> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/managers-and-leaders/read-your-results/survey-results.md). # Survey Results An important rule of thumb in understanding your survey results is not to overthink things. Your first and foremost task is to understand the results at a very descriptive level. This does not require you to “interpret” the results. You simply need to understand how your employees responded to each of the topics and individual survey items covered by the survey. It also is important to understand whether or not your results have improved since the last survey, how your results compare to the organization as a whole and/or the larger part of the organization of which you are a part and how your results compare to the external benchmark, if appropriate. #### Which Differences Matter A difference of 10 points or more from your organization overall, your last survey, or the benchmark is worth acting on. Differences of 4 to 9 points are worth watching, not worth building a plan on by themselves: check whether the same direction shows up across related questions, or whether it repeats in your next survey. Differences of 1 to 3 points are normal movement. Group size changes the bar. With fewer than about 100 responses, look for 15 points or more before you treat a difference as real, and with fewer than about 25 responses the numbers move too much to read a single difference, so use them to start a conversation with your team rather than to conclude anything. {% hint style="info" %} **On the Heatmap, read the number, not the shade.** One colour covers 8 to 14 points, so the shade alone can't tell you whether a difference reaches 10. Check the number in the cell. {% endhint %} #### Don't Treat Survey Scores Like a Report Card * Employees’ work perceptions differ by function, job tenure, and level – some groups tend to have lower scores. * Employees who are most committed can be most critical – engaged employees want things to be better. * Position yourself as a leader with your team on the same side of the table, jointly looking to make improvements. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/managers-and-leaders/read-your-results/survey-results.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.