Employee Engagement Survey Questions for Leaders: 120 Items to Measure How Managers Really Support Their Teams

This survey helps you see how people experience their direct managers and senior leaders separately from “the company”. With clear leadership-focused employee engagement survey questions (leadership-focused), you can spot weak spots early, have better 1:1 talks and design targeted leadership development instead of guessing.

Leadership-focused employee engagement survey questions

All closed items use a 1–5 Likert scale: 1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree.

Question ranges by topic: Q1–Q15 = Direct Manager – Clarity & Direction; Q16–Q30 = Direct Manager – Support & Enablement; Q31–Q45 = Direct Manager – Recognition & Feedback; Q46–Q60 = Direct Manager – Fairness, Inclusion & Psychological Safety; Q61–Q75 = Senior Leadership – Vision & Strategy; Q76–Q90 = Senior Leadership – Communication & Transparency; Q91–Q105 = Senior Leadership – Values, Fairness & Trust; Q106–Q120 = Overall Engagement & Intent.

Use Q1–Q120 for annual surveys. For short pulses, pick 3–6 items per block.

Closed questions (5-point Likert scale)

Q1. My direct manager gives our team a clear sense of direction.
Q2. I understand how my work contributes to my team’s goals because of my manager’s guidance.
Q3. My manager sets realistic priorities when we have too much to do.
Q4. My manager explains why we are changing priorities or projects.
Q5. Expectations for my role are clear and rarely contradict each other.
Q6. My manager makes sure I know what “good performance” looks like for my job.
Q7. My manager links our goals to the wider business strategy in a way I can follow.
Q8. My manager checks that I have understood key decisions and next steps.
Q9. My manager involves the team when setting or adjusting team goals.
Q10. Our team goals feel focused, not like a long wish list.
Q11. My manager helps me prioritise when I am unsure what to do first.
Q12. I know how my success will be measured this year.
Q13. My manager is consistent in how they communicate goals over time.
Q14. My manager provides clear guidance during busy or crisis periods.
Q15. My manager’s decisions about priorities feel thoughtful, not reactive.
Q16. My manager helps remove obstacles that slow down my work.
Q17. I get the tools and resources I need when I raise issues with my manager.
Q18. My manager helps me navigate other departments when I need support.
Q19. My manager protects the team from unnecessary work or meetings.
Q20. My manager regularly asks what I need to be successful, not only what I have delivered.
Q21. I receive coaching from my manager that helps me grow, not just “fix” problems.
Q22. My manager encourages me to learn new skills relevant to my role.
Q23. My manager supports me in finding time for learning and development.
Q24. My manager helps me prepare for future roles or responsibilities.
Q25. My manager backs me up when I take sensible risks in my work.
Q26. I can count on my manager to support me when I make an honest mistake.
Q27. My manager follows through on promises to support me (e.g. budget, approvals).
Q28. My manager adapts their support style to my experience level.
Q29. I feel comfortable asking my manager for help when I am stuck.
Q30. My manager helps balance workload fairly within the team.
Q31. My manager recognises good work promptly.
Q32. Recognition from my manager feels sincere, not formulaic.
Q33. My manager notices contributions that are “behind the scenes”, not just visible wins.
Q34. I receive specific positive feedback that tells me what I did well.
Q35. My manager adapts recognition to what motivates me personally.
Q36. My manager gives constructive feedback that is clear and respectful.
Q37. I receive actionable feedback from my manager at least every few weeks.
Q38. My manager focuses feedback on behaviours and outcomes, not on personality.
Q39. I understand what I should do differently after receiving feedback from my manager.
Q40. My manager gives me space to respond and ask questions about feedback.
Q41. My manager does not wait for annual reviews to address performance topics.
Q42. Feedback from my manager feels fair and based on evidence.
Q43. My manager is open to feedback from me about their leadership.
Q44. I know how my manager views my strengths.
Q45. I know which 1–2 development areas my manager wants me to work on.
Q46. I feel safe to speak up about problems to my manager without fear of negative consequences.
Q47. My manager reacts constructively when someone raises a mistake or risk.
Q48. My manager treats team members with respect, even under pressure.
Q49. My manager is fair when distributing tasks and opportunities.
Q50. My manager does not show clear favouritism within the team.
Q51. My manager values different perspectives and backgrounds.
Q52. I can disagree with my manager respectfully without fearing damage to our relationship.
Q53. My manager intervenes if someone behaves disrespectfully in the team.
