⚡ TL;DR
- Astra runs 3,500+ employees across 20+ independently operated partner companies, each with its own HR systems and no shared engagement data.
- Four years of Microsoft Forms produced sentiment snapshots with no connection to employee records or actionable analytics.
- CultureMonkey connected survey responses to real HR data, delivering manager-level engagement visibility for the first time.
- The Fall 2025 survey recorded a 7.5/10 engagement score and eNPS of 6 across 2,400 responses from 20+ partner companies.
- Bilingual surveys via email and QR codes reached office staff and field technicians without manual HR coordination.
- Astra's next target is 5,000 employees who actively use engagement data, with manager dashboards already live.
Why Microsoft Forms was no longer enough for 3,500+ employees
No connection between survey data and employee records
Microsoft Forms delivered eNPS scores and sentiment snapshots at the company level, but with no link to employee records, organizational hierarchy, or manager relationships. Engagement data stopped at the surface — leadership had no way to drill into what was driving the numbers.
“When we were just using forms, we were limited to just sentiment information and eNPS information across our portfolio of companies. We couldn't really drill down into it beyond the company level.”
Feedback collected, but action missing
Without structured engagement analytics, survey data circulated in leadership conversations but did not translate into decisions. Astra was direct about what was happening: data was collected twice a year, and nothing meaningful was done with it.
“We were having these conversations in the leadership team about how we're actioning survey data. If we're getting all this information every twice a year, we're really not doing anything with it if we're really honest and we look in the mirror.”
A decentralized structure that made connection technically difficult
With 20+ partner companies each running independent HR systems, there was no central employee record to build survey routing from. Connecting responses to organizational structure required a platform and a team willing to work through that complexity rather than around it.
Why CultureMonkey: the team differentiated immediately
Transparency from the first conversation
Most vendors complicated the sales process. CultureMonkey did the opposite — in the first meeting, Lisa understood the model, pricing, and the team's commitment to customers. That directness was rare enough to be decisive.
“They differentiated themselves almost immediately by just being very honest, authentic, straightforward. Like I feel like in the first meeting, I understood the model, the software, the pricing, and their commitment to customers really fast.”
Implementation partnership, not just a software licence
Astra's engagement program was ambitious and moving quickly. The question was whether the team would show up when the complexity of a decentralized network made things difficult. That question was answered consistently throughout the engagement.
“It's one of the best software companies I've ever worked with. And the product actually works really well, too. So the two things combined is like a great formula.”
How CultureMonkey built structure across a fragmented network
Bilingual, multi-channel survey access for office and field teams
Surveys in English and Spanish — distributed via email and QR codes — enabled both office staff and field technicians to participate without HR teams managing manual sessions. The self-serve model removed operational burden from site HR and increased accessibility across the network.
Connected to real HR data: manager-level visibility for the first time
CultureMonkey worked with Astra to connect survey responses to actual employee records across the decentralized network, including organizational hierarchy and manager relationships. That connection delivered what four years of Microsoft Forms could not: engagement visibility at the manager level.
“Switching to CultureMonkey and connecting to our real HR data has just been a game changer for us. Now I can see engagement information down to the manager level, which is just a completely different world.”
People Science–backed reporting across 20+ companies
After the Fall 2025 survey, CultureMonkey's People Science team produced custom reports with thematic analysis of open-text responses and benchmark comparisons across all partner companies, segmented separately for office and technician groups.
Custom data export for a data-led leadership team
The ability to export and slice engagement data independently was critical for Astra's leadership. The platform enabled Lisa to cross-reference engagement driver scores with retention and hiring data, identifying correlations between employee sentiment and attrition patterns across partner populations.
“It's our data. We can look at it however we need to, and they'll help us do that — which has been fantastic.”
Turn employee feedback into decisions your managers can act on
See how CultureMonkey connects survey data to real HR records — giving every manager in your network visibility they can act on.
Fall 2025 survey: Astra's first structured engagement baseline
What Astra is building next
Lisa Watts has set a 12-to-18-month target: an organization of 5,000 employees who understand how to use engagement data. Manager-level dashboards are already rolling out, manager training is underway, and the next survey cycle will track movement on the engagement drivers identified in the Fall 2025 baseline.
“Within the next 12 to 18 months, I'm envisioning an organization of 5,000 people that understand how to use engagement data.”