Employee engagement is the degree to which employees invest cognitive, emotional and behavioural efforts towards an organisation’s goals and values. Employee satisfaction, for example, differs from employee engagement, although the terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably. Just because an employee is happy, does not mean productivity levels are at an optimum.

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Employee engagement is, in fact, based on emotion, with many experts defining it in terms of employee feelings and behaviour. How connected a worker feels to his or her environment, managers and colleagues will have a massive impact on productivity and turnover.

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Simply described, engagement is the level at which a worker is inspired and energised to give to his/her job position and workplace. Engaged employees are focused, with a sense of urgency, going beyond their job descriptions with enthusiasm, persistency, productivity and adaptivity while feeling a sense of contentment that stems from good performance.

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Employees who are disengaged, like those who are engaged, can make or break a business. Activating a high performing workforce means getting the most out of the resources you already have.

Engaged employees positively influence business outcomes, leading to more positive ones. To them, the role is more than just a paycheck, autonomously going the extra mile without having to be told to do so, as they see the bigger picture and feel their own part in and impact on the company’s goals and vision.

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Engagement has an effect on just about every core component of your organisation, including: revenue, customer experience, profitability, turnover and more. In fact, if we let the numbers speak for themselves - according to Towers Perrin, companies with engaged workers have 6% higher net profit margins, and according to Kenexa, engaged companies have five times higher shareholder returns over five years.

Employee engagement is closely linked to productivity.

Surveys are a smart first step in measuring, assessing and driving employee success. By giving your employees a voice, you help shape the path of your engagement initiatives, build trust amongst employees, empower management, and improve overall workplace culture.

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Having the right data to measure current levels of engagement is crucial in moving forward and making progress. Employee surveys allow you to consistently monitor engagement throughout your company, while collecting and analysing data to be used in actionable strategies.

Survey Design

A survey is only as useful as the quality of its content. Important factors to consider are what is being measured. In the case of employee engagement, we’re primarily focusing on: employee sense of purpose, passion for their work and company, commitment and motivation. Asking the right questions that target important matters ensures useful data collection.

Conciseness

Questions should only focus on one topic each to ensure answers yield accurate and useful information, leaving leadership with clear follow-up plans. Questions must be thought through and solidly constructed so that data generated is actionable.

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Survey design experts advocate using items that ask for responses with a finite number of answers, such as those based on a numerical scale, commonly known as 1 to 5 answers. Open-end questions such as fill-in-the-blanks approaches can be tricky to group and transform into data and trending analysis, so should be used sparingly.

Confidentiality

A key component of comprehensive employee surveys is confidentiality. Anonymity encourages employees to respond openly and sincerely, which automatically rakes in higher response rates and transparency in given feedback.

Frequency

Surveys should be conducted on a regular basis to ensure accuracy in data collection and keep tabs on ever-changing workplace environments and climate. Annual or biannual surveys, alongside pulse checks when need be, should be followed by active listening and strategies that are put in place to show employees that the organisation cares about how they feel about their workplace.

Although each and every survey should be custom-tailored to the workforce and environment, there are core topics that need be covered in every employee engagement survey.

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We’ve compiled 25 crucial questions that target the essential points to be covered:

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1. Would you recommend (company) as a good place to work?

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This question measures overall workplace satisfaction and the employee’s belief in the organisation, which is an important factor in employee motivation. Employees who answer this question negatively will be gone as soon as they are offered another opportunity.

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2. Do you feel the company keeps your best interests in mind when making business decisions?

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Asking this question measures environmental and management support, asking employees whether they believe the workplace values them.

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3. Do you feel you have a good understanding of your organisation’s structures and processes?

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It’s important to evaluate how strong communication within the company is and the degree to which employees comprehend the organisation’s overall strategy. It’s only with a comprehensive understanding that they can feel motivated to contribute to the vision productively, as self-starters.

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4. On most days, I feel a sense of accomplishment from what I do.

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This question digs directly into employee motivation and satisfaction, which are key components of employee engagement. An employee who does not feel a sense of accomplishment in his job role will jump ship as soon as the opportunity arises, contributing to high turnover that can be very costly for companies.

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5. I am given the freedom to decide how to go about my work.

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Evaluating freedom of opinion, this question aims to reveal the extent to which employees’ opinions and input are valued. Welcoming input from employees increases meaningfulness in their work and encourages growth.

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6. I have remote work options/ sufficient flexibility in my work schedule.

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In the post-pandemic workplace, workers demand more flexibility than ever, knowing they can find it elsewhere if companies don’t comply with their requests and demands. Asking this question measures management support, as offering flexibility shows employees trust, care, and the flexibility needed to best complete their work.

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7. I feel how my work supports and impacts the vision of the company.

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Considering whether employees find their job to be valuable is significant in measuring how meaningful their work is to them and how accomplished they feel. Feeling that one’s work is worthwhile and valuable, seeing how personal input contributes to positive outcomes, is a key component in driving employee engagement.

