What Is a DEI Survey and Why It Matters for Cypriot Workplaces

Cyprus’s workplaces are becoming more diverse than ever, with teams from different nationalities, ages, genders, and backgrounds collaborating across sectors such as finance, tourism, technology, education, and professional services. 

A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) survey is one of the most practical tools leaders can use to understand whether people genuinely feel respected, treated fairly, and included at work. Instead of treating DEI as a buzzword or a box-ticking exercise, this blog post explores how DEI surveys help Cypriot organizations turn inclusion into a measurable competitive advantage.

What is diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)?

Diversity refers to the variety of people in a workplace, including gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and socio-economic background. Equity focuses on ensuring fair access to opportunities, resources, and rewards by addressing structural and systemic barriers, while inclusion is about creating an environment where everyone feels respected, accepted, and able to contribute fully.

In Cypriot workplaces, strong DEI practices are linked to higher engagement, better retention, greater innovation, and a stronger employer brand, especially in competitive sectors seeking to attract international talent. DEI also supports compliance with EU and Cyprus regulations on non-discrimination and equal treatment, helping organizations reduce risk while strengthening culture.

What is a DEI survey?

A DEI survey is an employee survey that measures explicitly perceptions and experiences related to diversity, fairness, inclusion, belonging, respect, and equal opportunity. It usually combines quantitative questions (e.g., agree/disagree scales) with open-ended questions to capture rich qualitative insights.

For Cypriot organizations, DEI surveys help identify whether different groups (e.g., women, non-Cypriot nationals, people with disabilities, younger employees) experience the workplace differently and where gaps in fairness or inclusion exist. They also provide a baseline for tracking progress over time and benchmarking against other leading workplaces in Cyprus and internationally.

What is an employee survey?

An employee survey is a structured questionnaire that captures employees’ views on key aspects of their workplace, including trust, leadership, communication, recognition, workload, and development opportunities. Reputable surveys, like the Great Place to Work® Trust Index™, focus on the everyday behaviours and experiences that shape a high-trust culture rather than just satisfaction.

Employee surveys can be broad (covering many aspects of culture and engagement) or topic-specific, such as a dedicated DEI or wellbeing survey. In all cases, they aim to provide leaders with reliable data so they can design targeted action plans rather than guess what employees need.

How does the employee survey work in Cyprus?

In Cyprus, employee surveys are usually delivered online, often in multiple languages (e.g., Greek and English) so that all staff can participate comfortably. Trusted providers use secure survey platforms to collect responses, then analyse results by department, location, tenure, demographic segments, and benchmark comparisons.

Organizations that work with Great Place to Work® Cyprus use the Trust Index™ employee survey to measure trust, pride, and camaraderie, as well as perceptions of fairness, inclusion, and respect. Results are typically presented to management teams and, in some cases, shared with employees, forming the basis for action planning and, in some cases, workplace certification and recognition programmes.

What is the purpose of conducting an employee survey?

The core purpose of an employee survey is to understand the real employee experience and identify strengths and pain points that may not be visible in day-to-day operations. For Cypriot businesses, this means uncovering issues such as perceptions of favouritism, communication gaps, or barriers faced by specific employee groups before they translate into turnover, reputational damage, or lower performance.

Employee surveys also build trust when leaders genuinely listen and follow up with visible changes, demonstrating that employee voices matter. Over time, this strengthens engagement, loyalty, and employer branding in the local talent market.

Which method is used to measure employees in DEI surveys?

At Great Place to Work®, we measure the employee experience using the Trust Index™ employee survey, a research-based instrument that assesses behaviours and perceptions that create a high-trust, inclusive culture. The survey includes statements about the credibility of management, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie, with employees rating their agreement on a 5‑point scale.

Positive responses (typically ratings of 4 or 5) are aggregated into an overall Trust Index score that shows how many employees experience the organisation as a great place to work, including from a DEI perspective. Organizations in Cyprus can also slice Trust Index™ results by demographic segments to see how different groups perform and benchmark against top workplaces that experience DEI.

