Can a manager send an anonymous follow-up question to someone who has expressed dissatisfaction in a survey?
The short answer: No – and that's for a very important reason.
Anonymous surveys work – but only if anonymity is respected
Many managers want to. They see a negative response in a heart rate measurement and think:
“We should ask what’s behind it. Show that we care. Follow up.”
But it's easy to make mistakes here – even if the intention is good.
As a manager, trying to start a dialogue around an anonymous response, even without wanting to “reveal” the person, can quickly lead to uncertainty and suspicion. It can be experienced as surveillance rather than consideration.
Why is anonymity so important?
👉 The person who responded wants to express themselves freely - without fear of being questioned.
👉 The group trusts that their feedback will not lead to any censure.
👉 Any form of "response" from management, even anonymous ones, can create speculation:
“Who was it?”
“Does the boss think it was me?”
Therefore, we offer Yesbox not anonymous chat in surveys
Yesbox has opted out of sending follow-up questions to individual respondents in anonymous employee surveys. Not because dialogue is wrong – but because the time and place for dialogue is in the group.
Surveys are a tool for understanding the needs of the team, not for addressing individual problems.
What you as a manager can do instead
Raise the issue broadly within the team:
“We received signals that something is not working. How do you feel about this?”
Invite volunteer conversations via other channels:
HR, safety representative or other safe ways.
Focus on patterns – not individual voices:
Negative comments are valuable signals – but the solution rarely lies in trying to “fix” an individual.
Summary:
- Never send messages directly to anonymous replies.
- Fully respect anonymity – it builds trust.
- Use the results to strengthen the group, not chase details.
Do you want a better way to follow up on your employee surveys?
Yesbox gives you the tools to act at the right level – without compromising trust.
Learn more about employee surveys
Or let's discuss further here