Beyond Listening More: What I learned from listening differently
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, organisations focus heavily on customer feedback — and rightly so. But there’s another equally vital source of insight that’s too often overlooked: employee feedback. The voices of employees can be a company’s most powerful tool for growth, innovation and long-term success.
Why Employee Feedback Matters
Boosts engagement and morale
Employees who feel heard are more engaged and motivated. When individuals know their opinions are valued, they become more invested in their roles and the company’s mission. This sense of ownership not only boosts morale but also reduces the disruption of turnover, rehiring, and retraining.
Identifies challenges early
Frontline employees are often the first to spot inefficiencies, customer concerns or internal bottlenecks. Encouraging feedback gives leaders access to early warning signs — allowing issues to be addressed before they escalate.
Sparks innovation
Innovation doesn’t just come from leadership teams. Employees working hands-on with products, processes and customers often have fresh ideas for improvements. A feedback-friendly culture creates a safe space for creative thinking and helps companies tap into this valuable source of innovation.
Strengthens company culture
When feedback flows both ways, it builds trust between employees and management. This open communication fosters transparency and accountability — the cornerstones of a positive workplace culture. A strong culture, in turn, helps attract and retain top talent.
Drives better business outcomes
Employee feedback often correlates directly with customer satisfaction. Happy, engaged employees deliver better service, create higher-quality products, and contribute to a more resilient and profitable business overall.
What I Learned from Listening Differently
I’ve seen first-hand how powerful it can be to hear what employees can’t always say outright.
In 2024, I switched on the Emotional Signature option in our annual Employee Experience survey here at The Harris Poll UK. Alongside collecting written comments and satisfaction scores, I was now equipped with a quantification of my team’s emotional sentiment towards working for our company.
With this new lens, everything fell into place. The collective emotional sentiment according to the Emotional Signature results showed my team felt ‘Skilled’ and ‘Energised’ to deliver, but something was holding them back—on occasions they felt ‘Restrained’.
By reading their comments and analysing KPIs alone, I was caught in the weeds of what my team thought they needed. I was missing the opportunity to maximise engagement, efficiency, and entrepreneurial spirit by understanding what they actually needed.
Over the next 12 months, I focused on identifying, understanding, and removing the restraints my team had subconsciously flagged. Our 2025 survey results show we’re making real progress. The emotional sentiment has now evolved to include ‘Fulfilled’ and ‘Proud’—and that shift is translating directly into stronger business KPIs.
The Future of Listening
Emotional Signature has elevated the actionability of employee feedback, guiding leaders directly to where focus and change matter most. It’s a new form of listening—tuning into what isn’t said and uncovering the unconscious signals that hold the deepest insights. It’s a new way of listening differently: hearing what’s unspoken and uncovering what’s unconscious.
For brands, this emotional insight is more than a mirror; it’s a predictive signal. Emotional sentiment acts as an early indicator of performance shifts, giving leaders the chance to respond before issues show up in engagement, retention or customer experience metrics.
In a world defined by uncertainty, emotions like ‘Fulfilled’ and ‘Proud’ aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re the emotional building blocks of resilience and innovation. They help teams adapt, create and stay connected through change.
Final Thoughts
Employee feedback isn’t just a tool for improving internal processes—it’s a catalyst for company-wide success. Businesses that prioritise listening to their people are more adaptable, innovative and competitive in the marketplace. Because when employees thrive, companies thrive.
But the next step is clear: go beyond listening more to start listening differently.
What emotions define your culture today? Do they empower, or hold back, your people? And if you don’t know, can you really be confident you’re unlocking the full potential of your workforce?
The power of this proprietary research approach has blown me away. Please get in touch if you’d like to hear how The Harris Poll UK can help your organisation unlock the emotional drivers of engagement, innovation and long-term performance.