Employee Satisfaction Survey Template: Questions, Tips & More

It’s a simple fact: you perform better when you’re happy. This bit of wisdom can be incredibly valuable for companies who want to boost workplace morale and increase employee efficiency. To gauge how happy and engaged employees are, companies usually use employee satisfaction surveys.

If you don’t have a survey in place yet, don’t worry — our free employee satisfaction survey template has got you covered. Plus, we’ll share other employee satisfaction survey questions to use and useful tips to make your survey as effective as possible.

What Is An Employee Satisfaction Survey?

Employee satisfaction is all about how happy and content your employees feel at work. It’s their overall attitude toward their job, which includes everything from their tasks and work environment to their relationships with colleagues and managers. Since employees are the backbone of any company, their satisfaction directly impacts work performance, retention rates, and overall productivity.

An employee satisfaction survey is a tool that helps you measure how happy your employees are working in your company. It’s usually in the form of a questionnaire filled with various questions about different aspects of the job, like work conditions, compensation, and professional growth opportunities. These surveys are commonly used by HR departments, managers, and business owners to get a clear picture of the workplace atmosphere.

When To Use An Employee Satisfaction Survey

Employee satisfaction surveys are usually conducted during annual performance reviews, after major company changes, or when new policies are introduced. These surveys are also helpful during onboarding to get new hires’ first impressions and during exit interviews to understand why employees are leaving. Quarterly or bi-annual employee satisfaction surveys can also help maintain a continuous pulse on employee sentiment.

• Reduces turnover rate: Knowing how to address employee dissatisfaction can help reduce turnover rates and increase employee retention.
• Better communication with employees: Employee satisfaction surveys can pave the way for employees to voice their concerns and suggestions, which can improve the employee-management relationship.
• Identifies areas for improvement: Surveys can point to specific areas that need attention, allowing you to address potential issues before they materialize or escalate.
• Boosts morale: When employees see that their feedback leads to positive changes, their job satisfaction and morale increase. Happy employees contribute to a positive work environment.

Questions To Ask On An Employee Satisfaction Survey

Here are key employee satisfaction survey questions to include to get valuable insights:

• Are you satisfied with your current role and responsibilities?

This question helps employees gauge whether they feel their work is fulfilling and/or suited to their skills. Knowing this can help with future role adjustments and career development plans.

• Do you have the tools and resources you need to do your job effectively?

Making sure your employees have everything they need to succeed in their work helps tremendously with employee satisfaction. This question can also help you find out if there are inefficiencies with work resources.

• How do you feel about the opportunities for professional growth and development?

Having a clear and well-defined career path is important for employee engagement and retention. Asking this question helps you gauge whether employees feel that there are adequate opportunities for advancement.

• How satisfied are you with the work-life balance provided by the company?

Every employee wants a good work-life balance. It’s also important for employee well-being and productivity. This question can indicate if employees feel overworked or need more flexibility.

• How do you rate the communication within the company?

Employees appreciate barrier-free communication with the management. This question helps identify any communication gaps or issues that need addressing for a smooth-running workplace.

Here are some additional ideas you can add to our free employee satisfaction survey template to make it even more effective:

• Rating scales: You can rating scales (e.g., 1 to 5, one star to five stars) for specific aspects of the job. These help quantify satisfaction levels and make it easier to analyze trends over time.
• Demographic questions: Note down basic demographic information like department, tenure, and role. This can help identify patterns or issues specific to certain groups within the company.
• Suggestions for improvement: Give employees space to suggest improvements or new ideas. This not only shows that you value their input but can also lead to innovative solutions.
• Open-ended questions: Ask open-ended questions to allow employees to express their thoughts in detail. This way, you may uncover deeper insights and potential issues you might not have considered.

What To Include In An Employee Satisfaction Survey

Here are some additional ideas you can add to our free employee satisfaction survey template to make it even more effective:

• Rating scales: You can rating scales (e.g., 1 to 5, one star to five stars) for specific aspects of the job. These help quantify satisfaction levels and make it easier to analyze trends over time.
• Demographic questions: Note down basic demographic information like department, tenure, and role. This can help identify patterns or issues specific to certain groups within the company.
• Suggestions for improvement: Give employees space to suggest improvements or new ideas. This not only shows that you value their input but can also lead to innovative solutions.
• Open-ended questions: Ask open-ended questions to allow employees to express their thoughts in detail. This way, you may uncover deeper insights and potential issues you might not have considered.

How To Conduct An Employee Satisfaction Survey

Method 1: Paper surveys

You can use printed-out questionnaires and send them to employees. They’ll fill them out and return anonymously.

Pros:

• Accessible to all employees
• Can be distributed in person, ensuring everyone receives it
• Reduces the risk of technical issues

Cons:

• Time-consuming to distribute and collect
• Requires manual data entry for analysis
• Higher cost due to printing and handling, not to mention not environmentally friendly

Method 2: Online surveys

This method involves sending a digital survey to employees via email or the chosen company platform.

Pros:

• Easy to distribute and collect responses
• Easy to analyze with automated tools
• Ensures anonymity, encouraging honest feedback

Cons:

• Requires internet access for all employees
• May have lower response rates if employees overlook emails
• Risk of technical issues affecting accessibility

Method 3: In-Person Interviews

In-person interviews involve one-on-one or small group discussions with employees to gather detailed feedback.

Pros:

• Allows for deeper insights through follow-up questions
• Can build trust and rapport with employees
• Can tailored to individual or group concerns

Cons:

• Time-consuming and resource-intensive
• May not ensure anonymity, affecting honesty
• Difficult to scale for larger organizations

How To Measure The Results Of An Employee Satisfaction Survey

Measuring the results of an employee satisfaction survey involves several steps to ensure you get actionable insights.

Collect and organize responses.

First, gather all survey responses and organize them in a database or spreadsheet for easy access and analysis.

Analyze the data.

-Quantitative analysis: Tabulate the data from all the surveys. Use visual tools like charts and graphs to illustrate these trends. If you use rating scales, make sure to calculate averages and identify trends

-Qualitative analysis: Since this type of data isn’t quantifiable, consider using tools like word clouds or text analysis software to highlight frequently mentioned terms and key issues. Group similar responses from open-ended questions to identify common themes and sentiments.

Segment the data.

Break down the data by demographics such as department, tenure, or role. This will help you identify areas of concern and spot patterns occurring in certain groups.

Compare with Past Surveys

If you’ve conducted similar surveys in the past, compare and contrast the current results to track improvements or identify emerging issues over time.

Compile a report.

Using the data you’ve compiled, create a comprehensive report summarizing key takeaways and actionable recommendations. If possible, present this to the management so that effective changes can be implemented based on the feedback.