35 insightful company culture survey questions

Maintaining a healthy company culture is vital to the success and growth of your business. There are many ways to foster a positive company culture, from creating clearly defined company values to leading by example.

One of the best ways to enhance company culture is by inviting employees to share their thoughts and opinions about current processes, leadership, and culture through a survey.

Also known as work culture surveys, company culture surveys can show you how your employees feel about certain company policies and procedures. They can also help you develop an overall view of how healthy and productive the current company culture is.

In short, work culture surveys can help you compare your current company culture with the one you hope to achieve.

A strong company culture can help you build a healthy, productive business from the inside out. Employees who feel a connection to the culture tend to stay at the organization longer, reducing hiring and training costs. They are also more likely to refer qualified friends and associates to your organization, helping you attract top talent.

A strong company culture builds camaraderie and trust among employees. This can lead to increased productivity and better morale, which helps you enhance revenue and boost organizational health.

A work culture, or company culture, survey is a tool that companies can use to evaluate employee experience and the current workplace culture. It features questions designed to gather insights from employees about their experience in your company. 

Ideally, your company values should align with the employee experience. However, this isn't always the case. Company culture surveys help you gauge the culture in your organization and see how it matches up with the goals of your business.

The insights gleaned from employees’ answers can be put into action to improve or enhance the company culture.

Questions in work culture surveys can cover a range of areas, including:

• Leadership and management

• Communication

• Employee well-being, such as work-life balance

• Collaboration and teamwork

• Career development

• Diversity and inclusion

The frequency of your work culture surveys depends on your unique strategy and the number of questions you want to ask.

If you’re planning on launching a lengthy company culture survey with 20 or more questions, consider making it an annual occurrence. Shorter surveys of 10 questions or fewer can be conducted several times a year or once a quarter.

Shorter work culture surveys work well if there's a specific issue you're hoping to gain clarity on. Long-form surveys are perfect for getting a comprehensive idea of workplace culture.

Be cautious of hosting surveys too often. If they are too frequent, employees may get survey fatigue, leading to skewed responses. Try carrying out “temperature checks” before and after surveys to see how employees feel about the content and frequency.

The results of a company culture survey can be used to effect deep organizational change. Take employee feedback seriously and do what you can to put suggestions into action.

You can use the answers to better understand how employees feel about certain aspects of the workplace and create targeted initiatives to address any concerns. You can also use them to increase employee engagement and satisfaction, even as you work to improve organizational health and workplace atmosphere.

Depending on the goal of your survey, you might want to group questions into certain themes, such as:

• Leadership

• Diversity

• Communication

The following examples of company culture questions will give you a good starting point for creating your culture survey.

1. How would you describe our company culture?

2. Do you feel valued and respected in the workplace?

3. Do you believe that our company's values align with your personal values?

4. Do you feel there is open communication between management and employees?

5. Do you have the necessary resources to perform your job effectively?

6. How would you rate the overall communication within the organization?

7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you feel your work aligns with the organization's goals?

8. Do you feel comfortable expressing your opinions about ideas at work?

9. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the level of teamwork and collaboration in the organization?

10. How supported do you feel by your immediate supervisor or manager?

11. Are you satisfied with the overall job security in the organization?

12. Do you believe the organization values and promotes diversity and inclusion?

13. How well does the company promote a positive and inclusive work environment?

14. How well does the organization support work-life balance for its employees?

15. Do you feel comfortable sharing concerns or raising issues without fear of negative consequences?

16. Do you feel you have a say in the organization's policy changes?

17. Do you feel that the organization fosters a sense of innovation and encourages employees to contribute their thoughts and ideas?

18. Is there a culture of teamwork and cooperation within the organization?

19. Are you satisfied with how performance reviews are conducted in the company?

20. What can management do to create a more positive workplace?

21. What are the benefits of working in this organization?

22. Do you have the resources you need to grow in this company?

23. Does the management team embody the company's core values?

24. What do you like the most about working with other team members?

25. Do you feel your team brings out the best in you?

26. Do you feel the organization rewards efficient teams?

27. Did you receive adequate recognition the last time your team completed a project?

28. Do you feel comfortable sharing your ideas with your team leader?

29. Is your manager a good role model?

30. If you could go back in time knowing all you know now, would you still choose to work in this organization?

31. Do you believe the management style of this organization is efficient?

32. Does the vision of the company motivate and inspire you?

33. Does your work allow you to meet your personal responsibilities?

34. Do you feel employees in this organization work in harmony?

35. Can you highlight any issues you believe the company is experiencing?

When outlining your company culture survey, use clear language and a simple structure. Keep questions open-ended or use a rating scale, unless a question calls for a yes or no response. A rating scale will provide you with a baseline from which to improve. 

