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How to Measure Culture with Pulse Surveys: an Evidence-Based Guide with Howya’s Approach

Culture isn’t fluffy. It’s not just posters, perks, parties or slogans; it’s the lived experience of employees that either drives or drains their energy every day. And while culture might feel intangible, it can be measured, tracked, and improved.That’s where pulse surveys come in. Done well, they’re short, frequent, and evidence-based – giving leaders real-time signals about how teams are doing. At Howya, our approach is simple: we ask employees how they are doing right now, and why. We let them choose from a set of carefully chosen influencers that shape energy and wellbeing at work.

Why Pulse Surveys for Culture?

  • Culture affects performance. McKinsey research shows that organizational health (how well people work together, clarity, leadership, decision-making) is a top predictor of long-term business performance. Companies that focus on people and organizational health are ~4× more likely to outperform peers. *McKinsey: Organizational Health Index
  • Engagement links to outcomes. Global research finds again and again that engaged teams have higher productivity and profitability, and lower absenteeism and turnover. *Gallup: State of the Global orkplace 2024
  • Leading indicators matter. Instead of waiting for lagging signals (turnover, burnout), pulse surveys capture real-time insights into what drives or drains employees’ energy. This makes culture measurable and actionable.

Howya’s 12 Influencers of Energy

When you’re running pulse surveys it is important to know what you are measuring and which factors should be taken into account. When employees respond to a Howya pulse, they can pick from 12 factors influencing their energy, such as work content, clarity (of roles and expectations) and leadership. These 12 influencers weren’t chosen at random – they’re backed by multiple research on organizational health, perfomance and turnover. 

If you’d like to read more about a few influencers we are using at Howya, please check some of the research linked below:

A Practical Framework to Measure Culture

  1. Keep it short and frequent
    Use short surveys often. Weekly pulses with 2–5 items, or monthly pulses with 8–10 items, keep response rates high.
  2. Ask the right questions, such as
    • “How are you doing right now?” (scale 1–5)
    • “Why?” → let employees pick from the 12 influencers.
      Add one open-ended “What’s one thing that would help your team this week?” for context.
  3. Analyze patterns
    • Identify top drivers (what gives energy) vs drainers (what reduces it).
    • Trend scores over time by team, role, or location.
    • Link to outcomes like absenteeism, turnover, or productivity.
  4. Act quickly
    Surveys without follow-up create cynicism. Share highlights (e.g. “Top driver = Inclusion, top drainer = Workload”) on a regular basis. Commit to one small, concrete action per team.
  5. Measure impact
    Re-run the pulse. Did clarity scores improve after resetting roles? Did workload concerns ease after reprioritizing? Treat the process as continuous feedback → experiment → improvement.

A Very Simple Example in Practice

Team A runs a pulse survey in September.

  • Top drivers: Atmosphere, Learning & Development
  • Top drains: Workload, Clarity

Action plan: The manager clarifies priorities for Q4, drops non-essential tasks, and introduces a short weekly team check-in to improve clarity. Next pulse shows a +0.5 point improvement in Clarity, and overall team dynamic improves.

Final Thoughts

Culture isn’t fluffy; it’s energy in motion. By asking employees how they’re doing and why, and mapping responses against evidence-based influencers, you can measure culture in real time. The result: insights you can act on today, and a healthier, higher-performing organization tomorrow.

Book a call with us to start measuring your culture and acting on your employee wellbeing before it is too late.