Tinatin Gogmachadze,
Research Analyst, ACTR

For development-oriented organizations, creating a people-centered culture and ensuring a supportive environment for employees is one of the main strategic priorities. Employees’ psychological safety, motivation, and engagement directly determine both individual effectiveness and the organization’s overall sustainability. That’s why modern HR practice is increasingly based on evidence-driven approaches that enable companies to identify and manage organizational climate trends in a timely manner. 

To achieve this, the implementation of various types of research interventions is becoming increasingly common and prioritized. Internal organizational surveys, in particular, are an important tool that allows organizations to understand what employees think and feel — how they perceive the culture, communication, and leadership — and which areas require strategic change. 

Employee engagement and well-being have become some of the most frequently measured indicators in modern organizational practice. Surveys designed to assess employee experience, motivation, and culture have already become a global standard. Accordingly, research instruments have also turned into “listening mechanisms” for companies — helping managers understand how employees feel in their work environment and where there is potential for improvement. 

However, the growing number of initiatives does not always guarantee reliable results. In practice, collected data can sometimes be superficial and fail to reflect employees’ genuine sentiments. In this context, several factors emerge that undermine the effectiveness and quality of such research activities (Gallup, 2023). 

When planning internal organizational research, companies often focus heavily on questionnaire design, thematic areas, and technical aspects, but sometimes overlook one of the most influential factors: employee trust in the process (Baquero, 2023). 

Barriers That Undermine Trust in Internal Organizational Research 

According to international practice, several key barriers have been identified that weaken research effectiveness by reducing employee trust: 

Lack of follow-up on results — The absence of action after a survey is one of the main barriers to future feedback. Surveys only gain credibility and meaning when an organization implements real changes based on the collected feedback. Otherwise, when employees see that results disappear into reports without translating into action, trust erodes, and motivation to participate in future surveys declines. 

Deficit of communication and transparency — One of the main reasons for employee distrust is a lack of information about who sees their responses, how the data is processed, and what happens to the results. A process that is unclear typically raises doubts and, naturally, reduces the likelihood of receiving honest feedback (SHRM, 2019). 

Fear of confidentiality breaches — One of the most common reasons for mistrust is the fear that survey responses might be traced back to specific employees. This concern is particularly strong when surveys are conducted internally by the HR department or direct management. Many employees remain skeptical about anonymity, even when confidentiality is formally ensured. Studies show that such fear often leads to altered behavior and socially desirable responses — employees avoid expressing critical opinions and opt for “safe,” neutral answers. This, in turn, reduces data reliability, causing the research to lose its primary purpose: capturing authentic feedback and accurately reflecting organizational reality (Huebner & Zacher, 2021). 

Trust — The Foundation of Research 

Trust is the invisible core on which the effectiveness of any internal organizational research stands. It emerges when employees feel that their voices are protected, heard, and lead to real outcomes. The balance of these factors determines whether a Research becomes a living mechanism — a driver of growth and change through feedback — or a formal exercise that yields no results. 

What Principles Should an Organization Follow? 

Internal organizational research is effective only when the organization follows clear methodological and ethical standards. 

An organization should ensure: 

Guarantee of anonymity — The questionnaire should include only general characteristics and no information that could identify individuals. Each group should include at least 5–8 people to maintain statistical anonymity and prevent data from being linked to specific respondents. 

Transparent communication — Employees must know exactly who has access to the data, how it will be processed, and how results will be used. The credibility of the process begins with informed consent and a clear explanation of research objectives. 

Mechanisms for objectivity — Ideally, data analysis or interpretation should be conducted by a neutral third party to minimize the risk of conflicts of interest. 

Feedback cycle — Research results should not be limited to a report; the organization should demonstrate to employees what changes have been made based on their feedback. 

Ethical standards — Surveys should be based on voluntariness, informed consent, and data confidentiality principles. 

Consistency — Research should be conducted regularly (e.g., annually) to assess dynamics and compare trends over time. 

Cultural adaptation — Questionnaires should align with the organization’s tone and values. 

Data security — Collected data must be securely stored with limited access and not used for other purposes. 

Why Is It Preferable to Involve an External Research Company? 

Despite adherence to these principles, when surveys are conducted internally by HR departments or management, employees may still fear that their responses could be identified or interpreted subjectively. To overcome this barrier, involving an external research company becomes particularly important. 

Research conducted by an independent third party creates a neutral and secure environment where employees feel freer to express themselves — even on sensitive topics. Additionally, data is processed anonymously and interpreted objectively (SHRM, 2022). 

This finding once again highlights that a trustworthy environment — whether created internally or through an external partner — is the key factor for the quality of employee surveys. 

International reviews and research institutes agree that involving an independent external partner significantly increases employee trust — both in the research process and in its outcomes. Engaging a neutral third party eliminates the fear of identification and strengthens a culture of honest feedback. Moreover, anonymity and objectivity are ensured, as external partners maintain high standards of data quality, methodological accuracy, and research ethics. 

This approach also helps build a culture of trust within the organization — creating a channel where employees’ voices are transformed into real change. 

Thus, engaging an external research company brings a dual benefit to organizations: 

Enhanced credibility: Employees share their opinions more honestly, knowing that data is handled by a neutral, independent party; 

Ensured objectivity: Results are analyzed by professionals who are free from conflicts of interest and focused on factual insights. 

Ultimately, employee trust is the central axis of any internal organizational research. In this context, an external partner can truly serve as a “channel of trust” — enabling employees to speak freely and helping organizations see the real picture, building their development and transformation process on authentic feedback. 

References: 

Baquero, A. (2023). Authentic leadership, employee work engagement, trust in the leader, and workplace well-being: A moderated mediation model. Psychology Research and Behavior Management 

Gallup. (2023). State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report.  

Huebner, L. A., & Zacher, H. (2021). Following up on employee surveys: A conceptual framework and systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology. 

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2018). Employee engagement surveys: Why do workers distrust them?  

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2022). Worker mistrust leads to flawed data in engagement surveys.  

Eurekafacts. (2024, February 6). Five benefits from hiring an external survey company (Applied Research/Industry Source)