The top 25 employee benefits survey questions

The importance of an employee benefits survey

Employee benefits are a tangible way for companies to demonstrate how they support employees. The programs included can positively impact workforce well-being, drive job satisfaction, and offer financial security. For employers, the benefits package can help attract and retain top talent, reduce turnover and absenteeism, and improve productivity. Overall, offering rich, comprehensive benefits can help an organization build a positive culture and reputation as a good employer, which can lead to improved recruitment, engagement, brand reputation, and overall company performance.

Companies are critically aware of the substantial cost of providing employee benefits, and this expense continues to grow year over year. Given the pressure of escalating costs and financial investment year over year, it’s critical as a business to provide benefits that employees value and use. Benefits only work if employees use them—and unless the benefits program addresses their specific needs, they won’t. An employee benefits survey is paramount for finding out what your employees need and how those resources can best be deployed.

What to include in an employee benefits survey 

To assess employee preferences, organizations often facilitate engagement surveys each Spring. However, it can be challenging to discern what questions to ask and why. 

Lucky for you, the Forma Research team compiled a list of the top questions used in employee benefits surveys!

The list is broken down into: 

• categories of the type of benefit being evaluated, 
• questions to drill into what you want to find out from your workforce, 
• and results of what each response will help gauge. 

You can pick and choose what to include in your survey based on what you're trying to evaluate. The responses to these survey questions can help you successfully identify and map out program changes as you plan for the future.

Scroll down for the full list or download a copy to save longterm.

Get help building your benefits program

A regular review of benefits programs can help companies stay competitive, make informed decisions, and align their benefits with the changing needs of their employees. For example, emerging market trends are suggesting employers will need to expand their wellness programs to go beyond physical, mental, financial and family support to remain competitive. Employers should now  consider community, belonging, learning and productivity when thinking through their employees overall holistic wellness. Given the shift, the intersection of well-being, productivity, talent intelligence, and DEIBA are becoming core business objectives for innovative companies. 

Evaluating the performance of employee benefits is important because it allows companies to assess the impact and value of their benefits programs. By measuring the effectiveness of their benefits programs, companies can identify areas for improvement, ensure they are attracting and retaining employees, and effectively use their benefits budget. It can also ensure that the benefits programs are cost-effective and meet the needs of the employees, improving employee satisfaction and overall morale.

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Overall benefits

QUESTION

On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with the current benefit programs offered by your employer?

RESULTS

Studies show a direct correlation between how employees perceive the value of their benefits and their likelihood of remaining with the organization. Those who are satisfied with their benefit programs are more likely to stay with the company for an extended period.

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QUESTION

‍I believe my benefits package is competitive and meets industry standards.

RESULTS

Similar to the question above, the answer will provide insight into how the employee views the value of the benefits program. However, the ask here drills into the industry to identify whether or not the package meets standards and is competitive.

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QUESTION

Do you understand the benefits you receive from our company?

RESULTS

Benefits communication can be complex and confusing. It’s important to know that the information makes sense so that employees value and use the programs available to them. If there is room for improvement in educating and engaging employees about current programs, it presents an opportunity to enhance the perceived value of benefits and improve retention.

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QUESTION

‍Rate each of the benefits below in order of importance. [List out select benefit programs with a rating scale of 1 - 10]

RESULTS

Recognizing the connection between valuable benefits and retention, digging into and analyzing how employees rate specific programs can help identify which programs are highly valued and effective–as well as uncover whether or not programs should be scaled back.

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QUESTION

‍Are you experiencing any concerns with the current benefits package?

RESULTS

Getting input from employees on their concerns can help obtain feedback and show your investment in them. Regarding benefits, you can point to concerns employees share as a reference point for making changes and communicating those decisions to employees.

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QUESTION

What benefits do you value the most? [You may want to consider listing programs regardless of whether or not they are currently offered based on prior employee feedback.]

RESULTS

The feedback can be essential to identify programs valuable to employees.

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QUESTION

If you could add one additional benefit to the current package, what would it be and why?

RESULTS

Getting comments from employees when selecting programs under consideration can help influence whether or not to add a program and boost morale. While the information helps inform decisions and needs, employees feel heard and valued, especially after changes have been implemented.

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QUESTION

‍Which benefit do you like the least and why?

