How to create a safe space for honest feedback

Survey Matters Blog

Posted by Rebecca Sullivan, March 2025

If associations want to truly understand what their members value, they need to ask them. Member research is essential but how that research is conducted matters just as much as the insights it uncovers. I was reminded of this when I took part in a survey for a project I was involved in. 

While overall the project was great, there were things I felt could be improved, so I shared my honest thoughts as requested.  

Later, I realised the feedback wasn’t anonymous. I’d been personally invited to participate, and began to worry how my comments might be perceived by the team behind the project. I didn’t mean to offend; I truly wanted to help. But instead of feeling constructive, I felt exposed and anxious about strained relationships and potentially upsetting someone. 

So here’s my message to associations: take anonymity seriously!

Third-party researchers - like us - collect and anonymise responses and clearly communicate how feedback will be used without tying it to individuals. We do this to build trust, and believe me, building trust is essential. When members feel secure, they provide honest, actionable insights that help organisations grow and improve. 

This experience made me reflect on our work at Survey Matters, where we help associations gather member feedback. Honest insights are vital for organisations, but members won’t be fully candid if they fear their responses could be traced back to them. Without guaranteed anonymity, people may sugarcoat answers—or not respond at all—leaving associations with skewed results that reflect what members think they want to hear, not the truth. 

If you don’t create a safe space for feedback, you risk surveys becoming exercises in polite platitudes, missing the real insights that drive change. The people filling out your surveys care enough to share their thoughts—they just need to feel protected. 

Let’s make it easier for everyone to be honest. Protect your members from the discomfort I experienced. After all, feedback is about growth, not guilt.