Every organisation wants a happy, productive, and committed workforce. But what's the best way to achieve that? Some say it starts with asking your employees the right questions.
Engagement surveys can be an important tool for assessing employee satisfaction and motivation. Below are ten essential questions to include in an employee engagement survey.
1. How engaged are you with your work?
If your employees are not engaged with their work, chances are you may see a drop in productivity or employee satisfaction.
Several factors can contribute to low engagement levels at work. It could be due to a lack of challenge in your employee’s role, if they’re feeling undervalued or unappreciated, or simply not passionate about the work they’re doing. Whatever the reason, it's important to try to find ways to increase employee engagement.
One way to do this is to make sure you include the question, "How engaged are you with your work?" in your employee engagement surveys. This will help you get a better understanding of how your employees are feeling and what might be causing any disengagement. This information can help you make changes to improve employee engagement.
2. What motivates you at work?
This is a question that is often asked in engagement surveys, and it can be difficult to answer. There are many things that can motivate someone at work, and it depends on the individual.
Some people are motivated by the challenges of their job, while others are motivated by the opportunity to learn new things or by receiving recognition of their hard work.
Rather than asking yes/no questions, allow your employees to provide additional feedback when answering this question, as some people can be motivated by more than one thing.
Discovering what motivates your employee can provide enormous value in getting the best performance out of your team.
3. What causes you stress at work?
Work can be a major source of stress for many people. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to stress at work, such as long hours, tight deadlines, demanding bosses or co-workers, and job insecurity.
Asking employees about their stress levels can help you identify potential problem areas in your workplace and take steps to address them. Additionally, promoting open communication about stress can help employees feel more comfortable discussing their experiences and needs with their managers.
Some stress is unavailable, but minimising the pressure your employees are under, where possible, can help improve their mental health, which can result in a happier working culture.
4. Do you feel like your work is meaningful?
It's important for employees to feel like their work is meaningful. If they don't, it can lead to disengagement and a lack of motivation.
Asking employees whether they feel like their work is meaningful is a great way to gauge engagement levels and identify areas where improvements can be made.
When creating your engagement survey, make sure to include the question, "Do you feel like your work is meaningful?" By doing so, you'll be able to get valuable insights into your employees' perceptions of their work and its impact.
5. Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
The question "Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?" is a key question that can help you gauge whether or not your employees are enjoying their work.
If your employees feel like they can use their strengths and abilities daily, they are more likely to be engaged in their work and feel satisfied with their jobs.
This question can also help you identify areas where employees may need more training or development to be successful. Asking this question on your engagement survey can help you create a more engaged and productive workforce.
6. Are you given the resources and support you need to be successful?
When it comes to employee engagement, one of the most important factors is whether or not employees feel like they have the resources and support they need to be successful.
If employees don't feel like they have what they need to do their job well, it's going to be very difficult for them to be engaged in their work, and it can lead to low satisfaction. That's why, when you're designing your engagement survey, it's important to include a question about whether or not employees feel like they have the resources and support they need, and ask for feedback on what would help them do their job better.
7. Does your workplace have a good culture?
It's been said that we spend more time with our co-workers than with our families. So it's no surprise that our relationships with our colleagues and company culture can have a big impact on our overall satisfaction with our jobs.
Encouraging a good company culture provides numerous benefits, not just for your employees, but for your overall business. Sometimes for business owners it can be hard to gauge what the culture is really like, so asking for employee feedback will help you identify if there are any areas of improvement, and may also help you when planning team events in the future to ensure a happy working environment for all your employees.
8. Do you feel like your opinions are valued at work?
Everyone likes to feel like their opinion is valued, but employees may not always feel like they have the opportunity to speak up. If workers don't feel like their voices are being heard, it can lead to a feeling of disconnection and disengagement from the organisation as a whole.
An employee survey is a great way to give your employees a voice and show that you care about their opinions and feedback. Asking if employees feel their opinions are valued, will give you an indication of whether your employees feel appreciated, and if you need to improve the opportunities for them to speak up. Just make sure that when your team does share feedback, you listen and take the appropriate action.
9. Are you given opportunities to develop and grow professionally?
Professional growth is important to many people. If employees feel like they are stuck in a rut or that their career growth is stagnating, it could lead to them looking for new opportunities elsewhere.
On the other hand, if employees feel like they are constantly learning and growing in their role, the more likely they are to be engaged and invested in their work. Employees are more likely to stay with your company if they know there is an opportunity for them to develop their skills and move into more challenging or senior roles. Asking this question in an employee survey can help you identify areas of growth your employees may be interested in, or new skills they’d like to learn.
10. Do you feel like your company is moving in the right direction?
There are a few different ways to interpret this question. Some people may feel that it is a way for companies to gauge employee morale. Others may see it as a way to get employees' honest opinions about the direction and growth of the company.
Regardless of how it is interpreted, this question can be very important in understanding how engaged employees are with their work and with the company as a whole. If employees feel like they understand what a company is working towards, whether that’s growth of the team or perhaps becoming a sustainable business, they may be more excited to stick around and be part of your company’s future.
Asking the right questions
Asking the right questions is essential to getting accurate and actionable feedback from your engagement survey. By taking the time to carefully craft your questions, you’ll be able to gain insights into what makes your employees happy and engaged, as well as where there may be areas of improvement.
