Synthetron
Upvoice platform
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Application Social safety and culture

Give quiet perspectives a voice.

Gain insight into what is on people's minds, including on sensitive topics, so that different perspectives become visible and room is created for an open conversation.

Discuss your question See how it works

The occasion Opening up difficult topics

There is a topic that people would rather not speak about in a meeting.

What you achieve
  • Perspectives that are rarely heard
  • A safe conversation about a charged topic
  • Insight into what is broadly supported and where views differ

With sensitive or charged topics, you mainly hear the people who take the floor easily. Those who doubt or hold a minority position stay silent.

Because everyone takes part anonymously and votes on each other's contributions, quiet perspectives also come to the surface. You see what is broadly supported and where people think differently.

The approach 3 steps

From question to a next step people stand behind

We guide every step. What we mainly ask of you is substance: two meetings beforehand and a co-moderator during the session.

  1. Step 1

    Careful preparation

    We word the question so that everyone feels free to respond, and decide who takes part.

  2. Step 2

    The anonymous dialogue

    Participants write anonymously and vote on each other's contributions. Nobody sees who wrote what.

  3. Step 3

    Careful feedback

    The outcome shows what is broadly supported, with attention to the perspectives of smaller groups.

Curious what participants see on their screen during the session?

See the participant screen

Example Opening up difficult topics

What the dialogue can look like

A fictional example: the question you ask, what participants write and which messages get the most support.

Workload and sickness absence

A topic that gets a lot of talk in the corridors.

The question
  1. What makes it hard to talk about workload?
  2. What would you want to say if nobody knew it was you?
What participants write
  • Whoever says it is too much gets the feeling that they can't cope.81% agree
  • Reporting sick feels like leaving colleagues in the lurch.79% agree
Most support
  1. Whoever says it is too much gets the feeling that they can't cope.81% agree
  2. Reporting sick feels like leaving colleagues in the lurch.79% agree
  3. We only talk about workload over coffee.76% agree
  4. There is never time for it in the team meeting.72% agree

Why Upvoice

Why Upvoice for this topic

  1. 01

    Anonymity

  2. 02

    Qualitative depth

  3. 03

    Scale

  4. 04

    Broadly supported insights

What you receive 4 parts

A report the organisation can act on

You see the main themes during the session itself. The synthesis follows the same day.

  1. 01

    Perspectives that are broadly supported

  2. 02

    Differences in experience between groups

  3. 03

    Signals that call for attention

  4. 04

    Proposals for follow-up

With Synthetron Full service

This is how we guide your question

You work with a dedicated guide who knows your sector. You provide most of the content. We make sure the dialogue runs smoothly and the outcome is usable.

  1. 01

    Question and design

    We sharpen your question together and design the rounds, the invitation and the communication to participants.

  2. 02

    Live guidance

    During the session we moderate, probe what stands out and make sure everyone takes part safely and anonymously.

  3. 03

    Interpretation and report

    We analyse the outcomes and turn them into a report with recommendations your organisation can build on.

Want your own team to run it? You can do that with an Upvoice licence

Discuss your question

Questions about opening up difficult topics

Is your question not listed? Ask it in an introductory call.

Which topics are suitable?

Topics people are reluctant to discuss in an ordinary meeting, for example inclusion, workload or the relationship with managers.

How do you ensure anonymity?

Each participant receives a random code instead of a name. Reporting per group only happens from eight participants.

Won't it turn into a complaints session?

No. The question is aimed at what is needed, and participants vote on each other's ideas. That brings up what is broadly supported, not who shouts loudest.

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