Employee engagement is slipping even though many companies are trying hard. They’re using best practices for employee engagement surveys and adding sample questions to help. But studies show only about 13% of employees are truly engaged at work. Replacing employees costs a lot, so it makes sense that companies want to fix this. Better engagement helps morale, referrals, output, service, attendance, and turnover.
How to Improve Engagement: 3-Step Model
So how do you measure and improve engagement? Survale follows three steps that match best practices for employee engagement surveys:
Step 1 – Quarterly Feedback
Start with quarterly pulse surveys. This is key for staff surveys best practice. These short employee surveys give teams a way to speak up. It helps leadership understand what’s going well and what’s not.
Step 2 – Pulse Feedback
Monthly or bi-weekly employee pulse surveys let you stay close to how people feel. These quick check-ins help you find issues early. They support pulse survey best practices and keep communication flowing. You can fix small problems before they become big ones.
Step 3 – “Always On” Feedback
Survale’s anonymous employee engagement surveys tool lets people speak anytime. This “Always On” option is one of the best employee engagement surveys features. Anonymous feedback gives you real-time data. It can highlight serious concerns or smart ideas leadership should hear.
Creating an Effective Quarterly Survey
One of the biggest mistakes in quarterly surveys is making them too long. Keep them short—5 to 10 minutes max.
Pick your 3-4 most important topics and focus the questions there. Shorter talent surveys are easier to complete and give you better quality answers. This matches quarterly pulse survey best practices.
Creating an Effective Pulse Survey
Every pulse survey needs a purpose. These should be short, just 5 or so questions. Use them to track one or two topics. You can mix in some main engagement questions to watch trends. This helps keep the feedback useful and clear.
Building the Employee Engagement Survey
When building your employee engagement survey, set clear expectations. Tell employees how many questions there are and how long it will take. Take the survey yourself to test it.
Most good surveys have 5 to 8 questions. Make sure each question gives you something measurable. Link your questions to indexes like:
- General Employee Satisfaction
- Net Promoter Score
- Learning & Development
- Impact & Honesty
- Leadership
What to Ask Employees
Here are a few categories and questions for your pulse and quarterly surveys.
Workplace Satisfaction (Scale 1–10)
- If you quit in the next year, what would be the reason?
- Would you tell a friend to work here?
Feeling Appreciated and Valued (Scale 1–10)
- Do you feel valued?
- How often does your manager recognize your work?
Employee Retention (Scale 1–10)
- Can you reach your full potential here?
- Would you apply for this job again?
- Do you see yourself working here next year?
- Why would you leave?
Organizational Culture (Scale 1–10)
- Is management transparent?
- Can you name our company values?
Learning & Development (Scale 1–10)
- Are you happy in your role?
- Is this a good place to grow?
- Are there good job opportunities here?
Leadership (Scale 1–10)
- Do you trust leadership?
- Is there a clear vision that motivates you?
- Does leadership show that everyone matters?
Impact & Honesty (Scale 1–10)
- Do you think we make a positive impact?
- Do you see a focus on quality and improvement?
- Is there honest two-way communication?
Anonymous “Always On” Feedback
Add the “Always On” tool to your intranet. Let employees share feedback anytime. Here’s why this works:
- People speak more freely.
- Managers get the truth.
- Builds trust.
- Protects privacy.
Survey Only as Fast as You Can Act
You must show you’re listening. Let people know what changed based on their input. A fast follow-up is key. Don’t ask if you won’t act. Action proves you care. This rule matters for all engagement surveys for the workplace.
Got a Favorite Question?
The best part about pulse surveys is the range of questions. Ask one from each category in every survey. Stick to employee pulse survey tool best practices for clarity.
Don’t forget suggestions. They matter. Employees know where waste happens and how to fix it. Their ideas can save a lot of money. Reward good ideas with a simple recognition or reward program.
FAQs
Who does client engagement surveys?
Client engagement surveys are usually done by customer experience teams, sales teams, or outside survey companies. In HR, client surveys often mean internal clients like staff. HR might run staff surveys using employee engagement tools or hire vendors to help.
What are the 5 C’s of employee engagement?
The 5 C’s are: Care, Connect, Coach, Contribute, and Congratulate. These reflect what employees need from their managers and workplace to stay engaged.
What makes a good employee engagement survey?
A good survey is short, clear, and to the point. It measures things that matter, gives honest results, and helps leaders take action. Using best practices for employee engagement surveys keeps things useful and focused.
What are 5 good survey questions for employees?
- Do you feel valued at work?
- Would you refer someone to work here?
- Do you trust the leadership team?
- Are you growing in your role?
- Do you feel like your opinion matters?
What are the 4 E’s of employee engagement?
The 4 E’s are: Enablement, Energy, Empowerment, and Encouragement. These guide how to support and engage employees every day.
