Welcome to Discuss Engagement Survey Results with the Team! This course equips you as a people manager to boost employee engagement by leading confident, effective team conversations about survey results. You will learn how to thoughtfully frame the engagement discussion, establish a foundation of trust from the start, guide open team dialogue to surface shared insights, and steer clear of common pitfalls that can stall progress.

Starting your journey to leading effective engagement discussions begins with setting the right foundation. This first unit on Frame the Engagement Conversation with Trust focuses on how to thoughtfully prepare for your team’s engagement survey conversation. This includes ensuring everyone feels safe, heard, and ready to participate. By mastering these skills, you’ll be able to foster trust, encourage openness, and set the stage for meaningful improvement. These are essential skills for any people manager who wants to build a thriving, motivated team.

Before discussing engagement survey results, it’s important to clarify the purpose of the conversation. Emphasize that the goal is to understand the results together and identify opportunities for growth—not to assign blame or single anyone out. Setting this intention helps reduce anxiety and encourages everyone to participate openly. The sample email below provides a solid example of how manager could craft this messaging for their team.

Subject: Upcoming Team Meeting: Let’s Review Our Engagement Survey Results Together

Hi Team,

I wanted to let you know that we’ll be meeting soon to review the results of our recent engagement survey. The purpose of this conversation is to look at the feedback together, understand what’s working well, and identify areas where we can grow as a team. This is not about assigning blame or singling anyone out—it’s about learning together and finding ways to make our work environment even better.

I encourage everyone to come with an open mind and be ready to share your thoughts. Your honest input is important, and I want this to be a supportive, collaborative discussion.

I’ll send out an agenda ahead of time so you know what to expect. If you have any questions or concerns before the meeting, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

Looking forward to our conversation and to working together on next steps!

Best,
[Manager Name]

To encourage honest and constructive dialogue, let your team know that the meeting is a safe space. Make it clear that all perspectives are welcome and that there will be no negative consequences for sharing candid feedback. You can reinforce this message both in your verbal communication and in messages sent to the team before the discussion.

For example, in your meeting invitation or pre-meeting email, you might write:
"I want everyone to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, whether positive or critical. This is a judgment-free space, and your input is valuable to our team’s growth. There are no right or wrong answers—just your honest experiences and ideas."

You can also include a note such as:
"Please know that all feedback will be treated with respect and confidentiality. Our goal is to learn together and make improvements as a team, not to single anyone out."

By stating these intentions clearly in advance, you help set expectations and reduce anxiety about participating. Reinforcing psychological safety helps build trust and sets the stage for meaningful conversation.

Providing the team engagement discussion agenda ahead of time helps your team know what to expect and come prepared to contribute. Outline what will be covered, such as key scores, themes from the survey, and next steps for improvement. Sharing the agenda signals transparency and invites participation.

Sample Agenda Checklist:

• Review the purpose of the meeting
• Go over key survey scores and highlights
• Discuss themes and areas that stood out
• Invite team members to share their perspectives
• Brainstorm ideas for improvement
• Agree on next steps and follow-up actions

By thoughtfully framing the conversation and preparing your team, you lay the groundwork for a productive and positive discussion. In the next role-play session, you’ll get to practice these techniques and see how they help create a safe, open environment for your team.