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Criteria for Sharing Job Stress Survey Results - How Much Should I Tell My Team Leader?
2026.08.28 09:05
Burnout · Job Stress · Q&A
Criteria for Sharing Job Stress Survey Results
How much should I tell the team leader?
🔗 Related original text inquiry
This Q&A is a repost that compiles situations similar to the inquiry below.
There are cases where a job stress survey reveals high levels of workload, role conflict, relationship conflict, and organizational burden in a specific team. In such situations, the HR representative grapples with how much of the results to share with the team leader.
In particular, you must determine the scope of information sharing more carefully when a team leader requests that they “need to know who in our team is at high risk to manage them” or asks about an employee’s use of EAP counseling.
In this Q&A, we have summarized the results of the job stress survey, follow-up management for high-risk groups, and the extent to which EAP counseling usage can be shared with team leaders.
It is not about “who is struggling,” but about sharing “which work environment factors need to be improved.”
📌 To start with the conclusion
In principle, it is recommended to share job stress survey results focusing on anonymized aggregates at the team or department level and organizational factors requiring improvement, rather than individual scores or lists of high-risk groups.
Information that can be shared with the team leader and information that should be restricted can be distinguished as follows.
| division | Team Leader Sharing Criteria | explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Organizational average | Shareable | For checking overall trends |
| Team/Department Unit Average | Limited sharing available | When the number of respondents is sufficient and individual estimation is difficult |
| Burden factors by area | Shareable | Focus on improvement tasks such as workload, roles, relationships, and organizational structure |
| Individual scores | Avoid sharing | It may lead to the identification and evaluation of specific employees |
| High-risk group list | Avoid sharing | Possibility of estimating health and psychological state |
| Whether or not to use EAP counseling | Avoid sharing | Even the fact that counseling is used can be perceived sensitively. |
| Improvement Measure Tasks | Shareable | Focus on measures such as work allocation, meetings and reporting, and role coordination |
The key is not to identify “who is struggling,” but to share “which work environment factors need to be improved.”
🔎 Why should you be careful when sharing individual results?
It is recommended to utilize the results of the job stress survey as data for improving the work environment. If individual scores or high-risk status are conveyed directly to team leaders, employees may be perceived as subjects for evaluation, placement, or management, and this could also affect their participation in future surveys.
The Personal Information Protection Act stipulates that personal information should be collected only to the minimum extent necessary for the intended purpose, and caution is required in processing information that poses a risk of significantly infringing upon privacy, such as health-related data, as it may be classified as sensitive information.
Furthermore, Article 669 of the Rules on Occupational Safety and Health Standards stipulates preventive measures against health hazards for work with high job stress. While companies need to manage job stress factors, they must ensure that such management does not lead to individual stigmatization or managerial surveillance.
👥 What should I tell the team leader?
It is better to convey to the team leader information necessary for improving team operations rather than individual results.
For example, instead of stating “Employee A is in the high-risk group,” you can summarize it as follows.
| Sharing method | example |
|---|---|
| Team-based trends | The team showed high burden responses in the areas of job requirements and role clarity. |
| Factors needing improvement | We need to review work priorities, deadlines, and meeting and reporting methods. |
| Administrator Action | Team Leader, please review the work allocation, feedback methods, and role guidance methods. |
| HR Support | HR will support follow-up surveys, feedback collection, EAP guidance, and improvement plan management. |
| caution | We do not share individual scores, high-risk lists, or EAP usage status. |
By sharing in this way, the team leader can take necessary measures, and the likelihood of individual employees being identified is reduced.
👤 What should be done with teams that have few respondents?
Small teams need to be more careful when sharing results. This is because with a small number of respondents, it is possible to estimate who responded and who is in the high-risk group even without names being mentioned.
| situation | Sharing criteria |
|---|---|
| A team with a sufficient number of respondents | Able to share team-level averages and trends by area |
| Teams with a small number of respondents | Integrate and share at the higher organizational level |
| A team where a specific individual is easily identifiable | Sharing focused on areas for improvement rather than disclosing figures |
| A team with one high-risk person | Avoid sharing individual results or high-risk status. |
| When the team leader requests a list of individuals | Guide to organizational improvement tasks and HR support methods instead of a list |
The exact threshold number may vary depending on the company's internal personal information processing standards, investigation methods, and organizational size. However, the principle is to ensure that individuals are not identified or presumed.
