10 employee engagement survey questions to ask your workforce
UK businesses have been struggling with employee engagement, and it still shows no sign of improving.
In Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report, it was reported that only 10% of UK employees felt engaged at work. This suggests that the problems are deeper than companies might think.
To combat this persistent issue, companies are making use of technology, from simpler communication apps to entire HR platforms, to get a better understanding of their employees and how they are feeling.
Although the visibility does help, it’s also important that businesses take the time to engage with their staff directly to truly understand how engaged they are.
Here are 10 questions that will help you gather solid and actionable information about the engagement of your workforce.
“Do you feel valued for the work you do?”
Helps address: Employee recognition and morale.
It is important to understand whether employees feel overlooked. Those who do are more likely to become disengaged. By asking regularly, organisations and management teams can understand whether recognition is being given and communicated properly.
“Do you understand how your work contributes to company goals?”
Helps address: Role clarity and organisation alignment.
A solid way to boost engagement is to ensure that employees understand how their work is valued by the company. Understanding whether or not an employee understands helps businesses address how objectives and outcomes are communicated with the staff.
“Do you feel comfortable sharing feedback or concerns?”
Helps address: Psychological safety and communication
For engagement and employee mental well-being, it is important that employees feel they are able to communicate issues without fear of fallout. If employees lack this feeling of safety, problems can remain hidden till they are much worse, and any opportunity to prevent them can be missed.
“Do you feel supported by your manager?”
Helps address: Management effectiveness and team support.
Management and day-to-day interactions can have a big impact on an employee’s engagement and motivation. By understanding how your teams are reacting to their managers, a company can be better placed to reduce friction. Low friction and high support keep teams engaged for longer.
“Do you believe your workload is manageable?”
Helps address: Workload Pressure and Burnout Risk
If employees feel their workload is unmanageable, it can increase burnout and decrease engagement as employees try to lessen their burden. By taking the time to understand how they feel about current practices, companies can help reduce stress and promote long-term engagement.
“Do you have opportunities to develop new skills?”
Helps address: Concerns about career development and progression.
A big risk to employee engagement is employee stagnation. If an employee starts to feel they cannot go further and are wasting their time, they can disengage and even eventually look to leave their role entirely. Understanding if there is a lack of development opportunities gives a business the chance to change this and maintain long-term engagement.
“Do you feel recognised when you perform well?”
Helps address: Performance Acknowledgement as well as motivation.
A company that lacks employee recognition is at risk of losing engagement quickly. This can also happen if employees feel the way their work is recognised is inconsistent or unfair. By looking at how employees feel about the recognition they are receiving, a company builds a culture of appreciation, keeping employees engaged for longer.
“Do you feel informed about important company decisions?”
Helps address: Issues with internal communication and company transparency.
Employees who view their employers as having a lack of communication and poor transparency can cause them to have a feeling of uncertainty and damage the trust they have. By identifying issues and working with its staff to fix how communication is handled, a business can boost its staff engagement and wellbeing.
“Would you recommended this organisation as a good place to work?”
Helps address: Employee satisfaction and current workplace culture.
Sometimes it can be difficult to understand if an employee is disengaged purely by output alone; feelings can be hidden below the surface. Having a direct discussion gives an employer a high-level indication of engagement and understanding of their reputation within the staff.
“Do you see yourself working here in the next two years?”
Helps address: Potential retention risks and attitude towards long-term commitment.
One of the biggest risks of high disengagement is staff turnover, leaving a company suffering a huge cost of recruiting someone new, as well as a drop in productivity until a replacement is found and trained. This question helps organisations understand if their employees feel optimistic about their future and indicates their current engagement within their role.
These questions will help build a deeper understanding of staff and how they are engaged with the workplace. It will also help develop an understanding of how well they are reacting to current practices and policies, and highlight areas that can be improved.
Taking the time to ask these questions and act on the data given can help your business keep employees engaged and happy.