20 Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Ask

Updated February 28, 2023

Employee Appreciation Day is on Friday, March 3, 2023, and many organizations are considering how to celebrate the members of their workforces. While gifts and food are certainly appreciated, it’s also a good time to assess the engagement level across your organization. You can use Employee Appreciation Day to create an employee engagement survey and find out where you can make improvements.

Why Survey Employees?

If you’re wondering how a survey can help you show appreciation for your employees, here’s the scoop. Engaged employees are the best performers in any business, but you don’t always know who’s engaged and who is struggling to find their place. Since many employees work remotely, at least part of the time, employers are having more trouble assessing engagement rates and overall satisfaction. An employee engagement survey provides helpful insights into the pulse and feelings around the office.

By contrast, disengaged employees put a strain on their employers. Their lack of effort costs billions of dollars collectively across the U.S. Poor engagement can also wreak havoc on the company morale, causing others to become less engaged in their work. Your business may even suffer the effects of low employee retention.

But asking employees upfront about their feelings and desires for the workplace may not yield a true result. Most will feel uncomfortable criticizing their employer directly, making it hard to get a sense of how they feel. An anonymous survey with the right employee engagement questions is a crucial tool for today’s employer.

The Best Employee Engagement Survey Questions to Ask

If you don’t ask the right questions, you won’t get the information you need to make positive changes in the workplace. Make sure your employee engagement survey includes questions on key topics.

Employee Satisfaction

Try to imagine what a satisfied employee looks like. They might have a positive attitude, relationships with others on the team, and a willingness to take on new tasks. The following questions can help you get a sense of which employees feel satisfied in their roles, as well as how to make improvements to increase satisfaction.

1. Would you recommend this organization to your friends and family as a place to work?
2. Do you feel proud to work for this organization?
3. Are you satisfied with your compensation?
4. Do you feel the company’s benefits package is competitive and meets your needs?
5. Do you have someone at work you can talk to or confide in?
6. Can you envision yourself working for this organization in two years?

Asking questions around current satisfaction, as well as the potential to remain with the company, can help you assess who enjoys their roles. You can also determine where to make improvements, such as by adjusting employee benefits packages or requesting additional feedback on how to improve the work atmosphere.

Future Focus

It’s important to understand how employees envision their futures with the organization. This information can help company leaders assess the long-term success of the team.

7. Do you envision that you’ll still work for this company in five years?
8. Is there a clear path for your professional progression?
9. Does the work you do challenge you and support your growth goals?
10. Have you ever considered leaving this organization?
11. Do you have access to the tools you need to complete your tasks efficiently?
12. Does your supervisor ask about your career goals?
13. Do you feel supported in the goals you have for your professional future?

Cohesiveness

The cohesion of your workforce plays a major role in overall satisfaction and engagement levels. You can determine how employees feel by including questions that focus on how their individual goals align with larger company objectives.

14. Do the organization’s values and vision inspire and motivate you?
15. Is your supervisor invested in your overall success and growth?
16. Does our organizational culture foster a supportive and inclusive work environment?
17. Do you receive regular recognition for your professional accomplishments?
18. Is your work here meaningful to you?
19. Have you ever shared an initiative that matters to you with your supervisor?
20. Do you feel the leadership team of this organization is supportive of your professional success?

Open-Ended Questions

The 20 employee engagement survey questions outlined above allow for simple “yes” or “no” answers. But if employees answer “no” to any of them, it’s helpful to ask follow-up questions that allow them to expand on their feelings. Examples of open-ended employee engagement survey questions include:

• What practices do you feel should change within our organization?
• How can the leaders of this company aid in your engagement level at work?
• Do you see any problems with our company culture?
• Is there anything else you want to share as it relates to your experience as an employee of this organization?

What better way to show your appreciation to your team than to give them what they really want? Use a company-wide survey to get a sense of how you can make your workforce happier. Investing in employee engagement is a win-win, regardless of company size.