💬 How do I support high-risk employees?
It is advisable to avoid immediately sharing the list with the team leader simply because high-risk results have been confirmed. Instead, HR or health management personnel should provide direct guidance to the extent necessary, ensuring that it does not appear to be a mandatory interview.
For example, you can provide guidance as follows.
We are providing guidance on employee support based on the results of a recent job stress survey. If you are experiencing work burden or require counseling, you may choose to utilize either an HR interview or EAP counseling. Participation and counseling content are managed in accordance with individual choice and the principle of confidentiality.
Even in this case, it is best to avoid expressions that may feel stigmatizing, such as "You are in a high-risk group." Rather than designating specific employees as targets for management based on survey results, it is safer to guide them to support channels and allow them to choose.
🔐 How do you answer if your team leader asks whether you are using EAP counseling?
Even if the team leader asks, “Did that employee receive EAP counseling?” it is best not to disclose individual usage status or counseling details.
Employees must be able to trust and use EAP. If employees feel that their use of counseling is reported to their team leader, they may be reluctant to seek help, which could lead to a decrease in the utilization rate of the system.
Instead, you can answer as follows.
We do not share individual EAP usage status or counseling details. However, for areas requiring support for team operations, we will organize and provide guidance based on anonymized aggregated data and organizational improvement tasks.
Or it can be explained as follows.
We cannot confirm whether the employee in question has used the counseling service. Team Leader, please focus your support on areas necessary for improving the work environment, such as workload, schedule, role clarity, and feedback methods.
By responding in this way, you can guide the team leader on the necessary actions while upholding the principle of confidentiality.
✅ Checkpoints HR to Check Before Sharing with Team Leaders
Before sharing the results of the job stress survey with your team leader, it is recommended to check the following items first.
| division | Confirmation items |
|---|---|
| Purpose of investigation | Is the purpose clear, whether it is for organizational improvement or individual support? |
| Shared with | Who is needed among team leaders, executives, health managers, and HR? |
| Sharing scope | Is it aggregated at the team or department level rather than individual results? |
| Identifiability | Is there no possibility that individuals could be estimated due to the small number of respondents? |
| Sensitive information possibility | Does it contain information that can estimate health and psychological status? |
| Follow-up measures | Are the improvement measures to be requested from the team leader specific? |
| Consultation Guide | Do you guide people to EAP or HR interviews as optional rather than mandatory? |
| Record management | Have you restricted shared materials and access permissions to the necessary extent? |
It is recommended not to include original individual responses, individual scores, whether counseling is desired, or whether EAP is being used in the materials shared with the team leader.
📝 Examples of phrases to share with your team leader
When communicating results to the team leader, it is best to focus on organizational improvement tasks rather than individual achievements.
The results of this job stress survey showed that the team in question reported relatively high levels of burden in the areas of job demands and role clarity. Individual responses, high-risk lists, and EAP usage status will not be shared; however, to improve team operations, please review work priorities, meeting and reporting methods, and work allocation criteria.
Alternatively, you can provide guidance as follows.
Due to the limited number of respondents, we are not sharing detailed figures that could lead to individual estimations. Instead, we have summarized the findings based on common factors requiring improvement in team operations. HR will provide support, including follow-up surveys, gathering member feedback, and EAP guidance, as necessary.
By providing guidance in this way, you can convey the necessary roles to the team leader while reducing the risk of personal identification.
⚠️ Common mistakes
The first mistake is handing the list of high-risk individuals to the team leader. Even if the manager intends to be helpful, employees may perceive it as surveillance or evaluation.
The second mistake is sharing the results of a small team as is. If there are few respondents, individuals can be inferred even without names.
The third mistake is using survey results as the sole basis for performance evaluations or placement decisions. It is appropriate to view job stress surveys as reference material for improving the work environment.
The fourth mistake is informing the team leader whether you are using EAP. In principle, it is best not to share whether counseling was used or the content of the counseling with the manager.