What questions should organizations in Cyprus include in their DEI survey?

Cypriot organizations should design DEI surveys that combine core, validated items (such as Trust Index™ statements) with locally relevant questions that reflect the realities of the Cypriot labour market and culture. Questions should be transparent, respectful, and inclusive, avoiding assumptions or language that might make respondents uncomfortable or excluded.

Below are key question areas particularly relevant to DEI surveys in Cyprus.

1. Diversity questions

Diversity questions explore whether employees feel the organization values and reflects different backgrounds and identities across roles and levels. They might cover areas such as representation of women and underrepresented groups in leadership roles, openness to diverse viewpoints, and comfort working in multicultural teams.

In Cyprus, where many organisations employ both local and international staff, diversity questions can also explore experiences of non-Cypriot employees, language inclusivity, and the integration of different cultural or religious practices.

2. Equity questions

Equity questions assess whether people believe decisions about pay, promotions, performance evaluations, training, and workload are fair and transparent. They help uncover whether certain groups feel they have fewer opportunities or face bias in key processes such as recruitment or advancement.

For Cypriot workplaces, equity questions can be especially valuable for understanding gender pay and promotion gaps, as well as fairness between local and foreign employees and between permanent and fixed-term staff.

3. Inclusion and belonging questions

Inclusion and belonging questions focus on whether employees feel respected, accepted, and able to be themselves at work. They often explore topics such as psychological safety, feeling heard, comfort speaking up, and whether people feel they “fit” within the organisation’s culture.

These questions are critical in Cyprus, where organisations may need to consciously bridge differences between generations, nationalities, and languages to avoid cliques or “insider/outsider” dynamics. Strong scores here usually correlate with higher engagement, stronger collaboration, and lower turnover.

4. Leadership and culture questions

Leadership and culture questions examine how leaders behave and whether they actively support DEI through their decisions, communication, and role modelling. They may ask employees whether leaders are approachable, act with integrity, tackle discrimination, and make people feel included in decisions that affect them.

In Cyprus, where many organisations are still led by closely held ownership or family-run structures, leadership questions help reveal whether inclusive practices are truly embedded or remain informal and dependent on individual managers.

5. Accessibility and fairness questions

Accessibility and fairness questions explore whether policies, physical spaces, technology, and processes are accessible and fair for everyone, including people with disabilities or caregiving responsibilities. They can touch on flexible working, accommodations, office accessibility, and clarity in procedures for reporting unfair treatment.

In Cypriot workplaces, these questions are fundamental when buildings are older or processes are less formalised, helping organisations identify practical barriers that may unintentionally exclude certain employees.

6. Open-ended feedback

Open-ended questions give employees space to explain their experiences in their own words, highlight specific examples, and suggest improvements. They often reveal context that numbers alone cannot show, especially on sensitive DEI topics.

For DEI in Cyprus, open-ended feedback can uncover local nuances, such as how people perceive language use, team dynamics, national holidays, or unwritten rules that may impact inclusion. This qualitative insight is invaluable for shaping relevant action plans and communication strategies.

What is a pulse DEI survey?

A pulse DEI survey is a shorter, more frequent survey that checks in on key DEI indicators between larger, annual or bi-annual surveys. It typically focuses on a limited set of critical questions—such as fairness, respect, inclusion, and belonging—to track whether actions are having the desired impact.

Pulse DEI surveys are instrumental in Cyprus, where organisations may be implementing new policies (e.g., flexible work, inclusive recruitment, or anti-discrimination training) and need rapid feedback to adjust their approach. They help keep DEI visible on the leadership agenda and support continuous improvement rather than one-off initiatives.

How do DEI surveys differ from employee engagement surveys?

DEI surveys focus specifically on experiences of fairness, inclusion, diversity, and belonging, while engagement surveys typically assess broader factors such as motivation, pride, commitment, and intent to stay. Many modern employee engagement surveys include DEI-related items, but a dedicated DEI survey allows for a more profound exploration of how different groups experience the workplace.

