From paper to pixels: Moving personnel surveys to the Web
Abstract
Practitioners are not adequately prepared to handle concerns related to the acceptability of the online survey medium from the worker's viewpoint because the literature has only begun to address this issue. This study assessed reactions to Web‐based questionnaires while moving an organization's climate survey online. Initial questions, posed via a paper‐and‐pencil instrument, gathered opinions concerning online surveys (n= 437). A Web‐based climate survey was then created and piloted (n = 98). Afterwards, die finalized instrument was administered (n= 403), and a follow‐up questionnaire was disseminated (n= 175) to further gauge workers' reactions. Despite some initial anonymity concerns, most personnel were amenable to online surveying, and the Web‐based medium did not appear to discourage participation from any subgroup (based on gender, race, military versus civilian classification, and workgroup size comparisons). This article, which is intended for practitioners considering the transition to Web‐based surveys as well as those interested in evaluating and improving current Web‐based survey processes, outlines issues regarding online survey implementation, offers a tool for evaluating survey software, and concludes with lessons learned and avenues for future research/practice.
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The previous studies likely suffer from self-selection bias.
“the studies likely suffer from self-selection bias (Thompson et al., 2003).”
From Content Moderator Mental Health and Associations with Coping Styles: Replication and Extension of Previous Studies (2025) · cites this paper as Thompson et al., 2003
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Chen, G. M. (2011) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.10.023 · Cited by 747 · see citing works
Park, N. (2010) · Journal of Communication · doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2009.01440.x · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Rituals, Emotional Entrainment and National Identification
von Scheve, C., Ismer, S., Kozłowska, M., & Solms-Baruth, C. (2017) · Comparative Sociology · doi:10.1163/15691330-12341439 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Spence, R., & DeMarco, J. (2025) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs15040487 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“For example, it is impossible to track non-response rates (Andrews et al., 2003), and the studies likely suffer from self-selection bias (Thompson et al., 2003).”
- Authors
- THOMPSON, L. F., SURFACE, E. A., MARTIN, D. L., & SANDERS, M. G.
- Affiliations
- East Carolina University (US)
- North Carolina State University (US)
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (US)
- Corresponding author
- THOMPSON, LORI FOSTER
- ORCID
- SURFACE, ERIC A.
- Venue
- Personnel Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-03
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 197-227
- ISSN
- 0031-5826 (ISSN-L)
- 1744-6570
- OpenAlex
- W2115995774
- Cited by
- 193
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 36.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personnel Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employer Branding and e-HRM
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Keywords
- online surveys, web-based questionnaire, organizational climate survey, survey participation, employee survey
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