The fifth mistake is merely sharing results without establishing improvement measures. The purpose of sharing results should not be to pressure the team leader, but to define tasks for improving the work environment.
💬 When EAP support is needed
You should not force an employee to receive EAP counseling simply because their job stress survey results are high. It is recommended to guide them toward EAP as a support channel they can utilize voluntarily.
It is recommended to include the following information when providing EAP guidance.
- The fact that requesting a consultation is at the employee's discretion.
- The fact that individual counseling details and usage status are not shared with the team leader
- The fact that the data verified by the company is centered on non-identifiable aggregation
- Counseling is available for work burden, burnout, relationship conflicts, sleep problems, anxiety, etc.
- In cases of urgent risk, separate crisis response procedures take precedence.
For example, you can provide guidance as follows.
You may use the EAP counseling channel if you require counseling due to job stress, burnout, relationship conflicts, sleep problems, etc. Whether counseling is used and the content of the counseling are not shared with the team leader, and the company verifies this solely based on non-identifiable aggregated data for the operation of the system.
In cases of suggestions of suicide or self-harm, immediate safety risks, or risks of violence, do not respond solely with general EAP guidance; you must first check emergency routes such as 119, 112, or the suicide prevention hotline 109.
🔗 Related Posts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is it okay to provide the list of high-risk individuals if the team leader requests it?
In principle, it is advisable to avoid handing over lists of high-risk individuals to team leaders. Instead of focusing on individual scores or high-risk status, it is more appropriate to share non-identifiable trends and areas for improvement at the team or department level.
Q2. If you don't inform the team leader of anything, isn't it difficult to take corrective measures?
You can share necessary information with the team leader. However, it is better to inform them of “which work environment factors are high” rather than “who is in the high-risk group.” For example, factors such as workload, unclear roles, the burden of meetings and reporting, and tendencies toward relationship conflicts can be shared with a focus on corrective measures.
Q3. Is it okay to share only the average results for small teams as well?
Even if only averages are shared, individuals can be inferred if the number of respondents is small. It is safer to consolidate small teams into a higher-level organizational unit or to summarize only areas needing improvement instead of focusing on figures.
Q4. Is it permissible for HR to propose a meeting to high-risk employees first?
Even if possible, you must ensure it does not appear like a mandatory interview. Instead of saying, "You are in a high-risk group and must be interviewed," it is better to say, "I will guide you to support channels, and if you prefer, you can choose an HR interview or EAP counseling."
Q5. Can the results of the job stress survey be used for performance evaluations or placement?
It may be inappropriate to use the results of a job stress survey as the sole basis for performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, promotions, or reassignments. It is recommended to utilize the results as reference material for improving the work environment, providing organizational support, and implementing preventive measures.
Q6. Can HR or a team leader check EAP usage?
In principle, it is advisable not to share individual EAP usage status or counseling details with the company or team leaders. The data reviewed by the company should focus on non-identifiable aggregated information for the operation of the system, such as usage volume, satisfaction levels, and major categories of counseling topics.
👉 Next step
When sharing job stress survey results with your team leader, you should organize them based on the scope necessary for organizational improvement, rather than individual results. Before sharing, please verify the number of respondents, the possibility of personal identification, the inclusion of sensitive information, the corrective actions to request from the team leader, and the method of providing EAP guidance.
If you wish to establish standards for sharing job stress survey results, follow-up guidance for high-risk groups, manager training, and a system for linking EAP counseling at the organizational level, review the operational methods suitable for your organization through Nudge EAP implementation counseling.
📚 Source and Information
This content is intended for general informational purposes. Specific details regarding the sharing of job stress survey results, handling of personal information, determination of sensitive information, follow-up measures for high-risk groups, referral to EAP counseling, and HR and labor judgments may vary depending on the workplace situation, survey methods, internal regulations, the latest laws, and official guidelines; therefore, review by relevant experts or agencies may be required. In cases involving suggestions of suicide or self-harm, risks of violence, or immediate safety risks, do not respond solely through general interviews or EAP guidance; instead, prioritize checking emergency channels such as 119, 112, or the Suicide Prevention Hotline 109.
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