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Use case · pulse-check

Get honest answers in one email

To run an anonymous team feedback poll inside Gmail, install the Polls for Gmail add-on, write one focused question with 3-5 distinct options, and send it inline. Voters see only their own pick; you see aggregate counts. No names, no attribution, no survey software.

Install free add-on See the steps

Step-by-step

Five steps to a useful pulse-check

1

Pick one question

One focused question per poll. Vague questions get vague signal.

2

Write 3-5 distinct options

Cover the realistic answer space without overlap. Merge similar options.

3

Insert into your team email

Open Gmail compose, click the Polls icon, drop in the question and options.

4

Tell people it's anonymous

Say so explicitly. People only vote honestly when they know you can't see their pick.

5

Share results back

Close the poll. Post the count to the team. Closing the loop builds trust for next time.

Example

A copy-and-tweak template

Subject: Quick anonymous pulse — what's slowing you down?


Hi team —

One question, anonymous, 30 seconds. I see only the count, not who picked what. Helps me know where to put my time this sprint.

Anonymous poll · What's slowing you down most?
→ Unclear priorities · Too many meetings · Tooling friction · Blocked by another team

I'll share the results back Friday.
— You

FAQ

Common questions

Is the voting truly anonymous?

Yes. Polls for Gmail records the option chosen and a one-time anonymous fingerprint to prevent double-voting. No names, email addresses, or identifying information are stored alongside votes. You see only counts per option.

Won't people still figure out who voted what on a small team?

On very small teams (3-4 people), some social inference is unavoidable — that's true of any anonymous tool. Polls work best for teams of 6+, or when you're polling a wider audience where individual votes can't be inferred.

Can I run a recurring sentiment poll?

Yes — create one poll per cycle (weekly, monthly). Each poll's results are independent, so you can compare trend lines manually. Pro users export to CSV to track over time.

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Find out what your team actually thinks.

Install free in two clicks. Three polls included; $25/year for unlimited.

Install free add-on See pricing