Company Culture Survey Questions Template: Values, Norms & Lived Experience

This survey helps you see how values, decisions, and work norms actually play out day-to-day—not just what's written on the website. It reveals gaps and strengths early, so you can have clearer conversations with teams and make data-driven decisions about culture, coaching, and training. Rather than guessing why people leave or why collaboration stalls, you'll see the real levers and act on them before small disconnects become serious problems.

Company Culture Survey questions

Use a 1–5 Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree) for the closed items below. This format makes scoring consistent and analysis straightforward. Add 2–3 open-ended prompts at the end to capture context and specific examples that numbers alone can't show.

"Our organization's stated values guide how I approach my work each day."
"Leaders model the behaviors we say we value, not just talk about them."
"I understand how major decisions are made in my department or team."
"Decision-making here is transparent enough for me to trust the process."
"Getting things done is more important than following rigid procedures."
"People who go above and beyond are recognized and rewarded fairly."
"Promotions and advancement are based on clear, known criteria."
"Behaviors that hurt the team or culture are addressed quickly."
"Teams share information and help each other, rather than compete internally."
"Politics and favoritism rarely get in the way of getting work done."
"Collaboration across departments happens smoothly when we need it."
"I feel comfortable trying new ideas or methods, even if they might fail."
"Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not reasons to blame."
"Leaders actively encourage experimentation and calculated risk-taking."
"I can be myself at work without pretending or hiding parts of my identity."
"Different perspectives and backgrounds are genuinely valued here."
"I feel safe disagreeing with my manager or peers when I have a concern."
"Taking time off or setting boundaries is respected, not penalized."
"Working long hours is not glorified as the primary measure of commitment."
"Flexible work arrangements (remote, hybrid, hours) match what is promised."

Optional overall measure:

"How likely are you to recommend this organization as a great place to work?" (0 = Not at all likely, 10 = Extremely likely)

Open-ended questions

"Describe our company culture in three words."
"Give one example of how our stated values are—or are not—lived day-to-day."
"What is one thing this organization should start doing to strengthen our culture?"
"What is one thing this organization should stop doing to improve how we work together?"

Decision table

Use the table below to translate raw scores into concrete next steps. Each row maps a question area, a numeric threshold, the recommended action, who owns it, and a deadline. This structure replaces lengthy guesswork with clear accountability.

Question area	Score threshold	Recommended action	Owner	Deadline
Values alignment (Q1–Q2)	Avg. <3.0	Hold values-clarification workshop with managers; publish real examples of values in action	People Team + Senior Leaders	≤14 days
Decision transparency (Q3–Q4)	Avg. <3.0	Publish decision-making framework; run town-hall Q&A to explain recent choices	Executive Sponsor + Comms	≤30 days
Speed vs. bureaucracy (Q5)	Avg. <3.0	Review approval workflows; identify and remove bottlenecks with department heads	Operations Lead	≤30 days
Recognition & rewards (Q6–Q8)	Avg. <3.0	Audit promotion criteria; train managers on unbiased performance feedback	HR + Department Managers	≤30 days
Collaboration (Q9–Q11)	Avg. <3.0	Facilitate cross-team projects; address toxic behaviors via coaching or policy	Department Managers	≤14 days
Risk & innovation (Q12–Q14)	Avg. <3.0	Introduce "fail-fast" pilots; publicly celebrate smart risks, even unsuccessful ones	Innovation Lead + Team Leads	≤30 days
Inclusion & belonging (Q15–Q17)	Avg. <3.0	Launch inclusion workshops; create feedback channels for underrepresented groups	Diversity Officer + HR	≤30 days
Work-life balance (Q18–Q20)	Avg. <3.0	Audit workloads; enforce after-hours email policy; promote use of leave	HR + Managers	≤14 days
Overall NPS-style	Mean ≤6	Run focus groups to find root causes; report findings to leadership for action	People Analytics Team	≤30 days

Key takeaways

Use the survey to see lived values versus stated values and act on the gaps you find.
Early detection of problems—low inclusion, unclear decisions—prevents bigger issues later.
Turn every low score into a concrete plan with an owner and a deadline, not just a discussion.
Involve leaders and teams: share results openly to build trust and accountability.
Track changes over time by repeating the survey annually or bi-annually.