RESULTS

The information can be helpful to pin down which programs could be cut. If you are looking to pull back and save, getting employee input here can be game-changing and a great reference point when scaling back or removing an option. 

Well-being programs

QUESTION

‍Is employee health and well-being fostered in your work environment?

RESULTS

Learn about how employees perceive how your organization supports well-being at a high level.

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QUESTION

‍What benefits would help you lead a healthier or more active lifestyle?

RESULTS

Understand well-being needs. The answer will also help uncover support tools or tactics employees value and drive healthy behavior.

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QUESTION

‍Which would you prefer a lifestyle spending account program where you receive funds to pay for various wellness products/services and hand-select options of your choosing that offer physical, mental, family, or financial support OR getting a set benefit of equal dollar value chosen by your employer?

RESULTS

Get a clear picture of employee value choice alongside various programs. Combined, you’ll have a sense of the types of behavior and offers that will be meaningful to your workforce.

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QUESTION

‍Do the benefits programs currently offered to support your mental health?

RESULTS

Mental health is at the forefront of well-being initiatives. Assessing employee satisfaction with mental health programs is crucial for understanding if and how they should be improved. 

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QUESTION

What additional benefits would help to support your mental health?

RESULTS

Use employee input to identify potential mental health support initiatives or program enhancements.

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QUESTION

‍Would you prefer 3 free virtual mental health visits per year or a certain amount of money to spend on mental health resources of your choice?

RESULTS

Understand employee preference for programs. Learn whether or not your workforce would like to hand-select mental health products and services or have options chosen by their employer. 

Company culture

QUESTION

Are you able to maintain work-life balance?

RESULTS

Gain insight into your workforce's thoughts on work-life balance. Alternatively, you could ask for employees to rate work-life balance for deeper insight vs. a yes/no question.

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QUESTION

Do you have a positive relationship with your co-workers?

RESULTS

Understanding how workers feel about their connection to colleagues is especially important given hybrid and remote work. Feeling connected to coworkers helps with retention. The output from this question can help inform the current state and needs. 

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QUESTION

‍Do you feel connected to your peers at work?

RESULTS

Similar to the above question, the information will help assess employees of their connection to colleagues and can inform the need for peer-to-peer engagement initiatives. If there is an identified need for remote workers, you may want to consider adding a belonging type of program for peer-to-peer engagement for those working from home. 

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QUESTION

‍Do you enjoy working with your team?

RESULTS

Investigating employee perception of team interaction and collaboration helps inform retention needs. Based on workforce construct (remote/hybrid/in-office), you can determine programs to support strong collaboration and team-building activities.

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QUESTION

Does the current benefits package promote diversity, equity, and inclusion? If not, what additional steps can be taken to support your needs?

RESULTS

Understand how your workforce perceives DEIBA support at your organization and identify if there are additional needs. With a more distributed and diverse workforce, it’s critical to provide support for varied needs.

Professional support

QUESTION

Are you equipped with the necessary tools and resources to be productive at work?

RESULTS

The answer to this question helps assess resource needs for your workforce and to optimize productivity.

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QUESTION

Do you have the tools and resources you need to work from home?

RESULTS

The answer to this question helps assess WFH resource needs.

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QUESTION

What - if any - additional resources do you need to enhance your productivity?

RESULTS

Uncover the tools and resources your workforce may need that you haven’t considered. You may want to be specific to determine needs based on where employees are working (e.g., in-office, at home).

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QUESTION

Are there ample opportunities for you to learn and grow your skills?

RESULTS

Understand employee perspective on learning and development. Employees who see advancement opportunities are more likely to stay. 

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QUESTION

What training and professional development opportunities would you like to see offered to help you achieve your career goals?

RESULTS

Uncover areas where your workforce is seeking professional support. The output helps provide a roadmap for training and programs to retain/attract talent. Additionally, you’ll identify opportunities to help your workforce improve performance/productivity.

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QUESTION

‍Would you be interested in participating in certifications, courses, workshops, or webinars?

RESULTS

Similar to the above line of questioning, find out if there are specific programs to add to support your workforce. While not directly asking, you’ll get a sense of how invested your workforce is in their work and growing their skills which can extend to retention. 

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‍About Forma Research

Forma Research provides benchmark reports, best practice guides, data tools, and other resources to help HR professionals and brokers expand their understanding to become experts on flexible benefits and Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs).