75+ Employee Engagement Survey Questions That ACTUALLY Work (Steal These!)

Did you know 59% of employees are “quiet quitting”—doing the bare minimum while mentally disengaging? (Gallup, 2023). Even worse: poor engagement costs companies $8.8 trillion globally in lost productivity. Yet most leaders rely on generic surveys asking, “How happy are you?”—a strategy that fails to uncover why 42% of employees plan to job-hop in 2024 (PwC, 2023).

Here’s the truth: 82% of employees stay loyal to companies that ask better questions (Gartner, 2023). But crafting those questions? That’s where you hit a wall. How do you pinpoint why hybrid work drains 49% of teams (Microsoft, 2023) or why 57% of employees doubt your DEI efforts (SHRM, 2023)?

This isn’t another recycled list. We’ve built 75+ battle-tested questions across 10 critical categories (including remote work traps and mental health blindspots), paired with SurveySlack, an online survey maker featuring proven survey templates, to launch your survey in <10 minutes. Stop guessing what keeps employees up at night—let them tell you.

In this post, we’ll cover:

• What is Meant by Employee Engagement?
• Job Satisfaction
• Work-Life Balance
• Leadership & Management Effectiveness
• Communication & Transparency
• Recognition & Rewards
• Career Growth & Development
• Workplace Culture & Values Alignment
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
• Remote/Hybrid Work Experience
• Employee Well-Being & Mental Health

Here we go!!

What is Meant by Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement isn’t about ping-pong tables or free snacks—it’s the emotional commitment your team has to their work and your company’s success. Think: Do they show up energized or just clock in? Engaged employees are 21% more productive (Gallup), but only 23% feel truly connected to their workplace. It’s the difference between “doing a job” and owning outcomes. Want to measure it? Skip vague “training survey questions.” Focus on emotional drivers—autonomy, purpose, trust. Because when engagement drops, so does retention, innovation, and your bottom line.

Must Read (Don’t Miss):

• Employee Satisfaction Survey: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Likert Scale Examples: Get Surveys Right (Avoid 90% Failure)
• 150+ Best Icebreaker Questions: The ONLY List You Need!

Job Satisfaction

Measure how fulfilled employees feel in their roles with these employee engagement survey questions. These questions uncover alignment between individual strengths and organizational goals, providing insights into daily motivation and long-term retention drivers. Use best questions for employee engagement surveys to identify gaps in resources, role clarity, and emotional investment—key factors in reducing turnover.

1. How fulfilled do you feel by your day-to-day responsibilities?
2. Does your role leverage your strengths and skills effectively?
3. How often do you feel challenged in a positive way?
4. Do you see a clear connection between your work and the company’s goals?
5. How satisfied are you with the resources provided to perform your job?
6. Would you recommend this role to a friend? Why or why not?
7. What one change would improve your job satisfaction?
8. How aligned is your workload with your capacity?
9. Do you feel your contributions are meaningful to the organization?
10. How likely are you to stay in your current role for the next 12 months?

Work-Life Balance

Assess how well employees balance professional demands with personal needs using survey questions to measure employee engagement. These staff engagement questions evaluate flexibility, stress triggers, and boundary support—critical for retaining talent in hybrid/remote environments.

1. How often does work negatively impact your personal life?
2. Do you feel pressured to respond to work outside of business hours?
3. How flexible is your schedule in accommodating personal needs?
4. Does your manager support your boundaries between work and personal time?
5. How manageable is your workload during peak periods?
6. What adjustments would help you achieve better work-life balance?
7. How often do you take breaks during the workday?
8. Do you feel comfortable using paid time off without guilt?
9. How well does the company promote mental health days?
10. How stressed do you feel about balancing work and personal commitments?

Leadership & Management Effectiveness

Gauge trust in leadership with team engagement survey questions. These employee engagement survey example questions reveal how well managers communicate expectations, resolve conflicts, and inspire confidence—factors that directly impact morale and productivity.

1. How transparent is leadership about company decisions?
2. Does your manager provide clear expectations for your role?
3. How often do you receive constructive feedback from your manager?
4. Do you trust leadership to act in employees’ best interests?
5. How supported do you feel in voicing concerns to your manager?
6. How effective is your manager in resolving team conflicts?
7. Does leadership inspire confidence in the company’s future?
8. How well does your manager recognize your achievements?
9. Are career growth conversations with your manager proactive?
10. How aligned is leadership’s actions with the company’s stated values?

Communication & Transparency

Uncover gaps in information flow with engagement questions to ask employees. These best employee engagement questions assess clarity of goals, leadership accessibility, and transparency in decision-making—essential for building trust and alignment.

1. How informed do you feel about company-wide changes?
2. Are team goals and priorities communicated clearly?
3. How accessible is leadership for questions or feedback?
4. Do you feel heard in company decision-making processes?
5. How often does communication feel inconsistent or unclear?
6. What channels do you prefer for receiving important updates?
7. How transparent is the company about financial performance?
8. Are cross-departmental collaborations facilitated effectively?
9. How well does the company address rumors or misinformation?
10. What one improvement would enhance internal communication?

