Employee Engagement Survey Questions: 60+ Musts and Don'ts

Putting together an employee engagement survey is easy. Crafting one that doesn't make your team roll their eyes? That one's tougher. On this page, you'll discover the best employee engagement survey questions to ask, the ones to skip, and how to finally get answers worth reading.

The end of the quarter is around the corner, and everything seems to be running smoothly. KPIs are being achieved, the team is working efficiently, and no one is openly voicing complaints. But then, out of nowhere, a key employee resigns. You're left gobsmacked, scrambling to figure out what went wrong. Did they feel undervalued? Were they unhappy with the workload? Or was there something deeper you missed? The answers might have been right there in front of you – if only you'd asked better employee engagement survey questions.

Employee engagement is the lifeblood of any successful organization, but it's also one of the hardest things to measure. A well-thought-out set of questions has the potential to uncover what motivates your team, what frustrates them, and what makes them stay or leave. However, crafting that survey isn't as easy as throwing together a random list of questions. Some will spark genuine insights, while others might feel like corporate fluff, leaving your employees disengaged before they even hit "submit."

In this article, we'll explore the art of asking the best employee engagement survey questions and avoiding the ones that miss the mark. You'll also discover practical question examples and a handy tool to help you confidently nail your next survey.

Characteristics of Good Survey Questions for Employees

Writing effective employee engagement survey questions isn't just about piecing together a bunch of standard phrases. The best questions should be clear and directly tied to your company's goals. They must be concise and short enough to avoid confusion but detailed enough to get meaningful responses. Try focusing on asking specific questions to help identify key engagement areas and gather valuable data for analysis.

A balanced mix of quantitative and qualitative questions is key. Quantitative questions like those with Likert scales (e.g., "Strongly agree" to "Strongly disagree") help you measure employee sentiment in a structured way. These provide clear, actionable data and make it easier to track changes over time. Qualitative questions (or open-ended ones), on the other hand, give the chance to express concerns and ideas that don't fit neatly into multiple-choice answers.

Consider the length and number of questions carefully. Too many questions can overwhelm the staff, leading to rushed or incomplete responses. A good rule of thumb is a survey that is around 10-15 questions. For employee engagement pulse survey questions, which are shorter and more frequent, it's better to aim for 5-7 questions.

Remember to conduct surveys regularly, as they not only help you stay on top of employee engagement but also give you the flexibility to respond quickly to any emerging concerns.

As for more best practices regarding HR survey questions to employees, you should make sure to keep surveys anonymous. This way, respondents will feel more comfortable sharing their true feelings if they know their answers won't be traced back to them. It's also essential to set clear expectations about how long the survey will take so people know they have the needed time without feeling rushed.

Lastly, ensure that there's a proper environment for filling out the survey. Being in an open office space surrounded by colleagues or supervisors, or trying to complete the survey while managing their regular tasks or after working hours can make participants feel uneasy and less open. A quiet, private setting encourages honest and reflective answers.

What to Add to an Employee Feedback Questionnaire

When putting together HR survey questions for employees, think of it as creating the perfect playlist – a great mix keeps people engaged, but you don't want it to be too long that people start skipping tracks (or in this case, questions), right? Let's take a sneak peek at the main elements you should include to keep your survey smooth and useful.

General Engagement Questions

These are aimed at gauging how engaged employees feel in their roles and within the company. They might include questions like, "How motivated do you feel at work?" or "Do you feel your contributions are valued by the team?" Consider using a Likert scale to quantify responses, such as "Strongly agree" to "Strongly disagree."

Job Satisfaction Questions

Such questions dive deeper into employees' satisfaction with their specific roles, responsibilities, and work environment. Examples might include, "How satisfied are you with your current workload?" or "Do you have the necessary tools and resources to do your job effectively?"

Manager and Leadership Feedback

This kind concerns relationships with direct supervisors and the broader management team. Questions like "Do you feel supported by your manager?" or "How well do you think leadership communicates company goals?" are useful in understanding how employees view the effectiveness of those in charge.

