Focus on Outcome
Setting up continuous research initially requires more preparation and work than ad-hoc research. However, once established, no time or effort is wasted on the execution of the research. The organization can fully focus on the results and their interpretation.
Automatic Intervals
Automatically repeat research at fixed intervals. For example, approach a small portion of all employees or a fixed percentage of closed tickets each week. To achieve this, connect your research platform directly to a database containing respondent and/or transaction data and define the appropriate target groups based on the available characteristics. Being able to define fixed percentages (of the total target group), invitation or response quantities is useful for achieving the right balance between sufficient results and minimizing the burden on employees.
Individual Invitation Policy
Define a policy regarding the exclusion period for individuals who have already been invited to a survey. When multiple continuous research projects are running with overlapping target groups, you can also determine the minimum time that should elapse between project invitations. This way, you have more control over contact moments and achieve higher response rates.
Equal Representation
Consider whether periodic invitations should be distributed proportionally among, for example, countries or divisions. In that case, you invite a fixed percentage of each "sub" target group, gradually collecting responses for these groups throughout the year. An additional benefit is that when new countries or divisions are added (e.g., through acquisitions), an unevenly large number of employees from these groups are approached.
Capturing Responses
To optimize the entire process, it is recommended to record all invitations and responses for analysis. This allows you to identify response trends and evaluate initiatives aimed at improving response rates in terms of effectiveness.
Data-Driven
Support the research process with data-driven functionality. This allows you to define in which languages to invite employees in and optionally ask questions based on location or situation. A "one-size-fits-all" approach reduces relevance and decreases employee engagement.
By working according to these concepts, you ensure a continuous research process that adapts to specific situations and takes the individual employee into account. This lays the foundation for consistently high response rates and an insightful process that can be adjusted as needed.
Continuous Research Checklist:
Invitation logic per research project
Overarching logic between research projects
Integration of research platform with a database
Automatic intervals
Determining fixed invitation quantities or percentages
Evenly distributing invitations across divisions/countries
Capturing response data
Data-driven research functionality