Employee research: turn survey scores into a focused research question

What should you investigate after a low survey score?

A low collaboration score gives you a starting point for further research. The score alone does not explain which handover breaks down, what information is missing or where teams have different expectations. Start with one focused question: where do handovers between our teams get stuck, and what do employees need to improve them?

This is where Lecision fits: start with an organisational question, let employees describe their experiences in individual conversations and connect findings across departments. The findings inform a decision; the organisation remains responsible for deciding what to do.

Make the research question specific enough to answer

“How do we make everyone happier?” is difficult to turn into a useful research plan. Choose a situation, a group and a decision. For example: what do new employees need during their first month to handle customer questions independently?

Decide what you want to be able to do with the answers. Are you choosing between a different onboarding sequence, clearer responsibilities or better access to information? Keep those options open: interviews should also allow for explanations you have not considered.

Ask about events before interpretations

Begin an in-depth interview with a concrete experience: “Can you describe a recent handover that was difficult?” Then ask what happened, what information was available and what the participant needed at the time. Ask about a handover that went well, too. This helps you explore the circumstances behind an opinion.

Avoid a question such as “Do you agree that the other team responds too slowly?” It suggests an explanation before the participant has given their account. A more open alternative is: “What happened after you forwarded the request?” The examples in this article illustrate a research approach; they are not findings from a customer study.

When should you use a survey or an interview?

A survey with fixed questions is useful when you want to compare answers or track changes over time. An in-depth interview is useful when you need to understand how an experience develops and ask follow-up questions. The methods can complement each other: use an unexpected score as the starting point for a focused investigation.

With Lecision, you can turn that follow-up question into research with AI-supported individual interviews. You approve the research approach and use the findings to determine next steps. An interview group is not automatically representative of the whole organisation: consider who was invited, who participated and which perspectives are missing.

Build trust before inviting participants

Explain why the research is taking place, how answers will be used and what participants will receive afterwards. Check the actual research setup before promising anonymity. In small teams, specific situations may be recognisable even when names are removed.

Employees do not need their own accounts to participate in Lecision. Participants approve their own summaries. Individual conversations remain private, and reporting safeguards protect smaller groups. Read the privacy explanation before deciding what to include in your invitation.

Turn a finding into a next step you can evaluate

Suppose interviews suggest that employees are unsure who takes ownership of a request. Treat this as a finding to assess, rather than proof that one person or department is responsible. Check whether other participants describe the same situation and whether there are contrasting experiences.

One possible next step is to agree on an owner and a handover point for a single type of request. Assign responsibility, set a review date and decide which signals would indicate that the change is helping. This is an illustrative example, not a promised outcome from Lecision.

How to start your research with Lecision

Write your organisational question in one sentence. Identify the teams that know the situation and the decision you want to make after the research. Lecision helps with research planning, interviews and connecting findings. You review the approach and decide how to act on the insights.

A useful first question goes beyond “How satisfied are employees?” For example: “What makes it difficult for employees to transfer a customer question between departments?” This gives the research a clear direction while leaving room for answers you did not anticipate.

Take your research question further

See how Lecision works, read about participant privacy or calculate your research costs.