Getting meaningful employee feedback starts with asking the right questions—here are employee feedback survey examples that actually drive insights.
This guide covers practical, high-impact questions across culture, manager support, tooling, recognition, and career growth—the workplace levers that shape satisfaction and retention.
Each example includes AI-powered follow-up prompts designed to dig deeper into why, how often, and how strongly employees feel the way they do. You can quickly customize any set using Specific’s AI survey generator to create and launch your own survey.
Culture questions that reveal true workplace dynamics
Culture shapes how employees connect, collaborate, and bring new ideas to life. If we’re not tracking it, we miss both warning signs and what’s working well. In fact, 83% of employees feel their team’s feedback culture is positive—but only when organizations consistently ask the right questions. [1]
How comfortable do you feel sharing honest feedback with your team?
Why do you feel this way? Can you recall a recent experience that shaped your comfort level?
Do you believe mistakes are treated as learning opportunities here?
What happened the last time someone made a mistake? How did the team respond?
How inclusive do you find our work environment for diverse perspectives?
Can you share an example when you felt especially included—or left out—by the team?
Do you feel psychological safety on your team?
What factors most contribute to your sense of safety or lack thereof?
AI follow-ups like these make it easy to uncover not just scores, but real stories and root causes underlying culture strengths and friction. See how these automatic AI follow-ups work in action for deeper listening.
Manager support questions that uncover leadership impact
Manager relationships are the cornerstone of employee engagement. A supportive manager acts as a buffer against burnout, drives growth, and helps teams deliver results. It’s no surprise 89% of employees say managers ask for updates, and 85% feel seen daily—but only great questions surface what’s working and what isn’t. [1]
How supported do you feel by your manager in your daily work?
How often does your manager check in with you about your workload or well-being?
Does your manager provide actionable feedback you can use?
Can you give an example of recent feedback that helped you improve?
How often do you have productive one-on-ones with your manager?
What typically makes a one-on-one most valuable—or least helpful—for you?
When you face a challenge, how easy is it to turn to your manager for help?
Have you had a recent experience asking for support? How did it go?
One-on-one effectiveness: Great one-on-ones aren’t just calendar filler—they’re where coaching, feedback, and support actually happen. When employees describe meetings as “valuable” or “transformative,” it’s a sign managers are present and engaged.
Feedback quality: It’s not about more feedback, but better: Is your manager’s advice actionable, timely, and relevant to your work? Frequent check-ins without substance can actually distract.
Example prompt for response analysis: “What themes are most common in manager support feedback, and do they differ by team or level?”
Conversational surveys lower the pressure on tough topics. When managed sensitively, employees open up about even the hardest feedback.
Tooling questions that identify productivity barriers
Tools and systems can be a source of rocket fuel—or of constant headaches. Clunky processes and broken tools drag down efficiency and morale. That’s why 76% of employees believe growth opportunities depend on the resources they’re given. [2]
How easy is it to access the tools or software you need for your job?
How does lack of access affect your ability to get work done?
Do current systems help or hinder your daily workflow?
Can you name a tool or system that slows you down, and how?
How quickly are technical issues (like outages or bugs) resolved?
How did the last incident impact your deadlines or deliverables?
Are there any resources you routinely wish you had?
What would having this resource change about your day-to-day work?
Good practice | Bad practice |
|---|---|
Ask about impact on daily work | Only ask general satisfaction questions |
Probe for specifics (tools, processes, access) | Ignore follow-ups about root causes |
Customize questions by role or workflow | Send one-size-fits-all tooling questions |
Remote work tools: For hybrid teams, clarity on which tools enable—or block—collaboration is extra important. Integration, access, and UX challenges show up fast in feedback. You can always tweak these questions in seconds with the AI-powered survey editor.
Follow-up probes quantify how much productivity loss is due to tooling, surfacing quick wins for IT and ops teams.
Recognition questions that measure appreciation gaps
Recognition is a lever for both motivation and retention. Workers who feel valued stick around—and outperform—yet most leaders overlook just how impactful simple appreciation can be. When 70% of recognized employees report job satisfaction, it’s time to treat recognition as a system, not a bonus. [2]
How often do you feel recognized for your contributions at work?
Can you describe a recent moment when you felt truly appreciated?
Do you believe your hard work is acknowledged by your peers or manager?
What kind of recognition feels most meaningful to you?
When was the last time your achievements were celebrated?
How did this impact your motivation or morale?
Are there contributions you'd like others to notice more often?
What holds people back from recognizing work in your team?
Peer recognition: It’s not just about rewards from “above.” Peer-to-peer appreciation builds trust and teamwork, and it’s often more frequent—and more specific—than formal awards.
Public vs private recognition: Some love the spotlight; others value a quiet “thank you.” Probing on preferences helps create personalized appreciation that sticks.
AI-driven surveys can ask for concrete moments and clarify whether recognition is meaningful or just “going through the motions.” If you’re not asking about recognition preferences, you’re missing out on simple retention wins.
Career growth questions that uncover advancement barriers
For most employees, seeing a future with your company matters more than salary bumps alone. 86% prioritize growth opportunities over extra pay—but only if you help them chart that path. [2]
Do you see clear opportunities for professional growth within the company?
What’s missing or unclear about current development paths?
How supported do you feel in building new skills?
Can you share a time when the company helped you develop or learn something new?
When you set career goals, does your manager help you break them into achievable steps?
What would make these conversations more effective for you?
Have you explored new roles or opportunities here in the past year?
What barriers, if any, did you encounter along the way?
Internal mobility: When people move up or sideways in the organization, it’s a real sign of healthy growth culture. If internal roles feel “hidden” or inaccessible, employees are more likely to look elsewhere for advancement opportunities.
Example prompt for response analysis: “What themes emerge about perceived barriers to advancement, and are they related to tenure or department?”
This conversational format leads to honest, specific responses. Teams use AI-powered survey analysis to spot trends in growth sentiment and pinpoint what’s holding teams back.
Turn insights into action with conversational employee surveys
Each of these categories—culture, manager support, tooling, recognition, and career growth—captures a critical dimension of employee experience. Combined, they help you see not just what’s happening, but why.
AI-powered surveys feel like real conversations, not rigid forms. They boost completion rates, unlock more honest feedback, and let you dig deeper in the moment. Specific delivers a best-in-class experience for both quick page-based surveys and in-product interviews—no manual follow-ups, no scripting, just conversations that work.
Create your own survey in minutes—and discover how AI follow-ups get you the real story, not just survey statistics. With better insights, you can make real progress on what matters most to your team.
Start with great questions. Transform your employee insights. Act with confidence.