-based environment, these each have certain advantages and will reach a certain portion of the workforce. 

When you’re dealing with non-desk workers, though, it’s not quite as simple. Most don’t even have a company-linked email address you could send a survey to. And the last thing you want to do is make it tedious or difficult for employees to receive and respond to a survey. To put it bluntly, if it’s too inconvenient, they just won’t do it. 

Let’s explore each method of survey distribution in detail.

1. Email Surveys

Email is a common distribution channel where surveys are sent via company email addresses directly to employees.

Pros

• Wide Accessibility: Easy for desk-based employees to access surveys directly at their desks.
• Integration: Easily integrates with tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and other standard survey platforms.
• Tracking & Analytics: Most platforms offer built-in analytics for open rates, clicks, and responses.

Cons

• Limited Non-Desk Worker Accessibility: Many non-desk employees do not regularly check company email or may not even have one.
• Low Open Rates: Emails have a relatively low average open rate (~20%), meaning a lower engagement.
• Survey Fatigue: Can quickly clutter inboxes, leading employees to ignore or delete survey requests.
• Delayed Response: Response times tend to be longer since employees typically prioritize other urgent emails.

2. SMS Surveys 

Surveys sent via text messaging directly to employees' mobile phones, often without needing an app download or data connection. 

Pros

• Accessibility: Virtually universal—most workers have a mobile phone capable of receiving texts.
• Immediate Engagement: High open rates (98%) and extremely quick response times (average 90 seconds)​.
• No Internet or App Required: Eliminates barriers related to data usage, internet connectivity, and technology familiarity.
• Ideal for Urgent or Important Communications: Perfect for immediate responses, safety alerts, quick pulse checks, or event reminders.
• Language Flexibility: Platforms like Yourco offer AI-powered translations for multilingual workforces (135+ languages supported)​.

Cons

• Character Limitations: Text messages may limit how much detail or context can be provided in a single message.
• Cost Considerations: Businesses must consider messaging costs; however, platforms like Yourco provide dedicated toll-free numbers, eliminating costs for employees​Yourco Company Brief.
• Privacy Considerations: Must ensure compliance with privacy regulations (GDPR, carrier compliance, etc.), though specialized platforms like Yourco typically handle this internally​.

3. In-App Surveys (Mobile Applications)

Surveys embedded directly within mobile applications specifically designed for employee communication or workforce management.

Pros

• Rich Functionality: Offers dynamic, interactive survey designs and richer question types.
• Better Tracking: Provides detailed analytics on user interaction and completion rates.

Cons

• High Barrier to Entry for Non-Desk Workers: Requires downloading and maintaining an app, which is impractical for non-desk employees due to data constraints or reluctance to manage additional apps/passwords​Yourco Company Brief.
• Internet Dependency: Requires consistent internet connectivity, potentially excluding certain non-desk environments with limited network access.
• Lower Adoption Rates: Non-desk workers may not regularly use apps provided by the employer, leading to low engagement and response rates.

By leveraging SMS-based platforms, companies can ensure higher response rates and more inclusive feedback from their entire workforce.

That’s exactly why many companies with a largely deskless workforce opt to use a survey distribution platform to simplify the process of deploying employee surveys efficiently and effectively.

Does Google Have a Free Survey Tool?
Yes, Google Forms is a simple, free tool that can be used for basic, occasional surveys. Like most free survey tools, however, it does have certain limitations. Most notably, it provides limited options for customizing a survey’s design,as well as how many questions you can include. Completing the survey also requires an internet connection, since it doesn’t facilitate offline data collection. For these reasons, Google Forms may not be a practical solution for distributing your survey—especially to non-desk workers.

Is Survey Monkey a Free Tool?
Survey Monkey is another tool that’s frequently used for employee surveys. It bills itself as “The World’s Most Popular Free Online Survey Tool”—but is Survey Monkey really free? Not exactly, as the free version of Survey Monkey is extremely limited. To unlock key features and functionality for effective surveying, you’ll have to sign up for one of their Individual, Team, or Enterprise plans. You can view Survey Monkey’s different plans and pricing here.

