As the U.S. job market slowly improves and employee engagement levels continue to fluctuate, more and more organizations are using employee engagement surveys to gauge employees’ ideas and concerns, monitor engagement levels and implement changes that align with employee feedback.

A June 2011 SHRM study conducted in collaboration with Globoforce found employee engagement to be the most important HR challenge organizations will face in the next three to five years. An employee survey is a useful, effective vehicle to measure engagement. While there are several advantages to administering an employee engagement survey, there are also a few obstacles employers face.

Earlier this year, HR Solutions Inc. conducted an online poll of 210 organizations across various industries to better understand some of the common obstacles prohibiting high survey participation rates. When asked what obstacle most prohibited high participation at their organization, the top three responses were: “Employees did not feel the survey was confidential” (28.1 percent); “lack of confidence that the survey results will lead to change” (27 percent); and “lack of interest” (11.4 percent). Here’s how talent managers can combat these factors:

• Confidentiality. In marketing an employee survey, organizations must make clear that confidentiality is 100 percent guaranteed. If using a third-party administrator to conduct the survey, organizations should require a guarantee of absolute confidentiality for their employees in writing. In addition, organizations should enforce a minimum threshold of respondents before reporting work group and/or demographic results.

• Skepticism that the survey will lead to positive, lasting change. For employees to enthusiastically buy in to the survey process, organizations need to commit to using the feedback provided by employees to effectively plan. Talent managers should seize every opportunity to report positive changes implemented as a result of the survey. By communicating the “quick wins” — or small, easily-made improvements that result in an immediate boost to engagement — and new initiatives that were launched as a result of employees’ recommendations, the company will provide tangible proof to employees that their feedback is leading to positive change.