A short survey shows how engaged your staff are and where to act first. Ten questions are enough. This post gives you the questions, a scoring guide and a 30-day action plan.
Learn these skills in the course Human Resources (BL-HR), module 4.
Who This Is For
HR executives who see low morale or high turnover. Also managers who want facts before they change how the team works.
The Ten Questions
Staff answer each question from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Keep the survey anonymous.
| No. | Question |
|---|---|
| 1 | I know what is expected of me at work. |
| 2 | I have the tools and information to do my work well. |
| 3 | My manager gives me useful feedback. |
| 4 | I received thanks for good work in the last month. |
| 5 | Someone at work supports my development. |
| 6 | My opinions count at work. |
| 7 | I understand how my work helps the company goals. |
| 8 | My team works well together. |
| 9 | I had a chance to learn something new this year. |
| 10 | I would recommend this company as a place to work. |
How to Score the Survey
- Calculate the average score for each question.
- Mark each average. 4.0 or more is strong. 3.0 to 3.9 needs attention. Below 3.0 needs action.
- Compare the scores of departments only when each department has at least five answers.
- Choose the two questions with the lowest scores.
The 30-Day Action Plan
| Low Score | Possible Action | Owner | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 Thanks for good work | Managers give one written thanks a week | All managers | Day 7 |
| Q6 Opinions count | Monthly team meeting with a 15-minute open slot | Department heads | Day 30 |
Share and Act
Share the results with all staff within two weeks. Say which two areas you will act on first. Run the same survey again in six months. Staff then see if the actions worked.
Example: A Hotel
Take a hotel with 150 staff and high turnover in housekeeping. The survey shows low scores for questions 2 and 4. The hotel fixes the shortage of cleaning tools. Supervisors start a weekly thanks note. Six months later, both scores are above 3.5.
What Good Looks Like
- The survey is anonymous and takes five minutes.
- Results go to all staff within two weeks.
- Two low scores have actions with owners and dates.
- The same survey runs again in six months.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Asking for names. Staff then give safe answers, not true answers.
- Running the survey and doing nothing. The next survey then gets fewer answers.
- Acting on ten areas at once. Choose two and finish them.
- Comparing small teams. Results from fewer than five people can show who answered.
Try It This Week
Put the ten questions in a free online form. Send it to one team with an anonymous link. Find the two lowest scores and pick one action.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we run the survey?
Once or twice a year. Act on the results before you run it again.
Where does the course teach this?
Module 4 of Human Resources (BL-HR) includes a workshop on surveys to assess employee satisfaction.
Next Step
Read the full outline of Human Resources (BL-HR). All class dates are on the Training Calendar. For a group from your company, get a quote for in-house training. More HR Work Tips are in the skill area HR. Read also:
