A best practice in surveying is asking a question with a specific purpose in mind. Specifically, when I ask this question, what will the answer enable for me or my organization?
At Possip, we love our short Pulse Check® surveys for keeping an ongoing conversation alive. We like longer form for occasional deep dives.
Regardless of the method, thoughtful questions and systems are powerful for staff engagement, workplace culture, productivity, and ultimately, success.
Here are 22 great engagement questions to ask your staff:
1. Recognition and Appreciation
- Which specific behaviors, efforts, or results typically go unnoticed but deserve recognition?
- What would help you feel more valued and appreciated for you hard work?
2. Sense of Belonging
- How much do you agree with the statement: “I feel like I belong to the [organization name] community”?
- What would make you feel more a part of our community or department?
3. Ask Your Staff About Current Team Dynamics
- Shout out a team member who has done great work this year. What did they do?
- What opportunities for team building would you prefer?
- Do you prefer team-building activities that are: during work hours or outside of work?
4. Communication
- What kind of communication would you like more of: vision, future, training, operational, cultural, or other?
- Do you feel comfortable sharing feedback with the leadership team?
5. Support and Resources
- Do you feel supported in your work? If not, what additional support would you like?
- Do you have the training and resources needed to feel confident in your role?
6. Mental Well-being
- What can we do to support your mental well-being better?
7. Staff Workload and Priorities
- What is one task we can remove from your plate to help you focus on key priorities?
- Do you feel successful in your work?
8. Community and Culture
- Do you feel part of a community in your department?
- What ideas do you have to improve our organizational culture?
9. Student or Client Experience
- What suggestions do you have to enhance our clients’ experiences?
- How can we improve the social and emotional experiences of our clients or students?
10. Professional Development
- What opportunities to learn new skills would interest you?
- If you could make one change for the upcoming year, what would it be?
11. Job Satisfaction
- What do you find most satisfying about your job?
- What aspects of your role would you like to change or improve?
Regularly incorporate these questions into Pulse Checks, staff meetings, surveys, one-on-one discussions or your other organizational listening strategies.
