Employee benefits surveys are essential tools for UK organisations seeking to understand, evaluate, and improve the benefits packages they offer. These surveys provide critical insights into which benefits employees value most, how well current offerings are understood, and where improvements can be made to enhance satisfaction, retention, and overall organisational success. By systematically gathering feedback, companies can make data-driven decisions about their benefits programmes, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to meet the diverse needs of their workforce.
Well-designed surveys reveal which benefits truly matter to employees and the organisation. They help avoid the common pitfall of misjudging employee preferences, which can lead to wasted expenditure and diminished satisfaction. A mountain of evidence illustrates the value of a strong employee benefits package, which can improve health behaviours, reduce health risks, boost productivity, decrease absenteeism, aid recruitment and retention, and lower employer healthcare costs. To achieve these outcomes, it is crucial to understand which benefits employees value most and how they rate and understand them. Various employees and employee groups have different needs and values, so insights gained through surveys are vital for guiding benefits-related decisions.
The Purpose and Significance of Employee Benefits Surveys
The primary purpose of an employee benefits survey is to determine the level of satisfaction with the benefits offered. It also considers factors such as general job satisfaction, employee motivation, company goals, and workplace flexibility. These surveys are used by companies to find out what benefits and perks their workers already have or what they would like to have in the future. Most of the time, employee benefits surveys are conducted regularly, such as once a year. This frequency allows organisations time to analyse surveys, adjust their benefits package based on responses, and evaluate whether those adjustments influence desirable outcomes for employees and the organisation.
Employee benefits surveys are significant for organisations for several reasons. They help companies understand their employees' benefits and perks needs. The main goal is to find out what employees think about the present benefits programme and where improvements can be made. This can help companies make better choices about the benefits they offer, which can make employees happier, more likely to stay with the company, and more productive. Instead of viewing survey results as a critique, organisations should use the feedback to improve their benefits package.
Designing an Effective Employee Benefits Survey
Creating a successful employee benefits survey involves careful planning and adherence to best practices. The process begins with defining clear objectives for what the survey aims to achieve. This clarity helps in designing relevant questions that yield reliable, actionable insights.
Best Practices for Survey Design
- Consult Key Stakeholders: Engage with department leaders, HR representatives, and employees during the design phase. These conversations can help develop relevant survey questions that address the specific needs and concerns of different employee groups.
- Determine Optimal Length: Surveys should be long enough to gain valuable insights but short enough to encourage completion. It is recommended to aim for around 30 questions to balance depth with respondent fatigue.
- Set a Deadline and Offer Incentives: To encourage participation, provide employees with a deadline for completing their surveys. Consider offering incentives, such as gift cards, early leave, or additional time off, to motivate responses.
- Ensure Anonymity and Confidentiality: Effectively communicating that feedback remains anonymous and confidential is crucial for encouraging honest participation. This builds trust and can significantly increase response rates.
- Use Multiple Communication Channels: Utilise various channels, such as email and in-person meetings, to reach a wider audience and promote the survey.
- Keep it User-Friendly: An engaging and user-friendly survey platform can entice employees to participate. The survey should be easy to navigate, especially on mobile devices.
- Send Reminders: Sending reminder emails at strategic intervals can help increase response rates.
- Analyse and Act: Use survey responses to gain actionable insights to improve the benefits programme and employee satisfaction. Survey software can make it easy to segment responses by employee attributes, which can lend deeper insights into how to tailor benefits packages. Comparing year-over-year results is a good practice to gauge improvement over time.
Choosing a Survey Platform
Various survey software can be used to conduct employee benefits surveys. Some HR platforms feature built-in survey capabilities. Other popular options include SurveyMonkey and Google Forms. For those seeking a no-code form builder, platforms like AidaForm offer templates with ready-made questions to assess health benefits, compensation, and overall staff satisfaction. These tools often include rating, matrix, and multiple choice fields, which can be easily customised. Many platforms are designed to be GDPR- and DPL-compliant, ensuring data protection standards are met.
Key Categories of Employee Benefits
When designing a survey, it is helpful to understand the types of benefits employees typically value. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employers place the greatest importance on the following benefits categories:
- Health
- Retirement
- Leave
- Flexible work
- Family
- Professional development
- Financial (non-retirement)
- Wellness
- Education
- Technology
- Transportation
- Housing
These categories provide a useful framework for structuring survey questions to ensure comprehensive coverage of the benefits landscape.
