What can go wrong conducting HR research?

Actually… everything. But why do some HR studies fail to deliver any value, and how can you avoid that?

At first glance, HR research seems simple—we prepare questions, collect responses, analyze results. Yet often we end up asking ourselves: “Why did we even do this?”

Let’s look at what typically goes wrong and how to prevent it.

Lack of research questions = no direction

If you don’t know what questions you want to ask, it’s hard to expect valuable answers.

I often see questionnaires created in a rush—just a few general questions, without reflecting on what we really want to find out. The result? Data that is superficial and doesn’t support any decisions.

How to avoid this:

• Define the main purpose of the research – what do you want to understand or test?
• Identify 2–3 key research questions (e.g., “Do employees feel they have an influence on company decisions?”).
• Only then build the questionnaire around these questions.

Provocative question: If we don’t even know why we’re doing the research—do we really need to do it?

No research ambassadors – nobody owns the process

HR research is often treated as a “HR project,” when it should be an initiative for the whole organization. If leaders don’t feel co-responsible for the research’s success, it’s hard to expect their engagement—in communication or in using the results.

How to avoid this:

• Appoint research ambassadors - leaders and key people in teams.
• Involve them in communication - let them share the value of the research.
• Show that their role goes beyond “sending out the survey link” to include analyzing results and planning actions together.

Provocative thought: If a study doesn’t have its ambassadors - maybe it’s better to call it “an HR initiative you don’t really need to care about” from the start?

No sense of impact on change

Nothing kills motivation faster than when employees don’t see the effect of their honesty. They answer the questions, share their insights, and the company… does nothing. The result? The next survey is met with skepticism: “Why should we bother, if nothing changes?”

How to avoid this:

• Plan how the results will be used from the very beginning.
• Communicate the results openly—even if not all changes are possible immediately.
• Show concrete actions taken after the survey and remind employees that these changes are the result of their voice.

Ironic consequence: Employees start treating surveys as a ritual with only one purpose—to prove that nothing can change.

Good HR research starts long before the questionnaire is sent. It needs a clear purpose, support from ambassadors, and a real plan for implementing change.

Without these elements, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “research for research’s sake”—and as we know by now, that’s definitely not the path to meaningful and effective HR research.

Photo by Kind and Curious on Unsplash