Employee survey - they know I didn't complete it

[ItalianoSl]

Twice a year we (a team of 7) are asked to complete an employee morale survey.
I don't want to do it. I am not contractually obliged to do so.
It is anonymous.
The manager posted in our team channel stating he knew (via the admin assistant) that only 6 out of the 7 had completed it, and that we should indicate with thumbs up emoji whether we had completed it.

I asked the admin assistant whether this was appropriate and she said she would tell him that she had enough responses.

He did add to his post that all responses were received, but did not remove his first post. 6 of the 7 have thumbed up, so it is completely clear that I have not completed it.

Is it appropriate to track individual participation in this way?

I could have just lied and thumbed up.

Why didn’t you just thumbs up?

Because it would be clear I was lying and I don't want to lie.
I am the only member of staff who is unhappy - the 'anonymous' survey would show that.

We were told the staff survey was anonymous but then one of my colleagues was challenged on her response and they admitted it recorded our email address with the response. I’ve never completed one since.

I think you were pretty brave not to 👍 I would have even if I hadn’t completed it.

Are you saying had you done it, you’d have been known anyway as you’re rhe onky one unhappy? If so then what’s rhe issue, if no one unhappy completed they’d know you didn’t do it without asking,

Whats the issue? You didn't want to fill in the form, just say that?

Because there are many messages about completing it - deadlines and the like.
I do not want to enter into a discussion about why I don't want to complete it.
They will say "just do it anyway, it's all useful".
I don't want to enter into discussion. I should not have to. I just deleted the emails and reminders. That should be enough.

Yes, it's most likely very clear that I'm the one who didn't complete it. At least the manager would know when he reads the 'anonymous' results (very hard to be anonymous when the pool is only 6 or 7 people).
The rest of the team don't know how unhappy I am - they do not need to know that I did not complete the survey and I don't think it's appropriate that it was tracked in that way.

Ok then back to you just had to give a thumbs up, the manager didn’t ask to identify the responses, he just asked if everyone completed it, this is fine, our company does too,

If you are that unhappy, surely you’d want to give some feedback on why you are so unhappy so improvements can be made? That’s the whole point!

I don't understand why you don't complete it. I dound anonymous feedback crucial from my staff. They all the honest about what is making them unhappy and I value that and can use it to make changes

We just had a survey about the Christmas shindig - I don't want one - so I filled in the survey and told my boss in our 1:1 the same day how I had completed the survey - he's my boss, there's no point in him not knowing how I feel. Same goes for you, if you are unhappy at work you need to speak to your boss - the survey is a total red herring. As a boss myself there is nothing more frustrating than a staff member sitting on a grievance, luckily it has only happened to me once when I was new in a post, but how can anything operate effectively when someone is keeping their gripes to themselves?

My contract ends at the end of the year (fixed term). I am struggling to find work. Meanwhile I sit professionally through meetings where they talk excitedly about the future of the business, how well it's doing. That's my problem to manage, and I doing so, just don't ask me to fill in a form about it. It will make no difference to me.
I am being replaced by staff in India.
I should be allowed to just get on with the work I am paid to do.

To be clear, I do give feedback - I told my manager last week that the box-ticking exercise of him sending me my 6 month review (3 month late) where I was asked about my career progression and future goals etc was not very thoughtful.
I just want to get on with my job and slope off.

I have a matter of weeks before I'm gone. I don't feel inclined to help my manager improve for staff that come behind me.

So say that to your boss: "I'm not going to complete the survey because I my contract is ending, so any feedback I provide around how I am feeling isn't really relevant." Just be upfront because otherwise it becomes a much bigger deal than it has to be. He knows you are leaving so he's not going to be surprised.

Ok, if it's how you feel, it's a bit sad, but fair enough, you are entitled to feel how you want to. Would have also been helpful to put this very salient point in your initial post.

I’m the same, years ago we did an “anonymous” survey at work and one of my colleagues was approached about their answers.

They still do them annually but I’ll never do another one, I don’t trust them. And I’m not at all confident that any comments would bring on any positive change anyway.

Fair point, but my point still stands - I don't think it is appropriate for a manager to track individual participation in a team-wide channel, regardless.

If you're unhappy at work that means there's a problem so all the more reason to complete the survey. How can anything change if you don't address the issues.

Your manager has actually caused an issue here. These employment surveys are supposed to be anonymous…… by your being asked to confirm whether or not you have completed it actually puts the entire process in jeopardy. However I don’t believe for one second that any survey that is requested by an employer is truly anonymous unless they have hired a third party to action it!

Just saw you updates about leaving soon. They weren't there when I posted. Fair point. Pretty key details to leave out of the initial post. Good luck with the job search.

Surely you can say “I haven’t completed the survey, and I obviously can’t now because you’ll know it’s me and it’ll no longer be anonymous.”

Or, just click the thumbs up, if it’s truly anonymous (it won’t be 🙄) they can’t chase you for it 🤷‍♀️

Yes he can ask if everyone has completed it, this is fine.

it seems your issue is not with the company it’s with the fact your contract ends and you can’t find another job,

I really can’t see your issue with the survey, you accepted a fixed term contract, it is not their fault yoh can’t find other work, you could participate with the survey which is about culture, you have chosen not to, that’s fine, but the manager is allowed to check with his team if they have completed, you’ve no idea if they are all happy or what the responses will be,

No it doesn’t, the answers are still anonymous. It’s the answers that are anonymous not completion,

I agree that anonymous needs to really be that - we only have 11 people in my own organisation so I do know how that feels.