Free tool
Build an engagement survey that leads to decisions
If a result won't lead to a decision, a conversation, or an action, the question doesn't belong in the survey. Pick a type, start from a sample set, and shape it from a library of tagged questions. The builder flags what to cut as you go.
2. Tell it about the team
3. Add or remove questions
Organized by the four levels of employee needs. Work from Foundation up.
Level 1: Foundation
What do I need to do my job? Low scores here tend to drag down every other level, so address these first.
Level 2: Contribution
Does what I give matter? Purpose, ownership, and whether contributions are seen.
Level 3: Belonging and Trust
Do I belong here, and do I trust how things work? Relationships, candor, standards, and leadership.
Level 4: Growth
Where can I go from here? Growth items matter most once the first three levels are in good shape.
Engagement Outcomes
Pride, commitment, and motivation. Keep a small, fixed set and ask it the same way every time so the trend is comparable.
Open-ended questions
Two or three per survey is enough. Each should point to a change someone could make.
Writing your own
Six rules for questions that produce usable data
- One idea per questionWatch for “and,” “or,” and pairs of near-synonyms. If someone agrees with half, they have no accurate answer, and you can't tell which half scored low.
- Pair outcomes with driversOutcomes like pride or intent to stay show how people feel. Drivers measure the conditions behind those feelings, which is where action happens.
- Ask about recent, observable experience“In the last month, I've received feedback on my work” beats “I receive regular feedback,” because “regular” means different things to different people.
- Ask what the company does, not how hard people workSelf-rated effort (“I go the extra mile”) scores uniformly high. Ask instead whether the company motivates extra effort.
- Name the owner before you add itA question earns its place only if a low score points to a specific owner and a specific change.
- Use your own wording for licensed frameworksGallup's Q12 items are proprietary. This library uses original wording inspired by the same research.
Response scales
Pick a scale and keep it
A 3-point scale (No, Somewhat, Yes) is fast and works for small groups, but scores bunch together, so real shifts look small. A 5-point scale is the standard and makes change over time easier to see.
- Use a 5-point agreement scale for statements and 0 to 10 for eNPS only.
- Include a neutral midpoint. Forcing people to pick a side adds noise.
- Offer N/A on items not everyone can answer, and exclude it from percentages.
- Label every point on the scale, not just the ends.
- Keep the scale the same from one survey to the next, or treat the new one as a fresh baseline.
Want help running it and acting on the results?
I can administer the survey so responses stay anonymous, read the results with leadership, and turn them into two or three changes the team will notice.