Today we’re talking about why you should be using your team surveys as a key metric in your KPI’s …

But first, today’s highlights:

Google has just launched its AI search feature in the UK with potential big implications for how we all search and how the internet is monetised.

🎥 Our next Podcast episode is live on Friday! we’re going to be diving into using culture as your secret weapon. Listen on Spotify or YouTube.

Companies ignore internal feedback at their peril

Most companies obsess over what their customers think. They send out surveys. They analyse NPS scores like they’re reading tea leaves. They write lengthy Slack posts about a Trustpilot review.

But ask them how their team is feeling? Maybe a gut feel. Possibly a hurried “We did an engagement survey last year…”

Let’s get this straight: if culture really is your competitive advantage, it’s worth monitoring.

Regularly. Systematically. With the same rigour you’d apply to churn, margin or CAC.

A team pulse survey isn’t just a people-pleasing exercise. It’s your early warning system.

Done well, it tells you whether your people are bought in, burning out or quietly checking out.

But for this to work, it needs to be anonymous. That signals your intent.

You’re not out to smoke out the “bad eggs.” You’re here to listen.

You’re giving your team space to say how they really feel, without fear it will come up in their next 1:1.

Because trust isn’t declared. It’s earned.

Just as crucial: don’t let feedback disappear into a black hole.

Whether you discuss workload in your senior team meeting, report scores in your all-hands, or celebrate progress at your board meetings, you’re showing that feedback leads to action.

And that’s the difference between performative culture and actual progress.

Keep it simple and regular. Monthly or quarterly. Any more and it becomes noise. Any less and you’re just hoping for the best.

There are five core questions that act as a cultural litmus test. Add a 1 to 5 or 1 to 10 scale to each and track the scores over time. Patterns will emerge. Spikes will make sense. And you’ll have data to back your hunches.

The five key questions you need for every team pulse survey.

1. I love working here.

   Start with heart. Do they enjoy showing up?

2. I understand our goals.

   People need a North Star. If they don’t know where you’re heading, they’ll drift.

3. I understand how I help deliver those goals.

   Especially important outside of sales. Everyone wants to know how their work moves the needle.

4. I have the support I need to do my job well.

   This one tells you a lot about management, tooling, and team dynamics.

5. My workload is manageable.

   Burnout isn’t brave. And output without capacity eventually crashes.

Track these five over time and you’ll spot issues before they spiral. Celebrate improvements. See how a new hire, strategy or office move really lands. It’s culture, measured properly.

Not everything that counts can be counted. But these five come close.

Here’s Trove’s Chris Dalrymple talking about the 4 key questions to ask your team - we’ve added a 5th on above but the principle is still the same!

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See you same time next week.

Carl.