Top-down vs. bottom-up employee surveys: which approach is better?

By Nils Reisen on 16.07.2021 | 5 minutes reading time

Employees in company working with feedback

Employee surveys are an essential tool for gathering insights into workplace dynamics, but which approach should you choose: top-down or bottom-up? In this article, we explore both methods, highlight their benefits, and help you decide which one suits your organisational needs.

You have probably experienced a few employee surveys in your professional career. Especially with the rise of pulse surveys in recent years. These surveys tend to be more frequent and, thankfully, shorter, which allows them to capture current circumstances rather than reflecting on outdated issues.

However, one thing has remained constant: the majority of employee surveys still follow a top-down approach. But is this approach always the best? Not necessarily. Let’s dive into the key differences between top-down and bottom-up employee surveys and examine when each is most effective.

Top-down surveys provide answers to research questions

The top-down approach remains the most common type of employee survey. In this model, a select group—often from HR—designs the survey, analyses the data, and shares the results with the management team first before any broader communication. Hence the term "top-down."

Key Characteristics of top-down surveys

  • Purpose: Typically designed to gather data on specific research questions or test hypotheses. The goal is to answer specific questions like, “How satisfied are employees with leadership?” or “What is the current level of employee engagement?”
  • Data type: Focuses heavily on quantitative data (e.g., Likert scale ratings) to measure predefined metrics, as well as qualitative data when open-ended feedback is included.
  • Process: Results are analysed by HR or external experts and presented to top management, who then decide on actions and how to implement them across the company.

Top-down surveys are anonymous in most cases. The goal is to ensure employees can provide honest feedback without fear of repercussions.

Many companies and survey providers believe anonymity is essential for accurate insights. While this may be true for sensitive topics like harassment, inclusion, or leadership behavior, anonymous surveys also come with significant drawbacks that are often overlooked.

Bottom-up surveys empower employees to drive change

The bottom-up survey model takes a different approach. Rather than being controlled by management, the feedback is intended to encourage employees to take ownership of their collaboration and work environment and use it to drive change within their teams and across the organisation.

Key characteristics of bottom-up surveys

  • Purpose: Focuses on promoting employee empowerment and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The feedback collected is not only used to identify challenges but to spark action and changes from within the teams.
  • Data type: Primarily qualitative data, often gathered through open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses and suggestions.
  • Process: Results are shared transparently across the organisation. This visibility allows employees to discuss feedback openly and implement improvements at the team level. In some cases, overarching issues are escalated to management, who can take further action.

Rather than hiding the feedback behind layers of anonymity, bottom-up surveys allow for the kind of transparent and open discussions that encourage teams to implement real, grassroots improvements. Over time, this process builds a culture of feedback, personal responsibility, and empowerment within the organisation.

Due to the long history of anonymous employee surveys, management and HR often react with initial skepticism. However, we’ve found that employees generally embrace open feedback, which effectively turns unspoken workplace issues into opportunities for improvement.

The key difference: the users

The key difference between both approaches are the user groups. While the users of top-down surveys are mainly the survey team and line management, the main users of bottom-up surveys are the employees and teams.

Differences between bottom-up and top-down-surveys



This has a fundamental impact on both how the surveys are designed and run. Here are some typical characteristics of both types of employee surveys.

Top-down Bottom-up
Number of questions >10, often dozens <10
Question type Closed questions (measure precisely, test hypotheses) Open questions (learn as much as possible)
Data type Focus on quantitative data Focus on qualitative data
Topics Topics that are interesting for HR and management (“How are employees doing?”) Topics that are interesting for employees and teams (“What can we do to work/collaborate better?”)
User group Small (survey team, HR, management) Large (all employees participating in the survey)

When to use top-down surveys: best for specific research needs

Top-down surveys work best when you need targeted data to answer research-driven questions or when a structured measurement approach is required. These surveys are ideal for:

  • Testing assumptions or gathering data on specific topics such as leadership behaviour, employee satisfaction, or employee loyalty
  • Addressing sensitive topics where anonymity is critical (e.g., harassment, inclusion)
  • Engaging only a sample of employees rather than the entire organisation

While top-down surveys can provide clear insights into these areas, their effectiveness is often limited by the lack of involvement from the employees themselves. The key to turning survey results into action lies in the degree to which employees feel empowered to make changes based on the insights they provide.

When to use bottom-up surveys: best for continuous learning and employee empowerment

Bottom-up surveys excel in situations where the goal is to create an ongoing culture of feedback, learning, and improvement. They are the perfect choice if you want to:

  • Encourage employees to take ownership of their work environment and collaborate on improvements
  • Enable employees to drive change at both a local and organisational level
  • Promote a feedback culture that integrates learning and development into everyday work

These surveys are particularly valuable for organisations undergoing change or transformation, as they foster communication, increase engagement, and create a sense of shared responsibility.

Final thoughts: choose the approach that works for your goals

At Pulse Feedback, we’ve adopted a bottom-up approach to our employee surveys, driven by our belief that the most meaningful improvements come when employees are actively involved in the process. This method has proven highly successful in promoting transparency and continuous improvement. Employees, when given the chance, will often surprise you with their willingness to drive change, especially when they feel that their feedback matters and is taken seriously.

However, both top-down and bottom-up surveys have their place – and both are possible with our tool. If you’re dealing with sensitive or complex issues that require anonymity, or if you need to gather data from a specific group of employees, top-down surveys may be the best choice. On the other hand, if you’re looking to promote employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous improvement across all levels, a bottom-up approach will likely deliver better results.

Ultimately, the right approach depends on the specific objectives of your survey and the type of impact you wish to achieve.

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