Purpose – This paper aims to describe the ways in which employers can maximize responses to their employee-satisfaction surveys.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper deals, in turn, with each of the factors that determine response rates: engagement; involvement; relevance; experience; expectation; method; convenience; anonymity/confidentiality; the questionnaire itself; contentment; despair; incentives; urgency; reminders; and coercion.

Findings – The paper provides examples of good and bad practice, while revealing that there is no single “best way”.

Practical implications – The paper looks, in particular, at the differences between web-based and paper questionnaires.

Originality/value – The paper provides plenty of useful information for employers to gain an accurate picture of employees' feelings about their experience at work.