Building Your First Employee Engagement Survey: How to Start from Scratch

Employee engagement is a critical factor that directly impacts productivity, morale, and the overall success of an organization. And as I've highlighted before, adding employee engagement surveys is a fundamental step for employers. The benefits are far-reaching, from gaining insights into how employees feel about their workplace to identifying areas for growth and improvement. However, the misconception often arises that implementing such surveys requires substantial spending or professional expertise.

While it is advised to bring an expert to set up your engagement survey, not all employers are equipped with ample resources to hire such professionals or invest in sophisticated tools. However, with some guidance and resourcefulness, you can initiate a feedback-gathering process from your employees even without an extensive budget. To begin, you need to familiarize yourself with three fundamental aspects: (1) Survey questions, (2) Survey platforms, and (3) Survey analysis. Let's get into each step to help you get started and enhance employee engagement within your organization.

1. Choosing the Right Questions

Crafting effective survey questions is the foundation of any successful engagement survey. While there's no one-size-fits-all approach, here are some key question categories to consider:

Job Satisfaction:

• How satisfied are you with your current role?

• Do you feel your skills and strengths are being utilized effectively?

Communication:

• How would you rate the communication within the organization?

• Do you feel your opinions are valued and heard?

Work-Life Balance:

• Are you able to maintain a healthy work-life balance?

• Do you have the flexibility you need to manage your personal and professional commitments?

Career Development:

• Do you believe there are growth opportunities within the company?

• Are you receiving the necessary support for your professional development?

Team Collaboration:

• How well do your team members collaborate and support each other?

• Are you satisfied with the level of teamwork within your department?

2. Selecting Platforms/Systems

While you might not have a big budget for professional survey platforms, there are several affordable and user-friendly options available:

• Google Forms: A free tool that allows you to create and distribute surveys. It offers a range of question types and provides basic analysis features.

• SurveyMonkey: Offers a free plan with limited features, but it's a user-friendly platform for creating and distributing surveys.

• Typeform: Known for its engaging and interactive surveys, Typeform also offers a free plan that suits small businesses. Personally, my favorite tool to work with as it lets you develop complex surveys with multiple scales as well as simple versions.

3. Analyzing the Answers

Once you've collected responses, it's time to extract insights from the data:

• Quantitative Analysis: Look for patterns in numerical responses, such as averages and percentages. Use graphs or charts to visualize these trends.

• Qualitative Analysis: Pay attention to open-ended responses. Group similar answers to identify common themes and sentiments.

• Comparative Analysis: Compare responses across different teams, departments, or locations to identify disparities in engagement levels.

• Actionable Insights: After analysis, identify key areas for improvement. Focus on specific issues that are raised consistently.

Final Thoughts

Creating your first employee engagement survey doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. By focusing on relevant questions, utilizing user-friendly platforms, and analyzing the responses thoughtfully, you can gain valuable insights into your employees' satisfaction and engagement levels. Remember, this is just the beginning – regular surveys and a commitment to addressing feedback will help foster a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Your employees' voices matter, and by listening to them, you're taking a vital step toward a more engaged and productive workforce.