de Let’s face it, things in a company don’t always run smoothly. Some employees might be dissatisfied with working conditions, while others are frustrated with how processes are set up. If left unaddressed, these issues could escalate into something more serious, like mass resignations. However, there is a way to find out if there are problems within the company: surveys.
In this article, we will explain how to choose the right type of survey and craft questions that will help you identify and solve issues early on.
4 Benefits of Employee Surveys
Employee surveys typically ask job satisfaction questions about work, working conditions, work-life balance, and relationships with colleagues and management. These surveys can help you:
1. Spot Hidden Problems
Surveys are a great way to spot problems you might not notice. Employees can anonymously point out issues such as inefficient workflows, lack of resources, or daily frustrations in the workplace.
2. Attract and Retain Top Talent
Job satisfaction questions help you figure out what makes employees stay. For example, if most respondents highlight flexible schedules or competitive pay, it’s a sign that these benefits can be used to attract new employees.
Additionally, surveys foster a healthier work environment by showing employees that the company values their feedback and acts on it.
3. Reducing Employee Turnover
If a survey reveals dissatisfaction with pay or working conditions, you can take action before employees start leaving. For example, managers may be exerting too much pressure by setting unrealistic deadlines or requiring excessive reporting.
In most cases, dissatisfaction related to salary fades as soon as you start improving the working conditions. Research shows that salary isn’t the top priority for employees.
4. Revising Company Policies
Survey questions can shed light on what exactly concerns employees about company policies. If the majority are unhappy with vacation policies or feel that the company ignores overtime, it’s time to reconsider the rules and make them more employee-friendly.
Which Survey Method Should You Use?
There are three main types of employee job satisfaction surveys: 360-degree feedback, standard surveys, and pulse surveys. Let’s take a closer look at them:
Standard Survey
A standard survey is a simple and straightforward way to gather feedback on specific topics such as job satisfaction, working conditions, or team dynamics. These surveys are often anonymous, allowing employees to be candid in their responses.
This type of survey serves as the first step in researching the key metrics you need, which is why it tends to be more extensive. Typically, it includes between 20 to 40 questions.
How to conduct:
- Write a questionnaire around important topics (working conditions, team dynamics, stress levels).
- Send out the form —an online platform works best.
- Collect and analyze the results.
- Based on the feedback, implement necessary changes or improvements.
Pulse Survey
A pulse survey is a short, regular check-in on employee mood and engagement. These are conducted more frequently than standard surveys, usually on a weekly or monthly basis.
This survey is used to monitor changes in key areas where adjustments are made. For example, after setting up a break room or improving health insurance, you’ll quickly see how these changes impact employee satisfaction.
How to conduct:
- Come up with 3-5 simple questions about stress, motivation, or job satisfaction.
- Ask these questions regularly — weekly or monthly.
- Analyze the results to spot trends and act on any issues quickly.
- Make adjustments based on the feedback with your staff.
360 Feedback
Sometimes, a company needs to assess not only employees' opinions about working conditions but also their views on a specific individual.
A 360-degree feedback form gathers feedback about an employee from all sides — from colleagues, managers, subordinates, and sometimes even clients. It is an ideal way to get a comprehensive overview of an employee's performance, especially during performance evaluations or promotions.
How to conduct:
- Create forms with questions focusing on key skills and behaviors.
- Identify who interacts with the employee—colleagues, managers, subordinates.
- Make sure the review is anonymous.
- Gather the results, discuss them with the employee, and create a development plan.
We've covered the different types of surveys. Now, let's move on to a universal step-by-step guide that will help you prepare questions for any type of survey. ⬇️
How to Create an Employee Survey Properly
Want useful feedback? The key is crafting the right questions. Here’s a simple guide to get you started:
1. Set Your Goals
First, decide what you want to learn. Do you need to improve workflows, gauge job satisfaction, or uncover hidden issues?
2. Pick Key Topics
Focus on important areas like working conditions, relationships with colleagues and managers, and opportunities for career growth.
3. Keep Questions Clear and Short
Make the questions easy to understand. Include both closed-ended questions (yes/no, satisfied/dissatisfied) and open-ended ones for more detailed feedback.
4. Don’t make the survey too long
Limit the questionnaire to 10-15 questions to keep it manageable. This will increase the chances of receiving complete and honest responses. If there are too many questions, it’s better to conduct the survey in multiple stages.
5. Ensure Anonymity
Guarantee anonymity so employees feel comfortable giving honest feedback.
6. Choose a Format
Decide whether to use an online platform or paper-based surveys. Online feedback form tend to be easier and faster to process.
7. Analyze the Results
Collect responses, spot patterns, and figure out recurring issues. Then, use that information to create a plan for improvements.
Pro Tip: Ask the Right Questions
Here’s a quick guide to help you ask effective questions:
❌ Don’t: Combine unrelated topics in one question, for example «Are you happy with your salary and work conditions?»
✅ Do: Break it down into two separate questions— «Are you happy with your salary?» and «Are you satisfied with your work conditions?»
❌ Don’t: Ask confusing or overly formal questions like «How satisfied are you with the infrastructure provided by the company for fulfilling your professional responsibilities?»
✅ Do: Keep it simple with, «Do you have everything you need to do your job?»
❌ Don’t: Ask leading questions like «Do you agree that working at our company boosts your professional growth?»
✅ Do: Make it neutral: «How does working at our company affect your professional growth?» (Options: boosts, no effect, slows down)
❌ Don’t: Be too broad with questions, for example «How do you rate the company?»
✅ Do: Be specific: «How would you rate the organization of work processes at the company?»
Processing Survey Results
Follow these easy steps to process feedback ⬇️
1. Group Responses by Topic. Organize the feedback by categories, such as working conditions, team relations, and career opportunities.
2. Analyze Quantitative Data. For ratings, calculate the averages to get a sense of overall satisfaction.
3. Review Open-ended Answers. Look for recurring issues or suggestions in the written responses.
4. Spot Trends. Pay attention to patterns—if the same issue keeps coming up, that’s something to fix.
5. Take Action. Use the feedback to make specific improvements, then communicate the changes to your team.