Q54. My manager supports flexible working needs where possible.
Q55. My manager asks for input from quieter team members, not only the loudest voices.
Q56. I trust my manager to handle sensitive topics (e.g. conflicts, health) with discretion.
Q57. My manager takes concerns about workload and stress seriously.
Q58. I feel included in important team information and decisions.
Q59. My manager cares about my wellbeing, not only my output.
Q60. In my team, there is a climate of psychological safety.
Q61. I understand the long-term vision of our senior leadership (e.g. Geschäftsführung, Vorstand).
Q62. Senior leaders explain our business strategy in a way I can relate to my work.
Q63. I believe senior leadership has a clear plan for the next 2–3 years.
Q64. Senior leaders set realistic strategic priorities.
Q65. I trust senior leadership to make good decisions in uncertain times.
Q66. I believe senior leaders consider both short-term results and long-term health.
Q67. Senior leaders show they understand our market and competitive situation.
Q68. Senior leaders adapt strategy when circumstances change, and explain why.
Q69. I see a clear link between company strategy and our team’s goals.
Q70. I feel confident about the direction senior leadership is taking the company.
Q71. Senior leaders visibly support important initiatives, not only announce them.
Q72. I trust senior leadership to handle crises competently.
Q73. Senior leaders demonstrate that they learn from past mistakes.
Q74. I believe senior leadership is focused on building a sustainable business, not only quarterly numbers.
Q75. Overall, I have confidence in the strategic direction of senior leadership.
Q76. Senior leaders communicate major decisions in a timely way.
Q77. Information from senior leadership is consistent across different channels.
Q78. I understand how major leadership decisions affect my area.
Q79. Senior leaders explain the reasons behind difficult decisions (e.g. reorgs, cost cuts).
Q80. Senior leaders are open about challenges the company is facing.
Q81. I feel senior leaders tell the truth, even when the news is not positive.
Q82. Communication from senior leadership is clear and jargon-free.
Q83. I have opportunities to ask senior leaders questions (e.g. townhalls, Q&A).
Q84. When employees raise concerns to senior leadership, they acknowledge them.
Q85. Senior leaders follow up on topics they said they would address.
Q86. I know where to find reliable information about company changes.
Q87. Senior leaders’ actions match what they communicate publicly.
Q88. After major changes, senior leaders provide updates on progress.
Q89. I feel informed enough by senior leadership to do my job well.
Q90. Overall, communication from senior leadership feels transparent.
Q91. Senior leaders live our stated values in their day-to-day behaviour.
Q92. I believe senior leaders care about fairness in pay and promotion decisions.
Q93. Senior leaders demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Q94. I see senior leaders taking action when behaviour conflicts with our values.
Q95. Senior leaders show respect for all employee groups (e.g. blue-collar, office, remote).
Q96. I trust senior leadership to act ethically, even when under pressure.
Q97. Senior leaders handle misconduct or compliance issues consistently.
Q98. I believe senior leadership cares about employee wellbeing.
Q99. I trust senior leadership to listen to employee feedback, not just engagement scores.
Q100. I feel senior leadership would respond appropriately to reports of discrimination or harassment.
Q101. Senior leaders make decisions that balance people and performance.
Q102. I believe senior leaders take psychological safety seriously.
Q103. Senior leaders are visible and approachable, not distant figures.
Q104. I feel proud of how our senior leadership represents the company externally.
Q105. Overall, I trust senior leadership to act in the company’s and employees’ best interests.
Q106. I feel motivated to do my best work in my current team.
Q107. I feel a strong sense of belonging in my team.
Q108. My manager and senior leadership together create an environment where I can thrive.
Q109. I would recommend my team as a great place to work.
Q110. I would recommend this company’s leadership to a friend looking for a manager.
Q111. I see a future for myself at this company.
Q112. I believe my skills are being used well in my current role.
Q113. I feel the company invests enough in developing its Führungskräfte.
Q114. Because of my manager, I am more likely to stay at this company.
Q115. Because of senior leadership, I am more likely to stay at this company.
Q116. I feel confident raising concerns about our leadership without negative consequences.
Q117. I believe my feedback on this survey will be taken seriously.
Q118. I intend to be working here in 12 months.
Q119. I would accept another job only if it clearly offered better leadership.
Q120. Overall, I am satisfied with how I am led in this company.

