5 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Employee Survey Questions

Picture this: You know that you need insights from your employees to improve certain programs or systems in place at your organization. But when it comes time to review the survey responses, all you’ve got is a lot of unhelpful information.

Sound familiar?

The good news, if you’re considering surveys in the first place, is that you know that they are an important tool you can use to gather insights that drive engagement, productivity, and retention. But poorly crafted questions can lead to misleading data, low participation, or even employee frustration. 

Want to get the most out of your surveys? Avoid these five common mistakes:

1. Asking Leading or Biased Questions

A good survey should uncover genuine opinions, not confirm assumptions. If you’re asking leading questions, you’re subconsciously pushing employees toward a particular response. And that? That makes the results unreliable.

Example to avoid: "How much do you love our new benefits package?" 

What if they don’t love it, period? You’ve got a problem on your hands…

Try this instead: "How satisfied are you with our current benefits package?" (with a balanced response scale)

2. Using Jargon or Complex Language

Employees come from diverse backgrounds (and this is obviously even more true for global corporations or those that have hired remote talent from around the country or world.) So, not everyone is familiar with HR-specific terms. If you use overly technical or convoluted wording, it can confuse respondents, leading to inaccurate responses.

Example to avoid: "Do you believe the organization’s DEI initiatives have positively impacted cross-functional collaboration and psychological safety?"

Huh? 

Try this instead: "Have our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts improved teamwork and workplace culture?"

The options could be a simple “Yes” or “No” with a follow-up question for more detail.

3. Making Questions Too Broad or Vague

General questions can be open to interpretation, making it difficult to extract actionable insights. Employees may struggle to answer accurately if the question isn’t specific enough.

Example to avoid: "Do you think management is effective?"

Effective at communication? Feedback? Handling issues in a prompt fashion? What information do you really want to get here?

Try this instead: "How would you rate your direct manager’s communication and decision-making skills?"

4. Neglecting a Balanced Response Scale

Surveys need response options that allow employees to express a range of opinions. Using only positive choices or excluding a neutral option can skew results.

Example to avoid: A scale with only "Good," "Very Good," and "Excellent."

Don’t forget about those employees who are less than happy with what you’re asking about.

Try this instead: A well-rounded scale such as "Very Dissatisfied," "Dissatisfied," "Neutral," "Satisfied," and "Very Satisfied."

5. Failing to Test and Review Questions

Even well-intended questions can have unintended biases or confusing wording. Before launching a survey, pilot it with a small group and refine it based on their feedback. Studies have shown that pilot testing can identify up to 70% of potential problems in a survey before its full launch.

Try this: Run a test survey with a sample of employees and adjust any unclear or ambiguous questions before full deployment. Better yet? Ask them point blank about certain questions to determine if how they’re interpreting them is how you intended. 

Writing effective survey questions is both an art and a science. With these tips, you can avoid common issues and actually gather meaningful insights that truly reflect employee sentiment. And that? That leads to better decisions and a more engaged workforce.

Let's Take the Next Step Together

Want expert help designing employee surveys that actually work? Schedule a survey consulting call with CARRY™ Consulting today and let’s create surveys your employees will love to answer.