As an internal communications agency, running an effective employee focus group is one of the most powerful tools in our toolkit. A well-executed employee focus group allows our team the opportunity to hear directly from employees, gather real-time insights, and ensure our strategies are grounded. For best results, it’s not only asking the right questions; it’s about creating a space where participants feel comfortable sharing their honest opinions. In this post, I'll break down the key steps to running an employee focus group that delivers actionable feedback, helping us craft internal messaging that truly resonates.
To get the most out of employee focus groups, it’s important to set clear goals prior to conducting the focus group. Decide what you’re hoping to learn—whether it's feedback on communication tools, insights into employee engagement, or ways to improve how people communicate. Having these objectives in place will help guide the conversation and keep things on track with meaningful questions.
When organizing employee focus groups, it's important to select a diverse group of participants. Aim to include people from different departments, regions, and seniority levels within the company. While diversity is key for gaining well-rounded insights, it's also helpful to create smaller groups based on job title or seniority to ensure discussions are focused and relevant. This approach allows for a range of perspectives while still maintaining a structured, productive conversation.
It's important to create an environment where participants feel they can speak openly. Start by having everyone introduce themselves and share their background to break the ice and make the atmosphere more relaxed. Avoid mixing leadership levels in discussions. While all levels should participate, separate the participant groups by seniority to encourage open dialogue. If the session is being recorded, let everyone know it's strictly for research purposes and won’t be shared internally.
When crafting questions for employee focus groups, focus on open-ended questions that encourage thoughtful and detailed responses. The goal is to create a fluid discussion rather than a rigid Q&A or interview-style session. Avoid yes/no questions, as they limit feedback depth, while open-ended questions help generate richer insights. Since focus groups aim to understand employees' realities, there is often a gap between leadership’s goals and the feedback from these sessions. This gap helps shape communications strategies.
Having distinct roles during an employee focus group is essential for keeping the discussion organized and productive. One person should be responsible for facilitating the conversation, while another focuses on capturing key insights and taking notes. The moderator’s main role is to guide the discussion, keeping participants on track with the research objectives, managing time, and avoiding tangents. Meanwhile, the note-taker ensures that important insights are documented accurately, allowing the moderator to concentrate fully on leading the conversation. Additionally, a logistics coordinator can handle technical and administrative tasks, such as recording the session and managing materials, to keep everything running smoothly. This division of responsibilities helps ensure that the session stays focused and all valuable feedback is captured.
When analyzing employee focus group findings, it's important to look for patterns, recurring themes, and actionable insights in participants' responses. These insights can then be translated into concrete action items by identifying common obstacles and brainstorming solutions to overcome them. Presenting the results in the form of actionable deliverables ensures clarity on next steps. Following up with participants is also key—it shows them how their feedback has been utilized, helping to build trust and keep them engaged in the process.
Need help with focus groups? Tribe can help.
