A pulse survey is typically a type of survey given to employees of a company to better gauge and evaluate employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall attitude. These types of surveys are often given once or twice a year, on a regularly scheduled basis, and may be given to all employees and then broken down into specific departments or categories later. They are often kept confidential so employees can be open and honest with their answers, and are usually designed and evaluated by an outside company. A pulse survey is intended to allow management at varying levels to get a sense of the “health” of the company regarding the employees working within it.
The name “pulse survey” is based on an analogy between this type of survey and medical devices that electronically monitor the heart beat, or pulse, of a person. As those devices monitor a person’s pulse and display the information graphically, these surveys are intended to allow the managers of a company to monitor the “heart beat” of the company itself. The primary focus and intention of a pulse survey is typically to indicate and provide evaluation regarding employee issues such as job satisfaction, support from supervisors, work environment, and pay satisfaction.
(http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-pulse-survey.htm#didyouknowout)