How Peab engages the entire organisation

Reaching employees who work across construction sites, factories, and offices, often without regular access to a computer and at all hours of the day, is not an easy task.

Yet Peab has succeeded in engaging more than 12,000 employees in its pulse surveys using CatalystOne Engage, achieving a response rate above 90%. The key lies in a combination of simplicity, transparency, and strong team ownership.

Peab is one of the largest construction and civil engineering companies in the Nordics. Its employees work in a wide range of environments, from offices and laboratories to construction sites across the country. Despite this, around 12,000 employees choose to take part in the company’s pulse surveys twice a year.

Watch the video on YouTube to learn how Peab succeeded with pulse surveys.

In spring 2025, the response rate reached 91%, and in autumn the same year, 89% – unusually high figures in an industry where many employees do not have daily access to a computer.

“We are proud to see response rates of around 90%. It says a lot about the strong engagement across the organisation. I believe we achieve such high participation because the surveys are simple and relevant. Just as importantly, the teams own the results. That matters to us. Each team decides what to focus on and what to improve,” says Anna Murstam, Head of Talent Management at Peab.

A model that works across the organisation

(Anna Murstam, Head of Talent Management at Peab.)

Murstam believes the key to reaching the entire organisation lies in building a simple, relevant, and sustainable approach to pulse surveys within a flexible system.

“It could be challenging to run pulse surveys in an environment as complex as ours, with very different conditions across our production and operations. However, we have found a model that works well for us. We keep it simple and mobile-friendly. We allow eight days for responses so everyone has time to participate during their shifts. We run these surveys twice a year, and that frequency suits us very well.”

How the surveys are communicated also plays an important role in maintaining a high response rate.

“We communicate through targeted messages from the CEO to all managers, and we also use other internal communication channels to raise awareness of the survey. You can clearly feel it across the organisation when the survey period is open. People become engaged, and it naturally becomes a topic of conversation during that week,” Murstam continues.

Transparency that builds trust

When a survey closes, both employees and managers get access to their team’s results at the same time, directly in the tool. This increases transparency and allows dialogue to start immediately.

“We see the results as a shared responsibility for the team. Everyone contributes to maintaining strengths and improving areas that need development,” says Murstam.

This transparency is also recognised across the organisation.

“For me, it’s natural to take part in the pulse surveys. It’s simple and only takes a few minutes on my mobile. We also get access to the results straight away, which was not the case before. It makes the process feel open and transparent,” says Patrik Svensson, team leader and employee representative on Peab’s board.

Discussing the results within teams is key to building engagement.

“I think it creates openess in the group. We can turn something negative into something positive. It’s also a big advantage that the survey is not just a set of questions – you can leave comments as well. That helps those who may not want to speak in a larger group, but still want to share their input,” Svensson adds.

Peab’s core values, “JUPP” – grounded, developing, personal, and reliable (jordnær, utviklende, personlig og pålitelig) – also shape how the organisation works with engagement and collaboration.

“Our values reflect a culture of humility and teamwork. Every employee at Peab plays an important role, and we achieve our goals together. In other words, our ability to collaborate is essential,” says Murstam.

Engagement that creates value

When employees at Peab see that their feedback leads to real conversations and improvements within their teams, their willingness to participate also increases. This is why response rates remain high, even in an organisation where thousands of people work far from offices and computers.

“For me, that is the real strength of the survey. That everyone has a chance to be heard. It gives us a strong foundation for meaningful discussions within the team. We shift focus away from project tasks and take time to focus on ourselves. That is what creates engagement,” Murstam concludes.