Recognition & Rewards

Discover if employees feel valued using questionnaire to measure employee engagement. These employee engagement survey questionnaire prompts explore fairness, frequency, and personalization of recognition—drivers of loyalty and discretionary effort.

1. How frequently do you receive recognition for your work?
2. Do you feel rewards are distributed fairly across the team?
3. What type of recognition motivates you most (monetary, public praise, etc.)?
4. How meaningful are the current employee recognition programs?
5. Does your manager acknowledge your efforts in real time?
6. Are peer-to-peer recognition opportunities available?
7. How satisfied are you with the frequency of performance reviews?
8. Do rewards align with the effort you invest?
9. What non-monetary rewards would you value?
10. How likely are you to go “above and beyond” given the current rewards system?

Career Growth & Development

Identify stagnation risks with employee engagement questions to ask. These staff engagement questionnaire items measure access to mentorship, skill-building opportunities, and clarity of advancement paths—keys to retaining ambitious talent.

1. Do you see a clear path for advancement in this company?
2. How satisfied are you with professional development opportunities?
3. Does the company invest in skills training relevant to your role?
4. How often do you discuss career goals with your manager?
5. Are mentorship programs available and effective?
6. What skills would you like to develop that aren’t currently supported?
7. How confident are you in transitioning to a higher role here?
8. Does the company encourage internal promotions?
9. How aligned is your career trajectory with your personal goals?
10. What one resource would accelerate your growth?

Workplace Culture & Values Alignment

Evaluate emotional connection to the company’s mission using employee engagement surveys questions. These best employee engagement survey questions expose mismatches between stated values and daily practices—critical for fostering authenticity and pride.

1. How connected do you feel to the company’s mission?
2. Do the company’s values resonate with your personal beliefs?
3. How inclusive is the workplace culture?
4. Are unethical practices ever tolerated?
5. How well does the company celebrate team successes?
6. Do you feel comfortable being your authentic self at work?
7. How collaborative is the environment across teams?
8. What one change would strengthen workplace culture?
9. How often do leaders exemplify the company’s values?
10. Does the company prioritize employee happiness?

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Spot systemic inequities with engagement survey questions examples. These questions to ask in an employee engagement survey assess fairness in promotions, inclusivity of culture, and leadership accountability—non-negotiables for modern workplaces.

1. Do you believe promotions are based on merit, regardless of identity?
2. How comfortable are you discussing DEI issues at work?
3. Are DEI initiatives actively implemented, not just discussed?
4. Does leadership reflect diversity at all levels?
5. How equitable is access to high-impact projects?
6. Have you witnessed or experienced discrimination here?
7. How well does the company address bias in hiring/promotions?
8. Are ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) supported meaningfully?
9. How often is DEI progress measured and shared?
10. What one action would make the workplace more inclusive?

Remote/Hybrid Work Experience

Diagnose collaboration hurdles with employee engagement survey example questions. These employee engagement questions survey items test tool effectiveness, inclusion of remote workers, and equity in opportunity distribution—vital for distributed teams.

1. How effective are remote collaboration tools (e.g., SurveySlack)?
2. Do you feel included in team activities as a remote worker?
3. How well does the company support home-office setups?
4. Are remote and in-office employees treated equally?
5. How often do you experience communication delays?
6. Does remote work positively impact your productivity?
7. How clear are expectations for hybrid work schedules?
8. What one tool would improve your remote experience?
9. How connected do you feel to colleagues in a hybrid model?
10. Are virtual meetings structured effectively?

Employee Well-Being & Mental Health

Uncover burnout risks using survey questions to measure employee engagement. These best employee engagement survey questions probe stress levels, access to mental health resources, and leadership’s prioritization of wellness—cornerstones of sustainable performance.

1. How supported do you feel in managing stress?
2. Are mental health resources (e.g., counseling) easily accessible?
3. How often does workload negatively impact your well-being?
4. Does the company encourage taking mental health days?
5. How comfortable are you discussing burnout with your manager?
6. Are wellness programs (e.g., mindfulness sessions) helpful?
7. How respected are your boundaries regarding overtime?
8. What one benefit would improve your mental health?
9. How often do you feel overwhelmed by deadlines?
10. Does leadership prioritize employee well-being in decisions?

FAQs About Employee Engagement Survey

Final Thoughts

We’ve cut through the noise of generic HR surveys to deliver employee engagement survey questions that actually uncover what drives—or destroys—your team’s commitment. From burnout blindspots to DEI gaps, these 100 questions are your cheat code to fixing retention, productivity, and trust.

Ready to stop guessing and start knowing?

Create a survey in minutes with SurveySlack.com, transforming these questions about employee engagement into actionable insights. Ditch the dusty templates—customize, launch, and watch disengaged teams become passionate stakeholders.

The data’s waiting. Your move.