Definition & scope

This survey measures the real culture—the informal norms, behaviors, and unwritten rules employees experience daily—rather than the aspirational statements on the website or in onboarding decks. It is designed for all employees, with results analyzed by tenure (new hires vs. veterans), team, and location to spot perception gaps. The insights guide leadership on where coaching, policy changes, or new rituals are needed so that strategy, values, and everyday work stay aligned.

Scoring & thresholds

A 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree) is standard. Calculate the mean score for each dimension—values, decision-making, collaboration, innovation, inclusion, balance—and compare against clear thresholds: scores below 3.0 typically signal critical issues requiring immediate attention, 3.0–3.9 indicates room for improvement, and ≥4.0 represents strong performance. These cutoffs help you prioritize which areas need action first and which to celebrate as strengths.

Define your 1–5 scale consistently and calculate dimension averages (e.g., Q1–Q2 = Values, Q3–Q4 = Decision transparency).
Flag any dimension with an average below 3.0 as "red"; schedule immediate follow-up workshops or focus groups.
For scores between 3.0 and 3.9, convene team discussions to brainstorm improvements.
Scores ≥4.0 are "green"; capture and share best practices from those teams to help others learn.
Revisit and adjust thresholds annually based on your organization's baseline and growth stage.

Follow-up & responsibilities

Fast, transparent follow-up builds trust and sustains participation in future surveys. Immediately after closing the survey, HR or People Ops should thank participants and review aggregate results with senior leaders. Critical findings—any dimension scoring below 3.0—must be escalated within 24 hours to the CEO or executive sponsor. Team Leads then hold discussions within one week to explore root causes with their groups. Each owner (team manager, HR partner, or executive) drafts a response plan with clear actions and deadlines, as outlined in the Decision table. Communicate back to employees how their feedback will be used, what will change, and when they can expect to see results.

Within 24 h: HR alerts executives of any critical (sub-3.0) areas or alarming open comments.
Within 7 days: Team Managers meet with their groups to review scores and discuss local context.
Within 14 days: Each owner submits an action plan—tasks, timeline, accountable person—for their area.
HR consolidates all plans and publishes a summary timeline for the entire organization.
Within 30 days: Announce initial initiatives (policy updates, workshops, new rituals) to all teams.

Fairness & bias checks

Analyze results by relevant groups—department, location, seniority, tenure—to ensure equity and identify perception gaps. For example, if new hires rate "values in action" significantly lower than tenured employees, your onboarding may not effectively communicate or model those values. Similarly, if one site or team scores inclusion much lower than others, local management or team dynamics may need attention. Research shows perception gaps between leadership levels; in one study 61% of senior leaders believed the company encouraged open discussion, but only 42% of other employees agreed. Use segmented analysis to spot these patterns, then tailor interventions (enhanced onboarding, local manager coaching, policy clarification) rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.

By tenure: If new hires score values or transparency lower than veterans, improve onboarding and early-stage manager check-ins.
By location or team: If one site shows low collaboration scores while others do not, investigate local leadership style or resource constraints.
By role or level: If executives rate decision transparency higher than frontline staff, schedule skip-level meetings to understand the communication gap.
By demographic: Any significant differences by gender, remote vs. onsite, or other factors should trigger a deeper review and focused inclusion efforts.

Examples / use cases

Values misalignment – Company A found that "leaders model our values" scored 2.7 on average. Employees felt the stated values were posters, not reality. Leadership launched a "Values Week" where employees shared real stories of living each value. They also updated performance reviews to include values-based achievements. Six months later, the values score climbed to 3.8, and employee engagement improved measurably.

Decision-making clarity – At Company B, "I understand how decisions are made" averaged 2.9. Staff felt left in the dark on major changes. The CEO introduced a quarterly "Ask the Boss" session and published a simple decision-tree guideline for project approvals. The next survey showed transparency scores rising to 4.1, with fewer complaints about sudden changes.

Psychological safety – Team C's "I feel safe speaking up" score was 2.5. The manager held a workshop on giving and receiving feedback and set up an anonymous suggestion box. Over the next quarter, the team held weekly retrospectives where everyone contributed ideas. The safety score jumped to 3.7, and project quality improved as team members caught issues earlier.