In Cyprus, organisations often use the Trust Index™ employee survey as a holistic engagement and culture tool, then add DEI modules or additional demographic analysis to understand DEI in greater depth. This approach ensures that DEI is integrated into the overall culture strategy rather than treated as a separate, isolated topic.

What are the best practices for DEI surveys in Cyprus?

Best practices for DEI surveys in Cyprus include clear communication about purpose, strong guarantees of confidentiality, thoughtful question design, and visible follow-up on results. Leaders should explain why the survey matters, how data will be used, and what employees can expect after participating.

It is also important to ensure the survey is accessible (e.g., available in Greek and English, mobile-friendly, and considerate of different literacy levels) and to engage managers in encouraging honest participation. Partnering with a trusted third party, such as Great Place to Work®, can further strengthen credibility and benchmarking.

Are DEI surveys anonymous and confidential?

For DEI surveys to be effective, employees need to feel completely safe sharing honest feedback, especially on sensitive issues like discrimination, bias, or unfair treatment. In most organisations, this means designing surveys to be anonymous or strictly confidential, so that no individual’s responses can be reported or inferred in a way that links back to them personally. 

Great Place to Work® applies rigorous confidentiality and de‑identification standards, including minimum group sizes for reporting, to prevent any risk of identifying individuals from survey data. In Cyprus, clearly explaining these protections up front is crucial for building trust, increasing participation, and collecting reliable, high‑quality insights.

How do you analyse DEI survey results?

Analysing DEI survey data typically involves several steps: reviewing overall scores, comparing results between demographic groups, examining trends over time, and reading open comments for context. Organisations also benchmark their scores against national or industry averages to understand whether their culture is leading or lagging.

In Cypriot workplaces, this analysis often involves comparing the experiences of local vs. non-local employees, men vs. women, different age groups, and office vs. frontline roles to identify any gaps in fairness or belonging. These insights then feed directly into action plans with clear priorities and owners.

How do you track progress on action plans?

To track progress, organisations in Cyprus typically set specific DEI goals (for example, improving fairness scores in performance evaluation, or raising belonging scores among a particular group) and monitor survey results and key HR indicators over time. They may use annual Trust Index™ surveys, combined with shorter pulse DEI surveys, to assess whether targeted actions are improving the employee experience.

Regular review meetings, dashboards, and clear accountability for leaders help keep DEI actions on track and integrated into broader business objectives. Communicating progress to employees builds credibility and shows that feedback leads to meaningful change.

What happens if you don’t act on results?

If organisations run DEI surveys but fail to act on the findings, employees quickly lose trust and may become less willing to participate in future surveys. This can damage engagement, reinforce cynicism about leadership, and even increase the risk of negative word of mouth in the relatively small Cypriot market.

In contrast, when leaders follow through with clear actions and updates, employees see that their input matters, which can boost participation, loyalty, and DEI outcomes over time.

How do you measure DEI survey success and ROI?

Success and return on investment (ROI) from DEI surveys can be measured by improvements in DEI-related survey scores, reduced gaps between different groups, and positive trends in HR metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, promotion rates, and recruitment outcomes. Many organisations also look at external recognition, such as Great Place to Work® Certification or inclusion on Best Workplaces™ lists, as indicators that their culture is strong and inclusive.

In Cyprus, companies often see ROI in the form of stronger employer branding, improved ability to attract international talent, and greater innovation from diverse, engaged teams. Over time, this contributes directly to business performance and resilience in a competitive economy.

What to do with DEI survey data?

DEI survey data should be used to prioritise a small number of high-impact actions, not to create long lists of disconnected initiatives. Typical next steps include sharing key findings with employees, co-creating solutions with diverse groups, updating policies and processes, and training leaders on inclusive behaviours.