What is a Survey Platform Used For?

A survey distribution platform (or simply a “survey platform”) is a simple yet versatile online tool that enables employers to design and deliver surveys to their workers. Modern survey distribution platforms make it easy to collect vital insights, especially one like Yourco’s that is specially designed for internal, non-desk employee communication. Rather than relying on various methods and technologies to connect with employees—like email, messaging, phone, and so on—and collect their input, a survey platform streamlines the process.

Remember those tools we discussed a moment ago, Google Forms and Survey Monkey? If you’ve used either of those in the past or are currently exploring them as options, it’s worth noting that Yourco’s survey platform easily integrates with both of them, as well as other standalone tools. That means you can still build your survey how you want, but then Yourco can help ensure that surveys are distributed in a way that works well for your organization—and your employees.

Yourco stands out with several distinctive capabilities tailored for non-desk workers:

• AI-Powered Translations: Communicate in 135+ languages, ensuring all employees understand critical updates regardless of their primary language.
• Real-time Polls & Surveys: Gather immediate feedback to foster a supportive environment and reduce turnover.
• Secure Resource Access: Employees can access company resources via text messages, including SOPs, benefits information, and onboarding materials.
• Scheduling Capabilities: Schedule text messages in advance and target specific employee groups.
• Hybrid Functionality: Connects with existing survey tools like SurveyMonkey and Google Forms while also offering built-in polling capabilities.

Now that we’ve thought about what kind of surveys might make sense to create and what kinds of tools can help with building and distributing a survey, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of actually creating and deploying a survey.

How Do I Create a Survey for Employees?

Creating an employee survey shouldn’t be a particularly difficult or stressful task, but it does require a little forethought. Let’s explore the key steps in preparing and distributing an effective employee survey.

Step 1: Planning

The first step is to determine what exactly you want to learn from the survey. While it may be easy to come up with a list of questions for employees to answer, asking too many questions—or asking them too often—can lead to fatigue, reducing the number of survey responses you receive. That means it’s important to brainstorm questions first, and then narrow them down to those that are the most vital, the fewer the better.

Understanding your audience is crucial. Non-desk workers often face access limitations, varying schedules, and may feel disconnected from leadership. Taking these factors into account when planning your survey will help ensure higher engagement and more meaningful feedback.

Step 2: Design

Don’t worry, in this context “designing” doesn’t mean you need experience with graphic design. Instead, designing an effective survey simply means prioritizing the most important questions to ask, sequencing them sensibly, and making sure there is no room for misunderstanding or misinterpretation. In other words, for maximum engagement, your survey should be as simple and streamlined as possible.

When designing your survey, focus on creating questions that are clear and easy to understand. Use simple language, and consider the literacy levels and language preferences of your employees. Including multiple-choice or Likert scale questions can make it easier for employees to respond quickly and accurately.

Step 3: Distribution

This step is where things can get difficult when your audience is largely deskless. When workers aren’t spending their days at a desk or in front of a computer, it doesn’t make sense to send surveys to their email addresses (if they even have them). Yourco not only makes it easy to distribute your surveys to these employees—it also makes it easier for employees to receive and respond to them. For example, with Yourco, you can simply send text/SMS messages to employees, alerting them of a survey and inviting them to participate when they have the time. 

Consider using multiple distribution methods to reach your non-desk workforce effectively. SMS-based surveys or mobile-friendly platforms are particularly effective, as most employees have access to a mobile phone capable of receiving texts. Additionally, offline mobile surveys or kiosks can be valuable for areas with poor connectivity.

Step 4: Review and Reflection

Once employees have responded to your survey, it’s time to collect, organize, and analyze the responses. For starters, this means looking for trends and outliers in employee responses, so you can better understand individual experiences and that of the workforce as a whole. Going a level deeper, you can also gain more indirect insights into employee engagement by analyzing metrics related to survey participation—like how many employees responded to the survey, for example.

