Run a pilot people choose to take part in

1. Why this playbook

People take part when they understand why, know that it is voluntary, have the time, and see something change as a result. Pressure does the opposite: it makes answers less honest, and consent given under pressure is not consent.

2. Before the start (week 0)

• Name one pilot owner who answers questions and meets us at the start, on day 30 and on day 60.
• Inform your employee representatives or union before you start, where you have them.
• Decide one thing you are prepared to act on when the first team reading comes in, and say it in the kickoff.
• Send the invitations in week 1. Each person decides whether to take part and what, if anything, to share.

3. The kickoff message

Spoken or written by a leader, in about two minutes. Adapt the words; keep every point.

We are trying BurnoutZero for 60 days, because we want to know how our teams are doing and to act on what we learn.

Taking part is voluntary. So is what you share: you decide in the app, and you can change your mind at any time. Saying no, or stopping, has no consequence for you.

A check-in takes about 30 seconds. Doing it during work time is fine.

As an organisation we only ever see figures for groups, and only for groups of at least 5 people. We never see anything about you as a person, and we see how many take part only as a rough band for a whole week.

When the first team reading comes in, we will [the one thing you decided in week 0]. We will tell you in Burnout Zero what we did.

If you have questions, ask [your pilot owner].

4. What not to do

• No targets for participation. A target turns a choice into an expectation.
• No reminders from managers. The app reminds the people who want reminders; a reminder from a manager is pressure.
• No lists of who has joined. You cannot get one from us, and asking people to report it defeats the purpose.
• No prizes and no competitions between teams. They reward taking part, not honest answers.
• Never ask anyone about their answers. What someone shares is their own.

5. Weeks 1 to 4

There is nothing to chase. A team reading appears once enough people who chose to share take part regularly, at least 5 per group; until then the dashboard says why it is still empty. Participation appears as a rough weekly band once enough people take part two weeks in a row.

6. The day 30 review (45 minutes)

1. Look at the team readings that were published and at the participation band.
2. Choose one action for one team.
3. Publish it to that team in the dashboard ("You said, we did"), so people see that taking part leads somewhere.
4. Decide what you will look at on day 60.

If nothing was published, look at group sizes, not at people: plan for 8 to 10 regular participants per group. A group that is too small stays empty so that no one can be identified.

7. Day 60: the outcome report

The outcome report compares weeks three and four with the last two weeks of the pilot, using only what the dashboard already showed. Where a group was too small, it says so instead of showing a number. It describes what changed; it does not show that BurnoutZero caused it.

8. Questions employees ask

Can my manager see my score?

No. Your manager sees only figures for groups of at least 5 people, and never anything about you as a person.

What if I do not want to share?

Then do not. You can use the app just for yourself, share nothing, and change your mind at any time. Nobody is told.

Can I do it during work time?

Yes. A check-in takes about 30 seconds, and doing it during work time is fine.

What happens to my data after the pilot?

Your own check-ins stay in your own account, which you can keep using or delete at any time. The organisation only ever had figures for groups.

Who do I ask?

Your pilot owner, or us at support@burnoutzero.com.