Employee Feedback Tools: Target Boosts Morale

SurveyMars Editorial Team 1349 words 11 min read

For retail brands with hundreds of stores, keeping employees happy and engaged isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s directly tied to customer service. But how do you collect honest employee feedback from cashiers, stockers, and store managers across different locations? That’s where a reliable survey tool comes in.

A good survey tool turns scattered complaints (“The schedule is unfair”) or quiet frustrations (“I don’t feel heard”) into clear, actionable insights. For Target, the U.S. retail giant with over 1,900 stores, using employee feedback and a survey tool didn’t just boost team morale—it also improved customer satisfaction scores by 18% in six months. Here’s how they did it.

1. Target’s Big Problem: Employees Weren’t Speaking Up

Target’s store teams are the face of the brand—they help customers find products, restock shelves, and handle returns. But in 2022, the company noticed two red flags:

Employee turnover was 25% higher than the retail average (especially for part-time staff).

Store managers kept hearing vague feedback like “Things are stressful,” but no one could say why.

The HR team tried in-person meetings, but employees were hesitant to share honest thoughts—they worried about upsetting their managers. They needed a way to collect feedback anonymously, at scale. That’s when they decided to use a survey tool to gather structured employee feedback.

2. Using Engagement Survey to Find the Root Cause

First, Target didn’t just send a random survey—they designed a focused engagement survey (a type of employee survey) to dig into what was bothering teams. They used their survey tool to ask specific questions, not generic ones:

“Do you feel your schedule is posted far enough in advance (at least 2 weeks)?”

“Have you received enough training to handle customer questions about new products?”

“Do you think your manager values your ideas?”

They made the survey anonymous (a key feature of their survey tool) and kept it short—only 10 questions, so employees could finish it during their break. They also sent it to all store staff, not just managers—cashiers and stockers had just as much to say as team leads.

The results were eye-opening:

60% of part-time employees said schedules were posted less than 3 days in advance, making it hard to plan childcare or second jobs.

45% of new hires said they didn’t get enough training on new tech (like self-checkout machines), leading to stress on the job.

Only 30% of employees felt their ideas were “taken seriously” by store managers.

3. Staff Survey + Survey Analytics: Turning Feedback into Changes

Target didn’t stop at collecting answers—they used survey analytics (a built-in feature of their survey tool) to organize the data by store, role, and tenure. For example:

Stores in busy urban areas had the highest complaints about schedule uncertainty.

New hires (less than 3 months on the job) were twice as likely to mention training gaps.

Then they acted fast, starting with the biggest pain points:

Schedule fixes: They mandated that all stores post schedules 3 weeks in advance, and used their survey tool to send a follow-up staff survey a month later—80% of part-time employees said the change made their lives easier.

Training updates: They added 2 hours of hands-on training for new hires on self-checkout and inventory tools. A second engagement survey showed training satisfaction jumped from 55% to 82%.

Manager check-ins: They taught store managers to hold monthly “idea sharing” meetings, where employees could suggest changes (like better break room snacks or more flexible shift swaps).

Target also used a culture survey (another type of employee survey) three months later to measure progress. The results: Employee engagement scores rose by 32%, and turnover dropped by 17%. One cashier wrote in the follow-up survey: “Finally, it feels like the company cares about our needs, not just sales.”

4. Why SurveyMars Is a Game-Changer for Retail Brands Like Target

Target used a enterprise-level survey tool, but smaller retail brands don’t need a big budget to do the same—SurveyMars offers all the features Target relied on, but at a scale that works for small to mid-sized businesses.

SurveyMars’ survey tool makes it easy to:

Build custom engagement survey or staff survey templates (no coding needed)—you can tweak questions to fit retail needs (like schedule flexibility or training).

Keep feedback anonymous (critical for honest responses)—employees can share thoughts without fear of repercussions.

Use survey analytics to spot trends—you can filter data by store location, role, or hire date, just like Target did.

For example, a small clothing boutique could use SurveyMars to send a staff survey about holiday rush stress, then use the analytics to see if part-time staff need more support. A grocery store could run a culture survey to check if employees feel valued—and fix issues before turnover spikes.

SurveyMars also integrates with common retail HR tools (like schedule apps), so you can link survey feedback to real changes (e.g., if employees complain about short breaks, you can adjust schedules directly).

5. How to Start Collecting Employee Feedback (Even If You Have 5 Stores, Not 1,900)

You don’t need a huge team to use employee feedback and a survey tool effectively. Here’s Target’s playbook, simplified for any retail brand:

1.Ask specific questions: Don’t say “How’s work?” Ask “Do you get enough notice for your schedule?” Specificity gets you actionable answers.

2.Keep it anonymous: Use a survey tool that lets employees skip entering their name or ID—this is the only way to get honest feedback.

3.Act fast (and tell employees you did): If 70% say training is lacking, add a training session and email the team: “We heard you—here’s what we’re changing.”

4.Follow up with a second survey: Send a short check-in 1-2 months later to see if changes are working. Target’s follow-up surveys were key to measuring progress.

Final Thought: Employee Feedback Isn’t Just Data—It’s Trust

Target’s success shows that a survey tool and employee feedback aren’t just about fixing problems—they’re about building trust with your team. When employees see that their thoughts lead to real changes, they’re more engaged, stay longer, and provide better customer service.

Whether you have 10 employees or 100, its survey tool helps you collect, analyze, and act on employee feedback—no fancy tech skills needed.

At the end of the day, retail is a people business. Happy employees mean happy customers—and a survey tool is the first step to making both happen.

Q1: I added a wrong question—how do I delete just that one question, not the entire survey?

A: Yes. Hover over the question you want to delete, and you’ll see a "Trash" icon (️) on the right. Click the icon, then confirm "Yes, Delete" in the pop-up. The question will be removed right away, and the rest of your survey will stay unchanged.

Q2: I want to make a new survey similar to an old one—can I copy the old survey instead of starting over?

A: Yes. Find the survey you want to copy in "My Surveys." Click the three-dot "More Options" icon next to it, then select "Copy Survey." A new copy (named "Copy of [Original Survey Name]") will appear in your list—you can edit it however you like without changing the original.

Q3: I want to make a new survey similar to an old one—can I copy the old survey instead of starting over?

Q4: I want to make a new survey similar to an old one—can I copy the old survey instead of starting over?

Q5: I want to make a new survey similar to an old one—can I copy the old survey instead of starting over?

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SurveyMars Editorial Team

The SurveyMars Content Marketing Team has over 10 years of expertise in content marketing, SaaS innovation, and global market research. We turn survey insights into practical strategies that help organizations worldwide make smarter decisions and grow.

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