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8. I am provided the sufficient material/technical support needed to perform well in my job.

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An employee can only grow so far if capacity is limited by technical drawbacks or a lack of support in programs or tools. Ensuring that employees are set up for productivity will motivate them to utilise the tools they are offered.

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9. My supervisor listens to and values my opinions.

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Navigating a career can be challenging and employees need to feel heard and supported by their managers. Lack of growth and development most often starts at the top, with managers neglecting to offer the needed listening ear to employees.

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10. My manager seems to care about me as a person.

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No one likes to feel like they are just a number in the team. Employees need to feel recognised and valued. Managers who support employees in balancing their personal lives with work shape workers into people who are more likely to spread the good word about their employers.

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11. My team inspires me to do my best work.

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Studies have shown that top performing teams have one thing in common: creating strong, meaningful relationships. Strong managers should actively look for opportunities to get the team together in order for them to get to know each other. People look for meaning in relationships by nature, although that doesn’t mean forcing friendships at work.

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12. Over the last year, I feel I have been given opportunities to grow.

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The desire and need to evolve is a natural human instinct. To most people, career is more than just a paycheck, otherwise it wouldn’t matter where we work. Companies thrive only when employees are given opportunities to learn and grow within. In order to provide this, supervisors need to assist in setting up short-term and longer-term goals, guiding workers in taking on new challenges.

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13. There is someone at work who regularly talks to me about my progress.

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Employee performance reviews, among the complexity of performance appraisals, are one way to sit down with workers, listen, give feedback and pave out a roadmap for future achievements. But official reviews should not be the only conversations managers conduct with employees on this topic. Supervisors should follow up with employees informally, giving them a voice and guiding them on the path to reaching their goals.

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14. I am given the opportunity to do what I do best every day at work.

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Allocating individual skillset efficiently not only makes work more fulfilling and enjoyable for employees, but increases effectiveness across the entire organisation as a whole. Giving people the opportunity to apply the best of their natural talents, skills and knowledge sets them up for being able to give their best every day with ease. Top managers know where each employee excels, where their weaknesses lie, and positions them accordingly – providing maximum value to the company.

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15. I know what is expected of me at work.

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A mutual understanding of expectations is crucial to building a sense of orientation at the workplace, both for the employees and managers. Employees can only fully commit to goals and immerse themselves in their job role when they know the full extent of what is expected of them. It’s the manager’s responsibility to set clear expectations in order for employees to focus and deliver accurately.

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16. I receive recognition or praise when I deliver good work.

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Everyone needs to feel appreciated for putting in the work. Sincere recognition motivates employees, gives them a sense of fulfillment and encourages them in the right direction. Gallup results show that only 25% of employees are recognised consistently!

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17. I rarely think about looking for a job at another company.

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A question like this cuts directly to the employee’s current feeling of commitment towards the company. People who are truly, fully engaged at work often find that looking for a new job elsewhere does not cross their mind.

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18. I see myself still working here in two years’ time.

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Just because an employee isn’t currently looking for a new job position, doesn’t mean he or she intends to stay for another two years. This question follows up on the previous one, but gives more insight regarding long-term commitment and time frame, which is useful when calculating an overall retention index.

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19. My manager is a great role model.

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This question aims at an objective evaluation of how people see their manager within a broader context of the workplace, as opposed to asking specifically about the relationship between said employee and their direct report.

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20. When something comes up at work, I know who to ask for help.

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Although even the best companies struggle in achieving a state in which all processes work perfectly, the question asks: is there a company-wide infrastructure that keeps things running smoothly? Is there inter-departmental communication?

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21. I see career opportunities for me at this company.

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This question is self-explanatory. People need to perceive career opportunities as high in order to strive for growth and work towards goals. Companies need to make sure they are communicating that opportunities are available and encouraging employees to grow into them.

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22. I find my workload manageable.

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Employees who find it hard to manage their workload will feel demotivated, unfulfilled and insecure about themselves, especially if others don’t seem to be falling behind. Ensure that employees are not given more than they can cope with for maximum productivity.

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23. I am fairly rewarded for my contributions.

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Employees who feel they are not being fairly rewarded and find it difficult to have constructive conversations about salary, promotions, or training will see motivation levels drop and become disengaged.

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24. Is there anything we don’t do so well?

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25. What are your suggestions for what we can do differently or improve?

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To finalise, these are two free text questions looking to solicit open-end feedback, giving employees the opportunity and voice to provide general comments and input. Free text questions should not be overused, but provide qualitative data that is helpful alongside quantitative, measurable scale-based questions.

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To summarise, a lot of factors go into keeping employees engaged, and companies need to keep tabs on them because engagement is something an organisation will fail to thrive without. Starting off with surveys is a fantastic way to collect the data needed to prevent employees from becoming disengaged by implementing the right strategies and continuously following up on them.

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What’s a Rich Text element?What’s a Rich Text element?What’s a Rich Text element?What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

‍

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

‍

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

‍

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.