What are good employee engagement survey questions?
Good engagement questions measure leadership, growth, recognition, workload and communication, using clear statements and a consistent rating scale.
Employee engagement surveys assess how employees feel about their work, teams and leaders. Well‑crafted questions reveal what motivates people and where they’re struggling. Here are sample statements you can include and ask respondents to rate from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”:
- Leadership: “Leadership communicates a clear vision for our organisation.”
- Growth: “I have opportunities to develop my skills at work.”
- Recognition: “I feel valued for the contributions I make.”
- Workload: “My workload is manageable and allows for work–life balance.”
- Communication: “Information flows effectively between teams.”
- Purpose: “I understand how my work contributes to the organisation’s mission.”
Include open‑ended questions such as: “What is one thing management could do to improve your day‑to‑day experience?” These narrative responses provide context and suggestions. To maintain confidentiality, avoid questions that could identify individuals (e.g. referencing a small team). For tips on analysing qualitative feedback, see How do I analyse open‑ended responses in an employee engagement survey?. For a broader view of designing an engagement survey, read our blog Employee Engagement Surveys.
If you’re curious how engagement differs from satisfaction, compare these questions to those in What are good employee satisfaction survey questions?. The two concepts overlap but have distinct focuses.