The Secret Power of the Employee Satisfaction Survey [Free Download]

Employee satisfaction is essential to the success of an organization. Satisfied employees are more committed, productive, and enthusiastic. How to tell if your employees are satisfied? Use an employee satisfaction survey to measure engagement, address concerns before they become a problem, and make positive changes in your workplace culture.

A simple survey may seem like a small step, but its power is mighty. These handy forms give employees the opportunity to reply thoughtfully to questions about management, training, compensation, and recognition. Managers can then use these results to gain unparalleled insight into their operations and create an atmosphere employees are excited about.

But remember, not all surveys were created equal. Here, we’ll discuss how to structure your survey, the most important questions to ask, and the best survey analysis methods to make the most of your data.

• Optimize Your Survey
• How to Structure an Employee Satisfaction Survey
• Sample Questions: What to Ask
• Satisfaction Survey Template
• Conducting Survey Programs

✅ Download Your Free Employee Satisfaction Survey

Getting the Most Out of the Employee Job Satisfaction Survey

Let’s start with the basics. What is an employee satisfaction survey? These are typically forms employees fill out offering feedback on their work lives. For example: Do they have adequate resources? Is their supervisor communicative?

Managers tailor questions to meet their specific survey objectives. How do employees feel about recent changes in structure? Is there enough manpower to tackle upcoming projects?

Used correctly, these surveys can be extremely effective tools for managers to see their strengths and weaknesses. They not only make employees feel heard and valued, but also help to improve retention. And those are just a few of the reasons why employee satisfaction surveys are so important.

In order to reap the benefits of an employee satisfaction survey, employers need to make sure they get the format and structure right. Here are a few common questions to get you on the right track.

How long should the survey be?

Short and sweet. Employees generally don’t mind taking these surveys. Afterall, they’re intended to help and not to hurt. But that’s no reason to take up your employee’s valuable time! Ask no more than, say, fifteen questions and make sure each has a specific purpose.

How often should employees complete a survey?

Typically, organizations only ask employees to fill out employee satisfaction surveys once a year. However, more and more businesses are realizing that this might be “too little, too late.” It’s better to check in more regularly with employees so that resentments don’t build all year long.

Should employee satisfaction surveys be anonymous?

It may be tempting to ask employees to fill out forms in their own names. Of course, you want to know who said what! However, in order to really be effective, these surveys should be anonymous. That way employees can respond honestly without fear of retribution or uncomfortable follow-up questions.

Employee Satisfaction Survey Questionnaire Sample

It’s important that these surveys are kept brief, which means it’s also important to ask questions that get to the heart of the matter. There are generally two commonly-used survey categories of questions in employee satisfaction surveys: close-ended and open-ended questions. Here are our best employee satisfaction survey questionnaire samples.

Close-Ended 

The Likert Scale, a common closed-ended question, provides an ordered list from which respondents choose the answer that best aligns with their view. For example, one scale may be: “Strongly disagree; somewhat disagree; neutral; somewhat agree; strongly agree.” Thus, Likert Scale questions are actually statements. For instance, an employee will be presented with the statement, “I have all the resources I need to do my job well,” and then be asked to choose to what extent they agree with the statement.

Likert Scale questions are useful for measuring attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Because they offer a limited number of choices, it is easy to compile data from many different respondents, giving managers a bird’s eye view of the situation.

Open-Ended Questions

While open-ended questions are a bit more complicated to analyze, they can offer employees an opportunity to provide more in-depth responses. Use open-ended questions to receive interesting employee satisfaction survey answers, where employees tell you what they really think. For example, “What changes would make you more satisfied with your job?” or “What do you value most about working here?”

Ideally, your survey should use a mix of closed- and open-ended questions. That way, you can get a sense of the forest as well as the trees.

The Best Employee Satisfaction Survey Sample Questions

The next step in creating the employee satisfaction survey questionnaire sample is to find the right questions that fit your needs. Here are some examples of effective questions that you can use to gauge employee satisfaction. Make sure to tweak them to better suit your organization’s needs.

Examples: Close-Ended Questions

Employees will respond to these statements with the Likert Scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”

• My job effectively uses my skills and strengths.
• The company keeps employees well informed about things that affect our work.
• I am involved with decisions that will directly affect me at work.
• I have opportunities to express myself
• The work I do gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment.
• I have a clear understanding of my career path and promotion plan.
• I feel like my work is recognized and appreciated.
• My supervisor gives me constructive feedback.
• I am satisfied with the opportunities I have to grow within the company.
• My coworkers treat me respectfully.
• I have a good work/life balance.
• Considering everything, I am satisfied with my job.

Examples: Open-Ended Questions

• What are the three things you value most about the company?
• Are there any issues not mentioned in this survey that you would like to address?
• What tools or resources could the organization provide to help you be more successful at your job?
• Are there any skills that you would like to develop that would help you to be more successful at your job?

Free Employee Satisfaction Survey Template

Put together a team to determine the organization’s objectives and tweak the survey questions accordingly. This team should also consider design and strategy questions, making sure the survey is comprehensive, legible, and focused.

Still want a little more guidance? Check out our employee satisfaction survey pdf to receive a full template. Our survey free of charge will make sure that your business is asking the right questions to get the important answers.

But remember, you can also customize your own survey with employee satisfaction survey software.

How to Conduct Employee Satisfaction Survey Programs

The most important thing to know about your employee satisfaction survey is your goal. Is this just another survey because it’s time for a survey? Or is your business serious about making improvements?

If you want to know how to improve employee satisfaction results, the answer is simple: listen. Employees are more than willing to tell you what they think, but you have to be ready to make adjustments. This process can be more fluid with more regular check-ins.

Employee performance review software can double as a way to collect employee satisfaction feedback. With manager feedback and self-assessment tools, performance managers can make it easy to quickly design an employee satisfaction survey that your employees receive digitally and can fill out in their own time. The software can also help you to crunch numbers and run custom HR reports.

With regular check-ins instead of annual reports, your team will feel more supported. Management, meanwhile, will be able to make adjustments as they go. That’s the secret power of an employee satisfaction survey.

Kick start your HR team’s digital transformation with Factorial – 14 days free!