Sensitive data must always be handled securely and in line with GDPR and local data protection requirements in Cyprus, especially when survey items touch on demographics or experiences of discrimination. Organisations should also avoid reporting results for tiny groups to protect anonymity.

Who can conduct a DEI survey in Cyprus?

In Cyprus, DEI surveys can be conducted by internal HR or People & Culture teams, external consultants, or specialised survey providers. However, working with an independent, trusted partner can help ensure methodological rigour, confidentiality, and robust benchmarking.

At Great Place to Work® Cyprus, we support organisations across sectors with DEI-related measurement, analysis, and action planning, helping them align survey work with international best practices. This can be especially valuable for organisations running their first structured DEI survey or seeking external recognition.

How does Great Place to Work Cyprus measure DEI through surveys?

At Great Place to Work Cyprus, we measure DEI primarily through its confidential Trust Index Survey, supported by demographic data, benchmarks, and follow‑up actions. The focus is on how employees experience fairness, respect, belonging, and inclusion in their day‑to‑day work.​

Core survey tool

• The main instrument is the Great Place to Work Trust Index Survey, delivered through the Emprising platform and used by Cypriot organisations seeking Certification and Best Workplaces™ recognition.​
• The survey uses Likert‑scale statements plus open‑ended questions to capture both quantitative scores and qualitative comments about trust, respect, equity, and psychological safety.​

What the survey measures

• Questions assess whether employees feel treated fairly regardless of gender, age, nationality, or role, and whether they experience an inclusive, welcoming culture.​
• Items also explore opportunities for growth, access to resources, leadership behaviour, and whether people feel they “belong” and can be themselves at work.​
  

Data, segmentation and benchmarks

• Results are analysed by department, level, and other segments (where sample sizes allow) to highlight gaps between groups and identify specific inclusion challenges.​
• Organisations can benchmark their scores against Cypriot Best Workplaces™ and international data, using the Great Place to Work platform to compare performance and track progress over time.​
  

Confidentiality and trust

• Surveys are run confidentially, with anonymity protections and minimum group sizes for reporting, so individual employees cannot be identified from their responses.​
• This confidentiality is positioned as a core condition for honest feedback on sensitive DEI topics, helping Cypriot organisations gather reliable data for decision‑making.​
  

Turning results into DEI action

• Great Place to Work Cyprus encourages employers to pair survey data with focus groups or DEI committees, then build targeted action plans addressing identified gaps in inclusion and fairness.​
• Many Cypriot companies use these survey insights both to improve internal culture and to support Certification or DEI‑related recognition, signalling their commitment to inclusive workplaces.

​Together, these elements mean that Great Place to Work Cyprus uses DEI surveys not just to collect data, but to build a trusted, evidence‑based roadmap for more inclusive, high‑performing workplaces across the island.

How can the survey help identify Cyprus-specific DEI challenges?

Well-designed DEI surveys tailored to Cyprus can surface local issues, such as the integration of foreign workers, language barriers, perceived favouritism in close‑knit teams, and gaps between head-office and branch experiences. They also show how regional cultural norms and expectations shape employees’ sense of fairness, respect, and inclusion. 

By analysing results by location, function, and demographic group, Cypriot organisations gain a nuanced view of where to focus—whether that is inclusive leadership behaviours, flexible working, transparent communication, or better support for underrepresented groups. This enables the design of DEI interventions that truly fit the Cypriot context, rather than simply importing generic international practices.

Final thoughts

For Cypriot organisations that want to attract and retain diverse talent, meet evolving expectations, and compete internationally, DEI surveys are no longer a “nice to have” – they are essential.

When grounded in a trusted methodology like the Great Place to Work® Trust Index™, we offer a clear, confidential way to understand the real employee experience and turn DEI commitments into measurable progress.

By listening carefully to employees, acting on the insights, and tracking outcomes over time, workplaces in Cyprus can build cultures where everyone—regardless of background—feels valued, treated fairly, and able to contribute their best.