Implementation & updates

Roll out this survey in phases to refine your process before going company-wide. Start with a pilot in one department or region, gather feedback on question clarity and survey length, then adjust as needed. Once refined, schedule the full survey—typically once a year for deep insight or twice a year for faster iteration. Before launching, train managers on interpreting results and planning follow-ups so they can lead constructive team discussions. Use a survey platform that supports multi-channel delivery (email, Slack, SMS) and anonymous responses to maximize participation and honesty. A platform like Sprad Growth can automate scheduling, reminders, and initial reporting, saving HR time and ensuring consistency.

Pilot: Run the survey in one business unit first, collect feedback, and refine questions or instructions (Owner: People Team; Timeline: 2–4 weeks).
Refine: Adjust wording, thresholds, or delivery method based on pilot learnings.
Rollout: Survey all employees in the next cycle (e.g., Q2), with clear communication about purpose, anonymity, and what happens next.
Training: Before company-wide launch, train managers on reading results, facilitating team debriefs, and creating action plans.
Automation: Integrate the survey into your HR platform or use a dedicated tool to schedule sends, track completion, and generate reports automatically.
Regular Review: Repeat the survey annually (or bi-annually for fast-growing companies). Track metrics like participation rate (target ≥80%), average scores by dimension, and completion of action items. Adjust questions and thresholds at least once per year based on evolving priorities.

Measure success with indicators such as survey participation rate, response distribution across the scale, time to complete action plans, and changes in scores over time. These numbers show whether your process is working and where to focus improvement efforts.

Conclusion

This survey is your early warning system and roadmap for culture. It brings real employee voice into focus, so you stop guessing and start solving. The main benefits include catching problems earlier, making team conversations more concrete, and aligning daily behavior with stated values. When you see what's really happening—whether decisions feel opaque, whether collaboration is genuine, whether work-life balance is respected—you can act with precision instead of hoping for the best. Next steps: choose a pilot group, set a survey date and tool, and brief managers on the plan. Then run the survey, review results together, and assign clear owners to improvement actions. With transparent thresholds and tight accountability, you'll move from insight to impact—building a culture where employees feel heard, valued, and aligned with the mission.

FAQs

How often should we run this culture survey?

For a comprehensive assessment (20+ items), annually is typical, allowing time for meaningful action between cycles. You may also send short pulse surveys (3–5 questions) 2–4 times a year to track specific issues or measure the impact of recent changes. Avoid over-surveying; employees need to see follow-through on feedback, or interest and trust will drop.

What if we get very low scores on some items?

Low scores are signals, not just bad news. Investigate carefully through focus groups or interviews to find root causes. Often recurring themes—like pay equity, favoritism, or unclear decision-making—surface across surveys. Compare against internal benchmarks and industry norms where possible. Work with managers and HR to design specific fixes (as outlined in the Decision table) and communicate those plans quickly. Low scores should trigger action (coaching, new policies, training) with clear deadlines, not just discussion.

How do we handle negative comments and ensure anonymity?

Emphasize confidentiality from the start. Use anonymous surveys and aggregate reports so no individual can be identified. If truly serious feedback appears (e.g., harassment claims), follow your HR reporting protocols confidentially. Generally, treat all comments as constructive—they reveal improvement areas. Discuss themes (not names) in team meetings to show you've heard concerns and are acting. Never attempt to identify who said what; doing so destroys trust and future participation.

How do we involve leaders and teams in this process?‍

Engage leadership early: share the survey purpose, thresholds, and action framework so they understand the plan and commit resources. Train managers on how to discuss results constructively with their teams. After collecting data, present results by team (summary level only) and let each manager lead a debrief with their group. Also ask employees directly what improvements they want—through follow-up pulses or in-person forums. This collaboration ensures buy-in and sustained follow-through across the organization.

How should we update this survey over time?

‍Review it annually. Keep proven core items (on values, safety, collaboration) for trend tracking, but be ready to refine or add questions as organizational priorities shift. For example, if flexible work becomes a major focus, adjust or expand the work-life balance section. Each cycle, check if any questions are consistently misinterpreted or if new cultural ambitions arise, and update accordingly. Use participation rates and open feedback to gauge if questions remain relevant or need rephrasing for clarity.

Jürgen Ulbrich

CEO & Co-Founder of Sprad

Jürgen Ulbrich has more than a decade of experience in developing and leading high-performing teams and companies. As an expert in employee referral programs as well as feedback and performance processes, Jürgen has helped over 100 organizations optimize their talent acquisition and development strategies.