Employee satisfaction not only influences the mood in the office but also significantly determines whether employees stay or look for new opportunities. According to a Gallup study, dissatisfied employees are twice as likely to resign as their satisfied colleagues. This makes it clear: An employee satisfaction survey is not a tedious duty – it is one of the most valuable investments in the future of your company. As a provider of a tool for employee referrals and talent management, we at Sprad experience daily with our clients how successful employee surveys actively contribute to company development. Yet many HR managers wonder what needs to be considered to ensure these surveys truly deliver results.
In this article, you will discover the five most important key questions that can transform your employee satisfaction survey from a tedious task into a real asset for your company. We show what it takes to gain concrete insights, implement real improvements, and sustainably increase employee retention.
1. Questions About Company Culture: How Do Employees Rate the Atmosphere in the Company?
The first important component of your satisfaction survey is to find out how employees perceive the work climate and culture in your company. From our own experience at Sprad, we know: When employees can identify with the values and norms, motivation increases, and cohesion is strengthened.
Examples of Specific Questions:
- How pleasant do you find the collaboration in your team?
- Do you feel you can give open feedback without fearing negative consequences?
- Are decisions and changes communicated transparently to you?
Why These Questions Are Crucial:
These questions reveal whether an employee feels like an integral part of the company or, for example, as a replaceable cog. Authentic experiences convey whether your company culture is truly perceived as your mission statement promises.
2. Questions About Leadership Skills: How Satisfied Are Employees with Their Leaders?
In our daily work in recruiting and talent management, we find: Employees resign more often due to poor leadership than because of their salary. Good leaders, on the other hand, act like magnets for talent and keep experienced employees in the company longer.
Examples of Specific Questions:
- Does your leader provide constructive and regular feedback?
- Do you feel valued and respected by your leader?
- How do you rate the professional and personal competence of your supervisor?
Main Benefit of These Questions:
These questions offer valuable insight into potential areas of tension between employees and leaders and allow for early countermeasures to improve leadership behavior.
3. Questions About Professional Development: Are Employees Sufficiently Supported?
From numerous conversations with HR managers, we know: Employees also leave a company when they lack advancement opportunities or training offers. When employees see perspectives, they remain more motivated and stay longer on board.
Examples of Specific Questions:
- Does the company offer you enough training opportunities?
- Do you feel supported in your professional development?
- Are there transparent career paths and development opportunities in our company?
Why This Is Important:
The answers reveal whether employees receive enough career support and whether measures such as talent programs should be introduced. Satisfaction with career prospects strongly correlates with employee loyalty.
4. Questions About Work-Life Balance: Are the Working Conditions in the Company Right?
Flexible working hours and remote work have become crucial factors in choosing an employer. Especially young talents explicitly ask about work-life balance during job interviews. Companies that offer clear advantages here win in the competition for skilled workers.
Examples of Specific Questions:
- Are you satisfied with the possibility of organizing your working hours flexibly?
- Does our company offer sufficient support to balance private life and work?
- Do you find your workload appropriate?
The Advantage for Your HR Work:
You can identify bottlenecks and overloads early on and thus prevent key performers from leaving the company due to inappropriate workloads.
5. The Crucial Question About the Net Promoter Score (NPS): Would Employees Recommend the Company as an Employer?
The most important key question from our practical experience: “How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or acquaintance?” This “Employee Net Promoter Score” (eNPS) succinctly indicates how attractive and recommendable your company is as an employer.
The Typical Scale Is:
- 0–6 Points: Critics (dissatisfied and potentially ready to change)
- 7–8 Points: Passive Employees (satisfied but only slightly engaged)
- 9–10 Points: Promoters (satisfied and enthusiastic ambassadors of your company)
The Concrete Benefit for HR:
By using your eNPS purposefully, you can quickly identify which departments or teams need support and where your company already shines. For us as a provider of referral software, this is particularly valuable because enthusiastic employees recommend the company further.
What Else You Need to Pay Attention To:
- Ensure Anonymity: Employees will only answer honestly if the survey is anonymous.
- Be Open to Criticism: Communicate transparently that honest answers are desired and change is possible.
- Make Results Transparent: Ensure your employees that the results will lead to concrete actions.
FAQ: Important Questions About Employee Satisfaction Surveys
How Often Should an Employee Satisfaction Survey Be Conducted?
From our experience, annual comprehensive and quarterly smaller pulse checks have proven effective as they enable continuous improvement.
How Long Should a Good Satisfaction Survey Take at Most?
A survey should be completable in less than 15 minutes to minimize dropout rates. 10–20 questions are usually sufficient.
Which Survey Form Is Best?
Online surveys offer the advantage of being quickly evaluated and creating little effort. Choose intuitive tools that work well on mobile devices.
What Happens After the Survey?
Communicate openly about results and planned measures. Stay committed. Employees will take future surveys more seriously if they notice that feedback is truly implemented.
By using these 5 key questions in combination with helpful practical tips, you achieve a truly successful employee satisfaction survey with real value for your HR work and the company as a whole.
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