A new whitepaper from People Insight, The future of employee listening in HE, advises universities to shift from annual surveys to faster, more continuous feedback practices that enable organisations to respond and act far more quickly than before.
The guide presents a range of listening techniques used across the sector and highlights how taking visible action on feedback can improve trust, communication, and staff engagement.
The report draws on data from over 75 Higher Education Institutions, including leading institutions within the Russell Group.
The research reveals a trust gap around action. Just 40% of employees believe their feedback will result in tangible change. Among academics the figure drops to 36%, while confidence among professional services staff stands at 42%.
Jane Tidswell, HE Director at People Insight said: “When only 40% of your employees believe action will be taken, the priority is closing the loop. This guide helps HE leaders move from comment overload to two or three clear steps per team, so employees see change and action, rather than just another survey.”
The report also showed that leader visibility matters to staff, as 46% feel senior leaders make an effort to listen. The results suggest managers are the primary listeners and where managers are supported, institutions see quicker progress. One London university lifted response rates by 11 points and engagement by 5 points with stronger manager involvement in action planning.The findings suggested that a broader mix of listening methods works best. Universities are combining check-in surveys, one-to-ones, focus groups, anonymous routes, town halls and digital Q&A to reach different roles across faculties and services.
Results also showed that AI can turn comments into clarity. The paper explains how AI and natural language processing group themes and sentiment so issues like workload or burnout risk are easier to spot and address.
The report sets out employee listening trends that are making a real difference to universities and highlights the shifts that will shape 2026 and beyond. It includes advice on strengthening listening strategies to drive meaningful organisational change and improve employee engagement and motivation, with case studies and client examples throughout.
A copy of the report can be downloaded from peopleinsight.co.uk/future-employee-listening-he.
