Highly engaged employees bring energy and enthusiasm to their daily work. Maximizing the health of your workplace culture is essential for accomplishing the mission of your organization. Research by Best Christian Workplaces demonstrates that an investment in annual surveying of workplace health offers the quickest path to a flourishing culture.
Annual measurement of workplace health using Best Christian Workplaces’ Employee Engagement Survey leads to faster improvement in employee engagement. Shorter feedback loops give leaders more opportunities to improve workplace health by implementing improvement plans based on reliable data. Organizations that survey workplace health less often experience a lower rate of improvement.
A five-year study of 475 of Best Christian Workplaces’ Ministry Partners found that those who measure employee engagement every year experience faster, steadier growth in culture health than those with gaps in their survey cycles.
Ministries that survey annually make almost twice the progress as those that survey less frequently. While the 1 percent difference might seem small, over the course of several years, the investment in workplace health compounds. This gives organizations that regularly focus on workplace health momentum in creating a flourishing workplace.
The measurable impact of annual surveys is reinforced by data showing variation in improvement over the years between surveys.
This additional information confirms the value of annual surveys and highlights the risk organizations face when their survey cycle has a 3-year gap. A longer gap between survey cycles leads to minimal improvement in workplace health.
Workplace culture doesn’t improve on its own. Lack of attention to employee engagement leads to diminished energy in the workplace and creates an environment where unhealthy attitudes can grow under the radar.
Culture grows when it’s measured consistently. Annual surveys create a rhythm of accountability and encouragement. Regular measurement helps leaders see progress, reinforce engagement efforts, and respond to what matters most to their teams.
There is an investment of time and resources to measure workplace health and create action plans for improvement. When organizations prioritize this investment on an annual basis, they see the compounding benefit of improved workplace health year after year. Annual surveys are also more easily incorporated into annual planning and strategy, maximizing the value of an investment in collecting data.
Leaders who decide to stop measuring employee engagement are flying blind and making assumptions about the health of their workplace. Unfortunately, inattention to workplace health allows toxic behaviors to spread and discourages even the most committed employees.
Regular measurement keeps culture visible, builds trust, and demonstrates that leaders listen to and care about their employees.
Make the most of your investment in workplace health by committing to annual check-ups and systematic improvement plans.
For additional information about the value of consistently measuring employee engagement, read The Active Feedback Loop: Why Healthy Workplaces Never Stop Listening
Sources: Based on analysis by Doug Waldo, PhD, Senior Consultant, Best Christian Workplaces. Employee Engagement Outcomes by Survey Frequency (Research Brief, January 31, 2025) and Change in Employee Engagement Survey Score, Year to Year (Research Brief, April 2025)
Article and research by Dr. Doug Waldo, Research Director and Sr. Consultant, Best Christian Workplaces.