Can I add bespoke statements to my survey?

This article walks you through the key considerations and best practices for developing bespoke statements that align with our survey methodology and deliver valuable insights.

Do You Need a Bespoke Statement?

Before diving into bespoke statement creation, we recommend reviewing our full list of pre-existing Best Companies statements. These items are:

Tried and tested over many years
Designed to measure workplace engagement
Statement scores are benchmarkable against other organisations.

What Makes a Good Bespoke Statement?

All bespoke statements must follow the same principles as our standard items:

Relevant to workplace engagement
Measure employee attitudes
Fit our 7-point scale (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)
Include a mix of positively and negatively phrased items
Be fit for purpose and clearly actionable

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Here are key issues to watch out for when developing bespoke statements:

Issue	Description	Example to Avoid
Sensitive Items	Avoid statements that could cause distress or reveal protected characteristics.	“I am bullied here because of my sexuality.”
Knowledge-Based Items	Don’t ask employees to guess others’ thoughts or feelings.	“My manager likes me.”
Leading Statements	Avoid wording that nudges respondents toward a particular answer.	“Our recently upgraded IT system helps me work efficiently.”
Ambiguous Concepts	Steer clear of jargon or vague terms.	“My manager demonstrates strategic agility.”
Double-Barrelled Items	Focus on one idea per statement.	“My manager is approachable and efficient.”
Social Desirability Bias	Avoid statements that encourage ‘good’ answers.	“I think it’s great that my team always helps each other.”
Non-Directional Language	Be clear about the direction of impact.	“The new office layout has impacted our wellbeing.”
Culturally Loaded Language	Use every day, inclusive language.	Avoid idioms or region-specific references.
Yea/Nay Saying Bias	Mix positive and negative items to reduce bias.	Don’t use only positively phrased statements.
Response Scale Fit	Ensure statements work with a 7-point scale.	“I understand that bringing forward payday in December will mean a longer wait until January.”

How do I add a bespoke statement?

Once you have considered the above, please send your suggested statements to support@b.co.uk for initial review.

We may consult our Research Department and suggest changes if necessary. Sometimes, a bit of back-and-forth is needed to get the statements just right. That’s perfectly normal, and we’re happy to help.

Can I add bespoke statements to my survey?

Creating bespoke survey statements can help tailor your b-Heard survey to reflect your organisation’s unique culture, priorities, and challenges. However, when writing effective statements is it’s important to get it right to ensure meaningful, actionable feedback.