Overall leadership rating (0–10)

How likely are you to recommend your direct manager as a leader to a colleague? (0 = Not at all likely, 10 = Extremely likely)

Open-ended questions

What is one thing your direct manager should start doing to better support you?
What is one thing your direct manager should stop doing because it harms your motivation or effectiveness?
What is one thing senior leadership (e.g. Geschäftsführung, Vorstand) should change to earn more trust from employees?
What is one leadership behaviour in this company you wish we would keep and protect as we grow?

Decision & action table

Question range / area	Trigger score (team avg.)	Recommended action	Owner	Timeline
Q1–Q15 – Direct manager clarity & direction	Score <3.0 or >25 % “Disagree”	Run 60–90 min team workshop to clarify goals, expectations and priorities; document agreements.	Direct manager with support from HR	Within 14 days after results release
Q16–Q30 – Direct manager support & enablement	Score <3.2	Manager coaching on delegation, blocking tasks and resource planning; update workload plan with team.	Direct manager, HR business partner	Coaching booked within 30 days; new plan within 45 days
Q31–Q45 – Recognition & feedback	Score 3.0–3.4 (medium)	Introduce structured 1:1s every 2 weeks with simple agenda; track feedback frequency.	Direct manager	Start within 7 days; review after 8 weeks
Q46–Q60 – Fairness, inclusion & psychological safety	Any item ≤2.5	Escalate to HR; run confidential interviews; agree on specific behaviour changes and monitor closely.	HR / People team, department head	Initial response within ≤5 days; action plan within 21 days
Q61–Q75 – Senior leadership vision & strategy	Company-wide score <3.3	Add extra townhall cycle, simplify strategy messages, link to concrete examples, gather follow-up questions.	CEO / Geschäftsführung, Communications	First townhall within 30 days; follow-up within 60 days
Q76–Q90 – Senior leadership communication & transparency	Score gap >0.5 between locations or functions	Review communication channels; localise messages; appoint “communication champions” in lower-scoring groups.	Communications with local leaders	Channel changes agreed within 30 days; re-check via pulse in 90 days
Q91–Q105 – Senior leadership values, fairness & trust	Score <3.0 in any region	Review recent decisions and examples; communicate rationale; define 2–3 visible “values in action” initiatives.	Senior leadership team	Plan within 45 days; first initiative visible within 90 days
Q106–Q120 + NPS question – Overall engagement & intent	Intent-to-stay (Q118) avg. <3.3 or manager NPS <6.0	Prioritise leadership development for affected teams; link to performance and development processes.	HR / People development, business leaders	Development offers defined within 60 days; uptake reviewed after 6 months

Key takeaways

Separate leader scores from generic engagement to target development, not “culture in general”.
Use clear thresholds so every low score triggers a concrete, timebound action.
Combine team workshops with manager coaching when patterns repeat across several teams.
Share aggregated, anonymised results to build trust and avoid “survey black holes”.
Review your leadership question set yearly and adapt to strategy, structure and risks.

Definition & scope

This survey measures how employees experience their direct Führungskraft (people manager) and senior leadership separately from overall company engagement. It is designed for all employees with a clear direct manager and exposure to senior leaders. Results should guide leadership development, coaching, succession decisions and adjustments to your performance and talent management practices.

Survey blueprints

Use the question bank flexibly. You do not need 120 items every time. Below are four ready-made setups and which items fit best for annual engagement, quarterly pulses or special events.

Annual leadership-focused engagement add-on

Run together with your main engagement survey once per year. Goal: a full picture of how people experience leadership at all levels.

Include Q1–Q15, Q31–Q60, Q61–Q75, Q91–Q105, Q106–Q120 plus the NPS-style question.
Limit total leadership items to ≤45 by removing near-duplicate questions per block.
Use your main engagement survey (e.g. job satisfaction, workload, pay) as context.
Analyse results by manager, department and location with anonymity thresholds ≥10 responses.
Feed top 2–3 themes into your annual leadership and talent development planning.

Quarterly pulse on direct managers

Short, repeatable survey to track the impact of manager training or organisational changes. Focus only on the direct manager experience.

Pick 2–3 items from each of Q1–Q15, Q16–Q30, Q31–Q45, Q46–Q60 (max. 12 items).
Ask the manager NPS question each time to follow trends over the year.
Send quarterly in the same week company-wide to avoid “survey fatigue clusters”.
Share team-level results directly with managers and ask for 1–2 concrete commitments.
Track changes in parallel with manager training attendance and 1:1 frequency.

