Employee Engagement Survey Questions That Give Real Insight

If your employee engagement survey showed all positive responses, or all fob-off "whatever" responses, or worse you're not getting responses at all — you might be asking the wrong questions. 

Many employees try to play it safe. Others just rush through because they don’t believe their feedback will bring real change. If you want honest feedback, you’ve to ask questions that feel personal and relatable. 

In this article, we’ll discuss employee engagement pulse survey questions you can use to gather honest and valuable feedback. 

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How to get the mythical 100% survey response rate

If you're struggling to get responses turned in / uptake on your surveys (40 people were at my meeting but I only got 12 post-meeting surveys filled out!) — this is your ready-made, plug-and-play solution. You can do a live survey and get everyone responding in real-time.

We built a ready-to-use employee engagement survey with all the right questions included. Just customize what you need, share the link, and start collecting responses. Your team answers from any device. You see results in real time.

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20 Best Employee Engagement Survey Questions You Can Use

Before you start, run a quick poll to see what topics matter most to your employees using this live polling template.

The following are the 20 employee engagement survey questions examples you can use:

Alignment & Purpose

1. I can clearly explain how my work impacts our company's success.
2. I would recommend this company as a great place to work.
3. Our company's mission motivates me in my daily work.
4. My job makes good use of my skills and talents.

Leadership & Trust

5. I trust senior leadership's decisions about our company's direction.
6. Leaders share important information about the business openly.
7. I believe leadership cares about my success and wellbeing.

Manager Relationships & Recognition

8. My manager clearly explains what success looks like in my role.
9. I receive regular feedback that helps me improve my performance.
10. My contributions are noticed and appreciated.
11. My manager actively supports my career development.
12. I have access to learning opportunities that matter to my growth.

Work Environment & Wellbeing

13. I have what I need to do my job well.
14. My workload allows me to produce quality work consistently.
15. I can manage work demands without sacrificing my personal life.
16. The company actively supports my physical and mental health.
17. I feel energized by my work more often than drained.

Team & Collaboration

18. My team works well together to achieve our goals.
19. I feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns with my team.
20. People on my team can be counted on to do quality work.

Open-Ended Questions

21. What would make you more excited to come to work each day?
22. What's one thing we should keep doing or do more of?
23. If you could change one thing about working here, what would it be?

If you want to save time building survey questions and collect live responses, check out this employee engagement survey template [link to the deck].

Gallup Employee Engagement Survey Questions

The following 12 questions are adapted from the Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey. 

These questions are a scientifically validated approach to measuring engagement using a 5-point or 7-point Likert scale.

1. I know what is expected of me at work.
   

Measures how clearly employees understand their goals and responsibilities.

2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. 

Evaluates whether employees feel supported with the right tools and resources.

3. I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
   

Checks if employees’ roles align with their strengths and interests.

4. In the past seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.

Highlights how frequently employees feel appreciated for their contributions.

5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
   

Measures the level of empathy, trust, and psychological safety at work.

6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
   

Reflects the organization’s commitment to coaching and growth.

7. At work, my opinions seem to count.

Shows whether employees feel their voices are heard and valued.

8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.

Connects day-to-day work to a larger sense of meaning and impact.

9. My coworkers are committed to doing quality work.

Evaluates team collaboration and mutual accountability.

10. I have a best friend at work.

Indicates the strength of social connections and belonging within teams.

11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.

Measures the frequency and quality of feedback and performance conversations.

12. This past year, I have had opportunities to learn and grow.

Assess whether employees feel they are developing new skills and advancing.

Expert Tips to Build Interactive Survey Questions for Employee Engagement

Here are some ways you can make your surveys more punchy, fun, and interactive:

Create Short Surveys

Keep the surveys under 10 minutes or less. Start with 2-3 warm-up questions (‘How supported do you feel day-to-day?’), then move into 5-7 focused ones. 

Test your survey on a small group first to check timing and clarity. 

Keep it Anonymous

Be clear about who will see the results and how the information will be used.

You can use survey tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Typeform, or Slides With Friends that maintain the anonymity of the respondent. 

Do a Survey Live for High Response 

Run your employee engagement survey live during a remote session, all-hands meeting, or conference keynote. When people respond together, you may see higher response rates and more honest answers. 

Use Slides With Friends to add multiple-choice, Likert scale, or emoji reactions for quick polls. Everyone can join from their phones, answer with a single click, and see the results appear on screen in real-time. 

Sign up for free today and use this employee engagement survey template to get started [link to the deck]. 

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