50 Employee Engagement Survey Questions That You Must Ask In 2021

Everything about a survey comes down to the survey questionnaire. Let’s be very honest here, curating great employee engagement survey questions is quite a difficult task. The tougher challenge is that the chances of the survey email landing in the trash box or going unnoticed is also quite high.

So, what should be done?

Surveys are the most efficient way to gain insights into the company’s current employee engagement levels. It is a driver of organizational improvement that you can not oversee.

Related Resource: A Beginner’s Guide to Conducting Effective Employee Surveys

Some primary rules are as follows.

You must build trust through the survey. Present the questions in a non-intimidating, systematic and tactical manner. Be authentic and commiserating towards the attitude of your employees. Try to be in “their shoes” while coming up with and putting up the questions.

While designing the questionnaire, managers should have a clear idea on the drivers of employee engagement in their organization. They must be sure about which are the ones they want to evaluate in a particular survey.

Because of the growing popularity and ease of understanding of Employee Pulse surveys, I’ve kept the questions in a pulse survey mode. Meaning each question will be presented so that it can be rated on a scale of 0 to 10 or 0 to 5. If you’re using a different survey format, feel free to mould the question to your desired format.

50 Best Questions for Employee Engagement Survey for you

In this blog, I’ve divided the Employee engagement survey questions into nine categories, namely

1. Employee Engagement Index
2. Communication
3. Leadership
4. Compensation and Benefits
5. Employee Recognition
6. Workplace Wellness
7. Personal and Professional Development
8. Work Environment
9. Work-life Balance

1. Employee Engagement Index

This section will give you a cumulative assessment of all the employee engagement efforts of the company. This will help you understand your current status of employee engagement levels.

Here are six questions that you must include in this particular section:

• Do you feel proud to be part of the Company?

• How likely are you to recommend our company to your friends?

• How likely are you to nominate the company as “Best places to work”?

• Do you look forward to coming to work each morning?

• Do you plan to be at this company in the next two years?

• Do you feel empowered at work?

The answers to these questions will explain your employees’ level of investment or commitment to the company. Since you ask them to rate their answer on a scale rather than asking a definite yes/no, it ensures more honest responses.

2. Communication

Robust Communication within the organization is essential, and there are no two ways about it. Effective communication can only sustain when you remove the barriers of communication and ensure transparency at various levels.

Here are eight questions on communication you can not miss:

• Do you feel comfortable contributing ideas and opinions in our workplace?

• Do you feel comfortable asking for help if you do not have the skills required to meet your goals?

• When you are in any problem relating to work, do you trust your managers to listen?

• Do you feel like the management team is transparent?

• Do you have a good working relationship like with colleagues?

• Do you feel comfortable giving feedback to your supervisor?

• Do you feel like coworkers give each other respect here?

• Do you think your manager values your opinions?

Recommended Resource: Business Communication as a building block of Employee Engagement

3. Management and Leadership

The relationship between employees and managers is one of the most critical parts of an organization's growth. It is essential to evaluate management policies, leadership style, managers' conduct, and overall management performance.

Here are 5 Questions you must ask in this module:

• Do you believe in the approach taken by leaders to take to reach company objectives?

• Do you understand the strategic goals of the broader organization?

• Does your manager care about you as a person?

• Do you feel aligned with the company goals?

• Do the people at the executive level contribute to a positive work culture?

4. Work Environment

The immediate surrounding and work environment has a big impact on the satisfaction of your employees. Understanding if the company meets the requirement in terms of comfort, design, tools, and machines required, and the office vibe is important.

Here are a few questions you should consider for this particular section:

• Do you feel that the vibe of the workplace is positive and motivating?

• How prominent is office politics in the workplace?

• Do you have the basic amenities to feel comfortable and relaxed at work?

• Does the company provide you with all the tools and materials you need to do your job?

• Is your organization dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion?

• Does your organization operate in a socially responsible manner?

5. Workplace Wellness

An employee’s physical and mental wellbeing should always be a top priority for any organization. As the proverb goes, a sound mind is in a sound body. Corporations need to offer health assistance to employees to uplift their health and wellness. Utilize the survey to evaluate the current success of your wellness initiatives. Asking the right questions can also help you identify health areas that the company needs to work on.

• Do you think that the company cares about your physical and mental wellbeing?

• Do you feel it is important to have a well-defined Corporate wellness program in an organization?

• Would you like to have a healthy snacks station in the workplace?

• Do you think that the company’s wellness policies and fitness initiatives are enough?

• Would you like to be updated on health-related news and participate in wellness events?

6. Recognition

Do you think you need to run the extra mile to make your employees valued and feel appreciated? The answer is a whopping yes!

‘The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated’. When your employees do not feel appreciated and recognized enough, they leave. It is crucial to have a well-defined employee Rewards & Recognition program. You must keep evaluating the success of your R&R program and keep working on the model to establish Employee Recognition.

Here are a few questions that can help you keep track of your efforts:

• Do you receive enough recognition?

• Are you recognized fairly for your contribution to team efforts?

• Do you feel recognized for your hard work and successes at work?

• Are you complimented for your work by leaders and peers regularly?

• Do you receive meaningful rewards on special days like Work Anniversary, Birthdays, professional milestones, etc.?

Related Resource: 33 Rewards and Recognition Ideas to Boost Employee Recognition

7. Benefits and Compensation

Employees love to receive compensation and benefits over and above their hard-earned salary.

You can ask questions in your survey to evaluate your company's compensation and benefits package. You can also use it as a means to identify the popular and top-seeking benefits among your workforce.

• Are you satisfied with the current benefits that the company offers, excluding your salary?

• Do you think you will benefit from an Employee Discount Program to be eligible for discounts and special pricing on various products?

• How often do you avail of the benefits given by the company on your purchases?

Recommended Resource: Top Employee Benefits & Compensation Ideas for a Diverse Workforce

8. Personal and Professional Growth

47% of higher educated workers said a narrow career path could get them to leave a job. (Randstad)

To ensure that your employees feel motivated and invested at work, you must encourage their professional and personal growth. When they feel aligned with the company's goals, it is a win-win situation for both parties.

Do not forget to add these questions to your employee engagement survey to evaluate this very crucial aspect.

• Do you feel aligned with the company goals?

• Do you understand how your role correlates to the company’s success?

• Do you think that the Management/leadership show a genuine interest in your career goals?

• Do you find your job role exciting and challenging?

• Has your supervisor helped you to succeed in your position?

• Do you feel like this is a good place for you to develop your career?

9. Work-Life Balance

The chances are high that millennials and Gen Z employees largely dominate your workforce. If there is one common trend among the new-age crew, they desire to achieve a healthy work-life balance. With the boom in digital technology, the dream has come to a close reality. Employers must acknowledge this aspect and implement constructive policies for the same.

Here are six questions you cannot miss out on:

• Do you get enough time to do your job well?

• Do you have fun at work?

• Are you often stressed with deadlines and workloads?

• Do you usually take your work home?

• Do you often find yourself working on weekends and holidays?

• Do you think you're missing out on significant time with your friends and family?

Must Read: Employee Satisfaction Questionnaire: 15 Questions you must ask!

This article is written by Darshana Dutta. She works as a Content Creator and Digital Marketer at Vantage Circle. She writes extensively on trends around employee engagement and transforming company culture. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com