Special pulse after a reorg or leadership change

Use 4–8 weeks after a major change (new CEO, Bereichsleiter, merger, restructuring). Focus on clarity, trust and psychological safety.

Use Q1–Q8, Q46–Q60, Q61–Q70, Q76–Q82 plus one open question about the change.
Run only in impacted units to limit noise for unaffected areas.
Set lower anonymity thresholds (e.g. ≥8 responses) but do not show item-level data for tiny groups.
Discuss results in dedicated change Q&A sessions with the new leaders.
Schedule a follow-up pulse 3–6 months later to see if actions improved scores.

Pilot survey for one business unit

Start small to test questions, communication and analysis. Choose a unit with engaged leadership and a cooperative Betriebsrat.

Select 30–40 questions covering all eight blocks, plus 2–3 open questions.
Co-create a short intro with local leaders explaining purpose: learning, not punishment.
Review wording with the Betriebsrat for clarity, neutrality and DSGVO compliance.
After the pilot, adjust confusing items and drop low-value questions.
Use pilot learnings to prepare company-wide rollout and manager training materials.

Scoring & thresholds

You work with a 1–5 Likert scale for all items and 0–10 for the manager recommendation question. Define clear cut-offs so results always lead to a decision, not just “interesting” reports.

Use: 1–5 scale where 1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree; report averages to one decimal.
Define low = <3.0, medium = 3.0–3.7, high = ≥3.8 for each block and question.
Treat any item ≤2.5 or >25 % “Disagree/Strongly disagree” as a red flag with mandatory follow-up.
Interpret manager NPS: <6.0 = risk, 6.0–7.9 = neutral, ≥8.0 = strong.
Link thresholds to fixed actions: e.g. low = coaching + team workshop; medium = light improvements; high = share good practices.

Follow-up & responsibilities

Without clear owners and response times, even great leadership surveys become “black holes”. Define who reacts to which signals and how fast.

Assign HR / People Analytics to prepare dashboards by manager, team and senior leader within 10 working days.
Require every manager with ≥5 responses to discuss results with their team within 30 days.
Ask business unit leaders to identify 2–3 cross-team themes and agree measures with HR within 45 days.
Have HR or an external coach support managers with very low scores (e.g. any block <2.8) within 30 days.
Use a platform like Sprad Growth or similar to automate reminders, action tracking and follow-up pulses.

Fairness & bias checks

Good leadership scores are not enough if only some groups benefit. Look at patterns across location, function, gender, age, seniority and working model (remote vs. office) while protecting anonymity.

Set minimum cell sizes (e.g. ≥10 responses) before showing segmented results to managers or leaders.
Have HR run fairness checks across groups for each block (e.g. psychological safety, trust in senior leadership).
Investigate patterns like lower scores for remote staff on Q76–Q90 (communication) or for women on Q46–Q60 (safety).
When gaps appear, run qualitative follow-ups (focus groups, interviews) with clear rules and documentation.
Share only aggregated themes, never individual comments that could identify respondents.

Examples / use cases

Realistic examples help managers and HR see how this leadership-focused survey translates into concrete actions, not blame. Keep the focus on behaviour and systems, not personalities.

Case 1: Low psychological safety in one team

A tech team scores 2.4 on Q46–Q60, while similar teams are at 3.8. Comments mention interruptions, harsh reactions and fear of escalation. HR runs confidential interviews, then provides the manager with coaching and a simple “meeting code of conduct”. After six months and a team workshop, the block score rises to 3.4 and incident reports drop.

Case 2: Mixed trust in senior leadership after a cost-cutting round

After a reorganisation, Q61–Q75 average 3.0, but one site shows 2.5. Employees feel decisions were “from the top, for headquarters only”. Senior leadership adds a location-specific townhall, explains criteria and trade-offs, and creates a local advisory group. In the next pulse, the site’s strategy score improves to 3.4 and intent-to-stay (Q118) stabilises.

Case 3: Strong direct managers, weak cross-company communication

Manager blocks (Q1–Q60) score above 4.0, but Q76–Q90 are at 3.1–3.3. People trust their immediate Führungskraft but feel out of the loop on company topics. The company redesigns its communication cadence and uses insights from broader employee engagement survey questions to simplify messages. Follow-up pulses show communication scores above 3.7.

