Private equity portfolio companies
Weekly AI employee interviews for portfolio companies
Most of what goes wrong inside a company is known on the floor months before it reaches the board. Each week, every employee gets a five-minute chat with an AI interviewer about what is working and what is getting in the way. Owners and operating teams see the recurring problems early, without names attached.
What it is
Think of an anonymous survey that talks back. A survey asks the same questions once a quarter and nobody follows up. The interviewer asks a few questions each week, follows up on the answer, and stops after about five minutes. Because it runs every week, a problem shows up as soon as several people mention it.
For owners and operating partners
A weekly view of the top issues across the company, which ones are new, which are rising, and which went away after a fix.
For management
A clear list of what slows people down, in their own words, grouped by theme so no single person can be picked out.
For employees
A short, private conversation in a channel they already use, in the language they work in. Taking part is a choice.
For the next step
The same answers show where an AI audit or staff training would pay off first.
What you receive
A short weekly summary: the main themes, how they changed since last week, and a few representative quotes with every name and identifying detail removed. The summary goes to the people you name, usually the owner, the operating partner and the CEO.
How it works
- 1
You choose the questions and who takes part
We agree a short set of questions with you, such as what slowed you down this week or what would you fix first, and which teams are included.
- 2
Employees get a five-minute weekly chat
The interviewer reaches them in a channel they already use, such as WhatsApp, asks the questions and follows up on what they say.
- 3
Answers are anonymized before anyone reads them
Names and identifying details are removed. Reports show themes, never one person's answers.
- 4
A person reviews the weekly summary
Before it goes out, a person checks that the themes are fair and that nobody can be identified from what is quoted.
Controls
- Employees choose to take part, and can stop at any time.
- We do not read private chats, personal accounts or company email. Only the answers given in the interview are used.
- Individual answers are never shown with a name.
- A person reviews every summary before it is released.
- Your data stays in your own cloud.
Questions
Is this employee surveillance?
No. Employees are asked to take part, they answer questions put to them, and nothing from their private conversations or accounts is read. Reports show themes, not people.
How is it different from an anonymous survey?
It happens every week, and it follows up on answers. A survey tells you about a problem at the next survey. A weekly interview shows it when the first few people mention it.
How long does each interview take?
About five minutes a week for each employee.
Who sees what?
The people you name see the weekly summary. They see themes and anonymized quotes, not who said what.
Does it work for companies that do not work in English?
The interview runs in the language the employees work in. Tell us the languages when you ask for a review.
How do we start?
Send a short workflow review request with the company, the size of the team and the channel people use. We reply with the questions we would start with.