When analyzing survey responses, consider segmenting the data by department, location, or role to identify specific trends and address issues unique to particular groups. Both quantitative scores and qualitative comments deserve attention, as open-ended feedback often contains the "why" behind the scores.

Step 5: Follow-Up

You know what they say about the tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear it? A similar point applies to employee surveys. If you survey your employees but don’t follow up on their responses, then what was the point of the survey? The last thing you want to do is give employees a voice without meaningful follow-up. Here are some tips to show your employees that you appreciate their time and their feedback:

• Let them know they’re heard. Do something, anything, to acknowledge that you appreciate your employees’ feedback—and intend to follow up. This doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, even just a simple message can get the job done, for example: “Thanks, team! It looks like 10 out of 12 have responded to the recent survey! While the last responses trickle in, I’ll start reviewing them and will follow up soon.”
• Identify recurring feedback. When first reviewing survey responses, look for trends or recurring feedback. That way, you can begin to prioritize the most important points among your workforce. 
• Solicit additional/follow-up information (if needed). Especially if you use open-ended questions in your employee survey, you may need to follow up on individual responses. Assuming the survey isn’t anonymous, don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions—just tread carefully as to not seem confrontational. If you ask meaningful questions and listen without judgment, employees will appreciate the opportunity to be heard. If you’re confrontational or defensive, on the other hand, employees may think twice before responding to future surveys!
• Debrief. If workers feel like completing surveys is “just something they do” and not a meaningful activity, they’re less likely to participate honestly. The easiest way to prevent this is to debrief the team after you’ve had time to evaluate their responses. While you don’t have to reveal or break down every response, discuss some of your biggest takeaways, including recurring themes as well as points that may have surprised you. This practice not only helps employees to feel heard and valued, it also helps them to better understand their coworkers’ perspectives and strengthen their bonds as a team.
• Make changes. The whole point of employee surveys is to identify areas where you can address employee feedback and make meaningful improvements within the organization. You won’t be able to solve every problem immediately, so it’s important to prioritize the most common and/or most impactful feedback to address first. Also, if you’re going to re-use the survey in the future, you can fine-tune any questions that might benefit from rewording or clarification.
• Repeat. Whether you’re using pulse surveys, engagement surveys, or a combination of the two, surveying employees should not be a one-and-done kind of initiative. Rather, the entire point is to provide employees with a voice and an opportunity to be heard, and to drive continuous improvement. Ideally, you can set clear expectations with employees as you begin surveying them. Letting them know how frequently they can expect to receive surveys—and what kind of impact they may have—is the best way to make it a part of the culture and increase participation.

Transparent communication about survey results and planned actions is essential for building trust. Regular updates on initiative progress maintain momentum and demonstrate commitment to positive change. Creating ongoing feedback loops ensures you continually gather employee input rather than waiting for the next annual survey.

What Is the Best Way to Deliver a Survey?

One of the best ways to get survey responses is to design and distribute a survey that’s brief, easy to understand, and meaningful. Yourco provides an intuitive survey distribution platform that can streamline the processes of surveying your workforce and driving meaningful employee engagement. Whether you have desk-based employees, employees out in the field or on the floor, or a combination, Yourco provides an effective solution that makes it easy for everyone involved.

Why Yourco?
Not only does Yourco’s platform empower company leaders with an effective survey distribution platform, our survey distribution service is actually just the tip of the iceberg. Yourco is a two-way communication platform for internal employee communication, which also includes features for deploying company announcements, employee alerts, onboarding resources, and more. You can also learn more by watching the demo video on our homepage.

If you have already created surveys or have a preferred platform for doing so, you can count on Yourco for effective survey distribution. If you’re unsure how to design a great survey, or you’re looking for insights into how to get more responses on a survey, we can help with that too! Simply talk to our team to discuss ways to optimize your surveys and develop effective strategies for distributing them.

If you’d rather jump right into the platform to see how Yourco can transform your employee survey distribution, sign up for free today!