Capture short case studies like these after each survey cycle and share them in leadership forums.
Use cases to design new manager training modules (e.g. psychological safety, change communication).
Invite managers from high-scoring teams to share concrete practices with peers.
Document before/after scores and actions to build internal evidence for what works.
Revisit cases annually to ensure improvements are sustained, not one-off fixes.

Implementation & updates

For DACH companies, successful leadership-focused surveys require good communication, Betriebsrat involvement and strict DSGVO routines. Treat the survey as a recurring process: design → run → discuss → act → check.

Align with the Betriebsrat early: share goals, question themes, anonymity safeguards and data retention rules.
Choose a legal basis (usually “legitimate interest”) and document data minimisation and retention (e.g. 24–36 months).
Inform employees clearly: what you ask, why, who sees what, and that no single person will be identified.
Set survey cadence: annual deep-dive, plus focused pulses 1–3 times per year on managers or senior leadership.
Review the question set every 12 months to remove low-use items and add 3–5 new ones linked to strategy.

DACH / GDPR notes (non-legal)

Work with your Datenschutzbeauftragter to confirm data flows and hosting. Use EU data centres and role-based access. Do not mix health or other sensitive data into leadership surveys. Keep raw identifiable data only as long as you need it for analysis; use aggregated reports for ongoing tracking.

Document all survey processes in a simple data protection concept and share it with the Betriebsrat.
Apply strict anonymity thresholds (e.g. no results below 8–10 respondents) for small teams.
Offer secure channels for critical comments that need individual follow-up (e.g. whistleblowing, HR hotline).
Train managers not to “hunt” for who wrote which comment; focus them on patterns and behaviours.
Audit vendor tools for GDPR readiness, EU hosting and clear data processing agreements.

Conclusion

A leadership-focused engagement survey separates “how I feel about this company” from “how I am led every day”. With clear, structured questions for direct managers and senior leadership, you detect problems earlier, improve the quality of leadership conversations and set sharper priorities for development and succession.

The value comes from what you do after the survey: honest team discussions, targeted coaching and visible senior leadership responses. As a next step, pick one business unit for a pilot, set up your question set in your survey or talent platform, and agree owners and timelines for follow-up before you send the first link.

Once you have run the first cycle, compare scores across teams and groups, link them to outcomes like turnover and performance, and refine the questions annually. Over time, your leadership-focused survey becomes a stable feedback loop: employees speak up safely, Führungskräfte learn where to grow, and HR can support leadership culture with evidence instead of anecdotes.

FAQ

How often should we run leadership-focused engagement surveys?

Use one deep-dive per year plus targeted pulses. The annual survey should cover all eight blocks and feed into your leadership development and performance processes. Shorter pulses (8–15 items) can focus on direct managers or senior leadership communication and run 1–3 times per year. According to a Gallup analysis, regular but light pulses work better than heavy one-off surveys.

What should we do if a manager’s scores are extremely low?

Treat this as a development and risk topic, not automatic exit. First, validate anonymity and sample size. Then combine survey data with other evidence (feedback, performance). Offer coaching and training, and ask the manager to agree on 2–3 concrete behaviour changes with their team. For critical issues (e.g. psychological safety), involve HR and the manager’s leader and monitor via follow-up pulses and check-ins.

How do we handle very critical open comments about leadership?

Separate two tracks. For general criticism, cluster comments by theme and address them in team or townhall discussions. For allegations about misconduct, discrimination or bullying, route them to HR, Compliance or your whistleblowing channel under clear confidentiality rules. Never share raw comments for tiny groups. Focus managers on patterns, not on guessing who wrote what.

How can we combine this survey with 360-degree feedback?

Use this survey to capture the “voice of many” at scale, and 360-degree feedback for deeper insight on individual leaders. For example, run an annual leadership survey and offer 360s for managers with either very strong or very weak scores. You can reuse competency areas and questions, using resources like your existing 360-degree feedback templates, so leaders see consistent expectations across tools.

How do we update the question set over time without losing trend data?

Lock 60–70 % of items as your core “trend set” for at least 3 years, especially key items in each block (e.g. psychological safety, trust in senior leadership, intent to stay). Use the remaining slots for experimental or strategy-related questions that you can rotate each year. When removing an item, keep one or two similar ones so you still cover the topic, even if strict year-on-year comparison stops.

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.

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