Abstract:

We commonly call research a listening tool, but do respondents feel listened to and cared for after participating in a
survey? We believe that is not always the case. Paying attention to it matters, and can drive better results.

Our submission is inspired by what happened at Coca-Cola Brazil, during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in
Q2 2020, when a comprehensive multi-touch-point employee listening initiative contributed to extraordinary results in
terms of engagement, positively impacting business results. This project goes beyond the public where we developed
it, which was the internal public of the company. It is a simple project; i.e. it does not have any methodological or
technological novelty. However, it serves to bring to the table a reflection?albeit not new?that must not be put aside
in these times of pandemic and its aftermath. The reflection we propose is on the importance of listening with empathy:
to connect from a human side with what and whom we want to investigate. This is not only in order to understand them
better, but to also capitalise on the transformative power of listening, both for the researcher and for the target.