Company Culture and Environment

This is the section where you can really get a feel for the workplace vibe. Is your office a happy, inclusive place, or more like a pressure cooker? Ask things like, "Do you feel respected by your colleagues?" or "How inclusive is the work culture here?" The answers will give you a good sense of the team dynamics and overall atmosphere, because let's face it, a toxic culture can make even those who are the most motivated want to head for the door.

Engagement and Retention

Such questions are crucial for understanding what keeps people at your company and what might make them think about the possibility of leaving. Asking questions like, "What motivates you to stay with the company?" or "What would make you consider leaving?" gives you an idea of the main engagement drivers and helps you identify retention risks before they become a problem.

Open-Ended Goldmine

This is what you need to get valuable insights that don't fit neatly into a checkbox. A simple, "Is there anything else you'd like to share?" gives the opportunity to spill the beans on stuff you may not have thought of. Sure, you might get a few random comments, but every now and then, someone will drop a nugget of wisdom that can totally change how you approach employee engagement and create your recognition culture.

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60+ Best Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Ask

Planning an employee survey is a bit like preparing for a dinner party: you want to make sure you serve the right mix of appetizers, main courses, and desserts to keep everyone involved and satisfied. In the same way, a well-rounded survey includes different types of questions to uncover your staff's true feelings and concerns.

To help you plan your perfect "survey menu", we've put together a list of sample survey questions for employees. They'll let you get the insights you need to boost engagement, identify issues, and create a happier, more productive work environment.

Best Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Ask

10 Popular Employee Engagement Survey Questions

Engagement surveys are like the hidden gem that turns a good workplace into a great one. These questions give you the lowdown on how connected respondents feel to their roles and the company. Here's a breakdown of the best questions to ask in an employee engagement survey to get a better grasp of your team's enthusiasm:

How motivated do you feel at work?
Do you feel like your work is valued by the company?
How often do you feel excited about coming to work?
Do you believe your contributions are making a difference to the team?
How aligned do you feel with the company's goals and values?
Do you have the opportunity to use your strengths at work?
How confident are you in the company's future success?
Do you feel supported by your team and leadership?
How well does your role match the expectations you had when you first started?
Do you feel encouraged to share your ideas and feedback?

10 Employee Engagement Pulse Survey Questions

Pulse surveys are like a quick temperature check for your organization. They're short, sweet, and give you a snapshot of how your teams are feeling in real-time. Let's take a closer look at several nice employee engagement pulse survey questions that can be implemented in your questionnaire:

How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your current workload?
Do you feel you have a clear understanding of your goals for this quarter?
How satisfied are you with the communication from leadership?
On average, how often do you find yourself feeling stressed each week?
How supported do you feel by your team?
Do you feel that your work is recognized by your manager?
How easy is it for you to collaborate with your colleagues?
Do you have the resources you need to do your job effectively?
How much do you trust leadership's decision-making?
How strongly do you agree that this company reflects demographic diversity?

10 Employee Survey Questions about Culture and Management

Culture and leadership shape everything from how people collaborate to how they feel about coming to work every day. If your company culture is the heartbeat, leadership is the rhythm that keeps it all in sync. Here are some employee survey questions about management and culture to find out how well everything is flowing:

Do you feel the company's mission and values are clear to you?
How well do you think leadership listens to employee feedback?
How often do you feel inspired by the leadership team's vision?
Do you feel like you're an integral part of the team?
Do you think the company fosters an inclusive environment?
How comfortable do you feel being yourself at work?
How well does leadership communicate company changes or updates?
How effective is the leadership in recognizing and rewarding employees?
Do you trust the leadership team to make decisions in the best interest of employees?
How would you rate the company's overall work culture?

10 Open-Ended Employee Engagement Survey Questions

Open-ended work process survey questions allow employees to go beyond the confines of multiple-choice answers and share their honest, unfiltered thoughts. This is where you get to hear the real story – the good, the bad, and everything in between. Here's a rundown of several of the best questions for employee engagement survey add-ons that are open-ended and can give you those golden insights:

What's the one thing you would change about your current role to make it better?
What is the one thing the company does really well that you'd like to see more of?
If you could give one piece of advice to leadership, what would it be?
What's the one thing you feel the company could improve in terms of culture or work environment?
Is there anything about your job that makes you feel unmotivated?
What's the most rewarding part of your job that you wish others understood more?
If you could change something about your team dynamics, what would it be?
What do you think is the biggest barrier to your success at work?
What can the company do to make you feel more supported in your role?
Is there anything else you'd like to share that hasn't been covered in the survey?

