insight
Employee survey tools
Last updated: December 4, 2025
Employee surveys are vital to understanding a workforce. Using these tools, employers can gauge employee engagement, motivation, job satisfaction and productivity. They can also uncover underlying issues, such as high turnover rates or poor productivity, and drive progress within their organization.
Employee survey tools key takeaways:
- Employee feedback obtained through surveys can help employers improve workplace environments and retention rates.
- A common example is the pulse survey, which uses short questions to assess employee engagement within teams.
- When creating surveys, employers must consider the questions asked, the format and length, and the delivery time.
- Participation rates can be improved by making surveys easily accessible, explaining their purpose and setting reasonable deadlines.
Table of Contents
Why survey employees?
Employee surveys can provide employers with valuable workforce feedback they may not otherwise receive. In addition to eliciting greater employee honesty, surveys foster big-picture thinking, expand resolution capabilities and help improve retention.
Greater employee honesty
One of the top benefits of employee surveys is that they can empower workers to voice their opinions openly and honestly. Forthcoming feedback may also be elicited through one-on-one discussions and small groups. However, employees are more likely to share their true opinions anonymously, especially if their comments reflect negatively on the organization or the overall workforce experience.
Big-picture thinking
Left unprompted, employees can get lost in day-to-day tasks without considering how they contribute to the organization’s success. Employee surveys use open-ended questions to encourage workers to think about themselves in relation to the company’s missions and goals. This self-reflection can help employees feel that they matter and are valued by the employer.
Expanded resolution capabilities
Employee surveys can help employers identify and solve problems within specific teams or departments before they negatively affect the entire company. Such proactive measures may ultimately improve the employee experience and increase retention rates.
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Types of employee surveys
No two surveys are alike. Therefore, it’s usually best for employers to determine the specific reasons they’re eliciting feedback from employees and for whom the results are intended before choosing a survey type. Available options include:
- Performance review surveys – Evaluate whether employees are meeting job performance expectations.
- Company culture surveys – Measure how well an employer’s behaviors match the intended values of the organization.
- Employee engagement surveys – Assess if employees feel valued by team leaders and the company’s goals at large.
- Employee satisfaction surveys – Analyze how comfortable people are with their compensation, benefits and other work-related issues.
- Pulse surveys – Use a series of short questions to measure employee engagement at the team level rather than the organizational level.
Employee engagement survey tools
People can be satisfied at work without being truly engaged. Employee engagement survey software helps employers distinguish between employees who sincerely enjoy their job and support the company, and those who stay simply for a paycheck.
To be effective, however, the survey for employees should examine all aspects of people’s jobs, including their opinions on senior management, direct supervisors, co-workers, employee communications, opportunities for advancement, job characteristics and HR policies. Questions that address these topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Do you trust the upper management of your company?
- Do you have a positive relationship with your immediate supervisor?
- Are your fellow employees committed to doing quality work?
- Do you receive consistent feedback?
- Are there professional development opportunities within your organization?
- Do you understand how your job relates to the company’s mission or goals?
- Do you know what is expected of you at work?
Developing employee surveys
The questions asked are the most essential part of survey design because vague or ineffectual queries usually lead to low response rates and unclear results. Employers can sometimes benefit from assembling a cross-functional team tasked with strategizing the questions most likely to produce the desired data. This team must also consider the survey’s format, timing and length.
Survey questions
Employee surveys should have a core set of questions that create actionable feedback and can be compared over time, particularly if the survey will be conducted cyclically. Some questions can cover timely topics and events when necessary. It’s also beneficial to leave room for open-ended remarks so employees can voice concerns, opinions or feedback not addressed by the survey.
Survey format
Surveys can consist of closed-ended questions, open-ended questions, multiple-choice questions or a combination thereof. Closed-ended questions are easier to analyze compared to open-ended and multiple-choice questions, which can sometimes skew results and should be used sparingly. Ultimately, the most appropriate survey format depends on the data being sought.
Survey timing
The timing of employee survey distribution is imperative. Employers must pay close attention to any workplace events or seasonal activities that might impact survey results. For instance, employers may not want to solicit feedback from employees about job satisfaction during the busiest part of the year when stress levels are at their peak.
Survey length
The ideal length of a survey generally varies with the frequency of distribution. For example, an annual survey may have as many as 30 questions because it’s gathering an entire year’s worth of feedback. Quarterly pulse surveys, in contrast, have fewer questions and typically take only a few minutes to complete.
Conducting employee surveys
At this stage of the survey process, employers should focus on maximizing employee participation. They can achieve this objective by making surveys easily accessible, communicating the survey’s purpose, offering incentives and setting reasonable deadlines.
Accessibility
At the very least, online surveys require employees to have access to computers. Surveys that can be completed on smartphones and other handheld technology can further increase participation rates and improve the employee experience.
If surveys are conducted on paper, they should be distributed in neutral places and accompanied by a letterbox or lockbox to preserve anonymity. Further accommodations, such as private booths, may be necessary in desk-less environments to help prevent responses that reflect coworker influence rather than individual experiences, i.e., “groupthink.”
Communications
Employer communications play a crucial role in the response rates and candor of employee surveys. Announcements should explain the survey’s importance and intended purpose, and how results will benefit employees. Employers may also want to reiterate survey confidentiality and include a deadline for completion.
Incentives
Offering small incentives can often boost survey participation rates. For example, anyone who completes the survey could be entered into a company-wide raffle with prizes, such as paid time off (PTO), gift cards or gym memberships.
However, incentives have some potential drawbacks. Employee responses might be rushed or insincere, and their anonymity could be compromised through the delivery of the reward.
Deadlines
Employees are more likely to participate in surveys when given adequate time to complete them. As such, deadlines should be flexible and fair. Dedicating specific time to surveys may also be helpful, so employees don’t have to fill them out during their breaks or after work hours.
Frequently asked questions about employee survey software
How do you create an employee survey?
- Define objectives and goals – Although it may be challenging to decide which type of employee feedback is most valuable, sticking to a single theme helps keep questions from becoming too vague and makes it easier to analyze results.
- Select a survey method – Online surveys are ideal for employers with tight deadlines because they can be distributed and analyzed quickly, whereas paper surveys may be more appropriate for workforces that don’t have widespread access to technology.
- Determine survey frequency – Most organizations survey employees quarterly or annually while consciously avoiding peak holiday seasons or high-stress periods, which could skew results.
- Ensure confidentiality – Surveys should not ask for identifying information and should be distributed from a neutral source.
- Communicate with employees – Employees are more likely to complete a survey when they understand its purpose and how their feedback can impact the organization.
What is an example of a new employee survey?
A new hire survey can be quick, yes-or-no questions immediately following orientation, or it can be a detailed questionnaire distributed several weeks after onboarding is completed. In either case, the idea is to gather feedback about the onboarding experience so it can be improved for future employees.
How should an employee survey be produced?
Online surveys are popular because they can be rapidly created and distributed. Employers who choose this method may create the questionnaires themselves or use one of the many software companies that specialize in creating, distributing, and analyzing online surveys. Paper surveys and in-person assessments are also options, though employees are less likely to share honest feedback if they’re face-to-face with a supervisor.
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This article is intended to be used as a starting point in analyzing staff survey tools and is not a comprehensive resource of requirements. It offers practical information concerning the subject matter and is provided with the understanding that ADP is not rendering legal or tax advice or other professional services.