Questions should flow naturally, one after the other, leading the participants through the survey in a cohesive manner. It's always a good idea to test the survey yourself to make sure there are no typos or confusing questions.

Careful planning and consideration go into creating a company culture survey. One person should be in charge of leading the survey, and there should be input from other leaders and managers to ensure the survey is comprehensive and well designed.

Here are six steps to follow when crafting a work culture survey:

1. Define objectives

Figure out ahead of time what aspects of your workplace culture you want to assess. Whether you're interested in finding out about employee engagement or leadership styles, determine these objectives ahead of time.

By having clear objectives, you'll have a roadmap for crafting appropriate questions.

2. Decide on a format

Pick a format that suits your organization's needs.

Many companies opt for online surveys, as they are easy to send out in bulk and are generally user-friendly. Online surveys also allow for streamlined data collection, so you can quickly parse results and get to analyzing faster. There are a wide variety of online survey tools available, many of them affordable and easy to use.

If you decide on in-person or paper-and-pencil surveys, factor in the additional time required to conduct and collate the responses.

Telephone surveys are another option, though these can be even more time-consuming.

3. Design survey questions

Your survey questions should be clear and concise.

While open-ended questions are ideal for gathering more precise responses from employees, multiple-choice questions or yes/no questions can also be included if the subject demands it. Consider using a rating scale to establish a baseline from which to improve.

Whatever the topic, use simple language to minimize the chance of misunderstanding.

4. Test the survey on a pilot group

If you're new to conducting work culture surveys, it can be helpful to test your survey out on a pilot group comprised of a small selection of employees.

These early participants can help you identify any issues with the survey design and question clarity. They can also help you figure out if you’ve overlooked anything or if other questions that should be included.

It's a good idea to test the survey yourself before bringing anyone else in. If there are typos or issues with links/usability, you can address them quickly.

5. Enlist stakeholders

Key stakeholders should be involved in the creation of the work culture survey. They can provide key feedback on the outlined questions and help ensure the survey aligns with organizational goals.

6. Plan data analysis and future actions

Before you launch the survey, consider how you'll analyze the survey data and translate it into actionable objectives. Implement a timeline for these steps and identify the team members responsible for the data analysis and the projects designated for culture improvements.

It can also be helpful to communicate with your employees before you send out the survey. Let them know that all responses will be confidential and used to bring about positive change within the organization.

A company culture survey is a powerful tool for measuring employee satisfaction and determining how successful your organization is at upholding its core values and mission. 

There's not a single perfect way to conduct a company culture survey. Whichever method you choose, with some planning and appropriate preparation, you'll be empowered to make your workplace happier, healthier, and more productive.

A great company culture is a sign of a productive, innovative company. A company with a good culture is more likely to attract and retain dedicated employees. If you're actively looking for a new role, find out as much as possible about the company culture before accepting the job. Any good company culture should include respect for everyone involved, from stakeholders to employees. The culture should promote work-life balance, understanding that people need to feel happy and fulfilled outside work to bring their best to the office.

A good company culture should also be fair. Leaders should ensure everyone at the company receives fair opportunities and recognition. Employees and managers alike should take pride in their place of employment. Ultimately, the company culture should be aligned with the organization's mission, vision, and values. If the company you're interviewing with exhibits any or all of these signs, it’s a job worth taking.

A company culture statement should include references to the organization's mission, vision, and core values and beliefs. It should also be succinct and clear, nodding to its mission to serve clients and customers and to provide an innovative, productive working environment.

If there's something stakeholders are particularly proud of, such as the company's tendency to embrace creative thinking or its belief in work-life balance, try to find a way to work that into the statement. Specific values, such as trust, reliability, respect, and empathy, should be incorporated into the statement.