Considering the Questions About Employee Engagement Surveys

One of the best tools available for taking the pulse of how engaged employees are is the employee engagement survey. When done correctly, these surveys can yield a wealth of actionable data points to make the workforce more productive, more satisfied, and less likely to leave. However, to create an effective survey, human resources leaders must give it thoughtful consideration. Think about the timing of the survey and its frequency. Think about the way each question is worded and what follow-up will look like. A poorly executed survey can have negative outcomes. As far as questions go, there are different categories to consider. There are satisfaction questions such as “How do you feel about work today,” and “Would you recommend this organization to a friend?” These questions can help quantify exactly how dissatisfied some employees may be and the results can be shocking. There are also alignment questions that can help determine how well employees “fit” in their roles and with the organization. Examples of these include “Do you find your work meaningful?” and “Do you feel recognized for the work you do?” Finally, there are future-orientation questions that help employers determine their employees’ long-term goals. Questions include “Do you have the tools to maximize your potential here?” and “Do you see yourself working here in a year?”