Designing an employee survey isn’t just about writing a list of questions. It’s a strategic tool that, when used properly, helps you truly listen to your team, uncover what’s not being said out loud, and make decisions based on solid insights. But if the questions are poorly designed, the survey loses its value turning into just another task instead of becoming a starting point for real transformation.
That’s why today we’ll look at which questions you should absolutely avoid, and which ones you should include if you want your next survey to drive real improvement. And no, you don’t need to be a psychometrics expert. You just need to know what to ask, how to ask it, and what to do with the answers.
What you should NOT ask
Let’s start with what usually goes wrong. Avoiding these mistakes can mean the difference between a survey that drives change and one that just piles up data no one uses. Take note.
1. Asking about things you’re not ready to act on
If you already know that you won’t be able to follow up on certain issues, whether due to lack of resources, not being within your control, or because the organization just isn’t ready, don’t ask about them.
For example: asking about remote work when there’s no intention to implement it only breeds frustration and distrust. People will feel you’re asking just to tick a box.
Only ask questions you’re willing to act on. And if you touch on sensitive or complex topics, be honest about the limits.
2. Writing vague, overly broad or ambiguous questions
“Are you motivated?”, “How would you rate the work environment?”, “Do you feel good at work?”—these questions are too general and give you no useful or actionable information.
Also, when questions lack clarity or are too broad, each person will interpret them differently. The result? Inconsistent answers, unreliable data, and misguided decisions.
Instead, skip the generic wording and focus on specific questions that reveal causes, not just symptoms.
3. Asking double-barreled or confusing questions
A classic mistake: “Do you feel appreciated by your manager and your coworkers?”
What if the answer is yes to one and no to the other? These questions are confusing and skew the results.
Avoid double negatives, jargon, or overly long sentences. A question that’s hard to understand is a question that’s likely to be answered wrong.
Our advice? One idea, one question. If you want to assess several things, split them up. The easier to read and respond, the more reliable the insights.
4. Asking without a clear purpose
Sometimes questions are added out of habit, because they’ve “always been there,” because they sound good, or because they seem important… even if there’s no clear plan to use the answers. This creates two problems:
- First, you overload the survey.
- Second, you collect data that won’t lead to action. And trust us, your team notices.
For example, asking about work-life balance when you don’t have the structure or resources to offer flexible options can create expectations you won’t be able to meet.
Each question should respond to a real information need. If you don’t know what you’d do with the answer… you probably don’t need to ask it.
What you SHOULD ask
Now that we’ve cleared the path, let’s see how to build a survey that truly helps you understand your team’s experience, spot improvement areas, and make business-aligned decisions.
1. Questions that reflect the team’s daily reality
The best questions are those that speak to people’s everyday experience: what they deal with every morning, what helps them perform, and what gets in the way.
Some solid examples:
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Do you clearly understand what’s expected of you at work?
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Do you feel comfortable sharing your opinion, even when you disagree?
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Do you feel your work is valued?
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Does your direct manager support your professional development?
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Do you have opportunities to learn and grow?
These questions not only capture perception: they help you identify what’s driving or blocking engagement, and where you need to step in as an organization.
2. Short, direct, and easy to understand questions
Don’t try to impress with fancy wording. Surveys work better when the language is clean, accessible, and leaves no room for misinterpretation.
Avoid subjective adjectives like “adequate,” “good,” or “sufficient” without context. Instead, use phrases that people can read and understand quickly without losing the thread.
Pro tip: Read each question out loud. If it’s hard to finish in one go, it’s probably too long or confusing.
3. Balanced and meaningful rating scales
Use response scales that allow for nuance without overwhelming. Likert scales from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7 are widely used because they’re easy to compare, segment, and track over time.
But the numbers alone aren’t enough. It’s just as important to clearly define what each option means (“strongly disagree,” “somewhat agree,” “neutral”…). Consistency is key: use the same scale throughout the survey to make it easier to answer and to avoid misinterpretation.
4. Open-ended questions
Open-ended questions can be a goldmine or a mess, depending on how you use them. We recommend including one or two at the end of the survey, but only if they have a clear purpose:
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What could we improve to make your daily work easier?
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What do you value most about working here?
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If you could change one thing, what would it be?
And remember: if you ask for input, you need to read it and act on it. Otherwise, don’t ask.
AI-powered text analysis (like the one included in Team Insights) can help you spot language patterns, recurring topics, and shared concerns without having to read hundreds of comments manually.
Listening is just the beginning. What comes next is what really matters
Creating a strong employee survey is just the first step. But without a system to analyze, interpret, prioritize, and communicate the results, the data ends up forgotten in a drawer.
At Team Insights, we’ve built a platform designed to support you throughout the entire process:
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Validated surveys, ready to launch
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Automated analysis, smart segmentation, and red flag alerts
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AI-assisted reading of open comments
All in a secure, intuitive environment designed to help you and your team make decisions based on what really matters: people’s experience.
