HR leaders report low effectiveness in employee listening programs, Remesh survey finds

Gaps in employee listening programs

Remesh’s survey of 107 HR leaders in the US and UK found that 80% of organizations have formal employee listening programs, but only 18% of HR leaders consider their approach "very effective." Despite using an average of 4.1 listening methods—such as manager-led conversations and annual surveys—organizations struggle to translate feedback into meaningful action.

The survey revealed that only 8% of employees strongly believe their organization acts on survey feedback. This disconnect is reflected in declining engagement metrics: global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, the lowest level since 2020, according to the survey. Gallup’s data, cited in the findings, estimates the resulting lost productivity at $10 trillion, or 9% of global GDP.

Priorities and challenges for HR leaders

HR leaders identified creating a safe and trusted environment for feedback as a top priority, with 33% ranking it as the most important factor in effective listening. However, only 28% said their organizations excel in acting on feedback, while 29% acknowledged needing improvement in this area.

When asked what makes an employee listening program effective, 23% of HR leaders ranked "leads to meaningful change" as the top factor, and 47% placed it in their top three. Despite this, manager engagement—a critical driver of employee feedback—dropped from 27% to 22% between 2024 and 2025.

Patrick Hyland, Managing Director of Employee Research at Remesh, noted that HR leaders are overwhelmed by the volume of employee feedback but lack the tools to act on it efficiently. "The focus should shift from merely collecting data to generating actionable insights," he said.

Context: Workplace trends and challenges

This survey follows earlier reporting on workplace challenges, including the impact of AI adoption on productivity and organizational culture. While AI tools are being integrated into workflows, the Remesh findings suggest that fundamental issues like employee engagement and trust remain unresolved. The disconnect between feedback collection and action may exacerbate these challenges, particularly as organizations navigate hybrid work models and shifting employee expectations.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

For founders and operators, the Remesh survey underscores a critical operational risk: collecting employee feedback without a clear plan to act on it can erode trust and productivity. The $10 trillion global productivity loss tied to low engagement is a stark reminder that listening programs are not just an HR checkbox but a strategic imperative. The drop in manager engagement—from 27% to 22%—also signals a growing leadership gap, which startups and growing companies may feel acutely as they scale.

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