Who can use this feature?
Available on:
Culture Amp subscriptions that include Engagement or Effectiveness (Attributed (Snapshot) type surveys only)
Overview
Heatmap Survey Comparisons help you understand how your current survey results compare to past surveys, company wide insights, and external benchmarks. This feature brings all comparison points together in a single view so you can easily identify trends, understand what has changed, and spot areas that may need attention.
This guide explains how Heatmap Survey Comparisons work, what you can compare, how to access them, and how to get the most value from the feature.
How Heatmap Survey Comparisons Work
Heatmap Survey Comparisons enhance your standard Heatmap by adding additional columns that show comparison results for each question or factor. This provides meaningful context without requiring manual spreadsheets or switching between multiple reports.
To make comparison columns easy to read, the Heatmap uses horizontal headers across the top of the page. Each column also includes a menu, which lets you quickly expand, collapse, or remove columns you no longer need in view.
Because the headers are wider, you may see fewer columns on your screen at one time. You can still explore your full dataset through horizontal scrolling or by exporting your Heatmap as an image or PDF.
What You Can Compare
Heatmap Survey Comparisons allow you to compare current survey results with several types of data. These include the following:
• Internal surveys
• Company Overall results
• External benchmarks
• External comparisons
• Full survey imports
If comparison data is not available for a specific question or factor, the cell for that comparison will appear blank. If a demographic group does not meet the reporting minimum, the Heatmap will display n/a for that group. This helps you clearly understand the reason a value is not shown.
Which Surveys and Reports Support Comparisons
Heatmap Survey Comparisons are supported in the following areas:
Attributed (snapshot) Engagement surveys
Admin Reports
Shared Reports including leader based views or reports filtered by demographic groups
Any user who can access a Heatmap will automatically be able to view comparison data in that Heatmap. The types of comparisons available depend on what has been loaded for a survey, which is controlled by admin users.
Some survey types do not support Heatmap Survey Comparisons. These include the following:
Lifecycle continuous surveys
Experience surveys such as Onboarding and Exit
Unattributed surveys
360 Effectiveness Surveys
Accessing Heatmap Survey Comparisons
For Survey Admins
You can access Heatmap Survey Comparisons directly from any Attributed (snapshot) Engagement survey.
Go to the Feedback menu and select Surveys.
Open the survey you want to review and choose View reports.
Select the Heatmap page.
Use the Compared to dropdown to choose the demographic group you want to explore.
Use the next dropdown to select the survey you want to compare results against.
Select the Expand option to reveal comparison columns.
Scroll across to review your data if your Heatmap spans multiple pages.
Select the Collapse option to hide comparison columns once you are finished reviewing them.
For Report Viewers
Report viewers can access Heatmap comparisons from any shared report that includes a Heatmap.
Using Heatmap Explorer with Comparison Data
You can explore specific groups and questions in more detail using Heatmap Explorer.
Survey Admins can select cells in both the This survey column and the Comparison survey column.
Report viewers can select cells in the This survey column.
Side filters remain fully supported and consistent with the main Heatmap view, helping you maintain a clear understanding of your filtered dataset.
Viewing and Exporting Heatmap Comparisons
You can view your full Heatmap, including all comparison columns, using several export options. These exports include both current and comparison data.
Available export formats include the following:
• Image
• PDF
• CSV
• Print
If you want a complete view of every column in one place, the export image option is the best choice. This creates a wide image file that displays all columns at their full width, which can be useful for presentations or offline review.
Best Practices
To get the most value from Heatmap Survey Comparisons, keep the following tips in mind.
✔ Use comparison data as a guide to identify changes in engagement levels or perceptions over time.
✔ Review Company Overall results to understand how specific groups compare to the wider organization.
✔ Use external benchmarks to understand how your organization compares to similar workplaces.
✔ Export your full Heatmap as an image for a complete view of every column in one place.
FAQs
Why does the Heatmap use horizontal headers?
Why does the Heatmap use horizontal headers?
Horizontal headers make comparison data easier to read and navigate. They also support accessibility by providing clearer structure and more space for multiple comparison columns.
Can I view all columns at once?
Can I view all columns at once?
Yes. While not all columns may appear on your screen at the same time, you can scroll across the Heatmap or export the entire Heatmap as an image to view every column side by side.
Why are some cells blank or marked as N/A?
Why are some cells blank or marked as N/A?
Blank cells indicate that there is no comparison data for the question or factor.
Cells marked as N/A indicate that the group does not meet the reporting minimum.
Why does some external comparison data not appear?
Why does some external comparison data not appear?
External comparison availability depends on the data included in your benchmark file. If a question is not mapped to a factor, the comparison for that factor cannot be displayed.
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