Which Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Avoid

When it comes to such questionnaires, asking the wrong things can be like ordering the wrong food for your dinner party – you'll end up with lots of guests feeling uncomfortable. Here are some red flags to steer clear of along with some helpful alternatives of the best employee survey questions that will give you the insights you're really looking for.

"Are you happy with everything?"

It's like asking, "Do you like pizza?" The answer is almost always yes or no... or a confusing "I guess…" You want more insightful questions, not vague generalizations. Instead, ask: "How satisfied are you with your current role and responsibilities?"

"Do you like your job?"

A little too simplistic and likely to get a quick, one-word response. Plus, it doesn't address the deeper factors of engagement. Try: "What aspects of your job do you find most rewarding?" This will give people the opportunity to reflect on the parts of their job they truly enjoy.

"Do you feel like you are being paid fairly?"

While compensation is important, this question is often too direct and doesn't provide much actionable data. A better alternative would be: "How satisfied are you with the compensation and benefits package?" This is more specific, leaving room to provide feedback on a broader range of compensation factors, including benefits, bonuses, or work perks.

"Are you excited about the company's future?"

This question is too broad and could be interpreted in many ways. Focus on specifics: "How confident are you in the company's long-term vision and direction?" This phrasing invites you to evaluate leadership, strategy, and company goals, providing clearer insight into their concerns or optimism.

"Is your manager doing a good job?"

Too vague and leading, which could make employees uncomfortable. A more helpful option would be: "How well does your manager provide the support you need to succeed in your role?" Such employee survey questions about communication open up the conversation to specifics on managerial support and leadership, which will give you more actionable feedback.

Make Employee Feedback Effortless with Slack Surveys

Employee engagement surveys shouldn't feel like a hassle yet, too often, they do. Long emails, clunky external forms, and low response rates turn what should be a simple process into an uphill battle. No one wants to interrupt their workflow just to fill out another survey.

But what if getting feedback was as easy as sending a Slack message? With tools like OrgaNice, you can collect real insights without disrupting your team's day. No extra logins, no forgotten links. Just quick, effortless responses right where your team already communicates.

Make Employee Feedback Effortless with Slack Surveys

One of the best parts? The pre-built, customizable templates make it super easy to ask the best questions for an employee engagement survey without starting from scratch. Whether you need pulse checks, deep insights, or quick feedback, this team survey Slack bot has your back. Plus, responses are automatically organized into a dashboard, so you can track trends and understand your team's sentiment without sorting through messy spreadsheets.

Getting started is a breeze. A quick setup in Slack, and you're ready to roll. You can configure notifications, automate reminders, and even link surveys to recognition programs or performance check-ins. It's a simple way to keep participation high without adding extra work to anyone's plate.

And if you're a small business? Even better. OrgaNice is free for small teams (up to 36 users) and offers a 14-day free trial for larger teams. After that, it's just $1.25 per user per month, with extra savings on annual plans. It's an affordable way to keep a pulse on your team's involvement.

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Final Say on Preparing Survey Questions for Employees

Collecting feedback from your team doesn't have to be a tedious process. If you want to foster a workplace where everyone feels truly valued, it starts with asking the right questions. The best survey questions for employee engagement will give you genuine insights into your team's thoughts, frustrations, and ideas without the need for complicated forms or endless email chains. At the end of the day, the goal is to make it as easy as possible for your team to share their opinions.

If you're unsure where to begin, OrgaNice makes the process straightforward and efficient. There's no need for additional tools or complicated setups – simply launch your survey directly from Slack in just a few steps. Along with surveys, it includes practical HR features such as an org chart builder, time-off tracker, and a kudos bot to support employee recognition. Reach out and we'll show you all the ways it can simplify your workflow.

Best Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Ask and Avoid