60 Example Employee Benefits Survey Questions
Below is a comprehensive list of 60 example employee benefits survey questions, segmented by general themes and specific benefit types. These can be used as inspiration to develop a survey tailored to an organisation's unique needs.
General Benefits Questions
- Which benefits are most important to you? (Alternatively, rate each benefit by order of importance).
- Which benefits are least important to you?
- How often do you use your benefits?
- How easy is it to use your benefits? Are there any barriers to using them?
- How well do you understand your benefits package?
- Do you feel your benefits were effectively communicated during onboarding?
- Do you know how to get answers to questions about your benefits?
- How would you rate the open enrollment process? What works well, and what could be improved?
- How satisfied are you with the overall value of your current benefits package?
- Are there any benefits you feel are missing from our current offering?
- How important are benefits to you in comparison to your salary?
- How well do our benefits support your work-life balance?
- How well do our benefits support your physical and mental health?
- How likely are you to recommend our company as a great place to work based on our benefits package?
- How does our benefits package compare to those offered by other companies in our industry?
Health and Wellness Benefits Questions
- How satisfied are you with our current health insurance plan?
- Are the network of doctors and hospitals provided by our health plan adequate for your needs?
- How satisfied are you with the level of coverage for prescription drugs?
- How satisfied are you with our dental insurance plan?
- How satisfied are you with our vision insurance plan?
- How valuable do you find our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)?
- Have you used our EAP services? If so, how was your experience?
- How satisfied are you with our wellness programme (e.g., gym memberships, wellness apps, mental health resources)?
- What additional wellness benefits would you like to see offered?
- How satisfied are you with our coverage for mental health services?
- Do you feel our company culture supports employee mental health and well-being?
Retirement and Financial Benefits Questions
- How satisfied are you with our current pension scheme?
- Do you feel the employer contribution to your pension is sufficient?
- How confident are you in your understanding of how our pension scheme works?
- Would you be interested in access to financial planning or advisory services?
- Are you satisfied with our current life insurance and disability insurance offerings?
- Would you be interested in other financial wellness benefits, such as employee share schemes or salary sacrifice for cars or technology?
Leave and Flexible Working Questions
- How satisfied are you with our annual leave allowance?
- How satisfied are you with our parental leave policy (including maternity, paternity, and adoption leave)?
- How satisfied are you with our sick leave policy?
- How satisfied are you with our flexible working arrangements (e.g., remote work, flexible hours, compressed work weeks)?
- How well do you feel our flexible working policies are implemented in your team?
- Are there any other types of leave you would like to see offered (e.g., volunteer days, sabbaticals)?
- How satisfied are you with our bereavement leave policy?
- How satisfied are you with our carer's leave policy?
Family and Caregiving Benefits Questions
- How satisfied are you with our childcare support (e.g., childcare vouchers, on-site nursery, subsidies)?
- How can we better support your needs as a parent or caregiver?
- Are you aware of all the family-friendly benefits we offer?
- How valuable do you find our support for eldercare?
- Would you be interested in benefits that support your family members (e.g., family health insurance, discounts)?
Professional Development and Career Growth Questions
- How satisfied are you with the professional development opportunities offered?
- How satisfied are you with our tuition reimbursement or student loan repayment assistance programmes?
- How satisfied are you with our training and skills development budget?
- How well do our benefits support your long-term career goals?
- Are there specific skills or areas you would like to receive training in?
Work Environment and Perks Questions
- How satisfied are you with the perks offered in our office (e.g., free snacks, coffee, social events)?
- How satisfied are you with our employee discount programme?
- How satisfied are you with our commute benefits (e.g., cycle to work scheme, public transport subsidies)?
- How satisfied are you with our subsidised or free meals?
- How satisfied are you with our company-provided technology (e.g., laptop, mobile phone)?
- How satisfied are you with our subsidised gym membership or on-site fitness facilities?
Open-Ended Feedback Questions
- What is the single most valuable benefit we offer, and why?
- What is the one benefit you would change or improve, and how?
- If you could add one new benefit to our package, what would it be?
- Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding our employee benefits package?
Maximising Survey Participation
To maximise survey participation, it is crucial to effectively communicate the purpose and importance of the survey to employees. Ensuring employees that their feedback remains anonymous and confidential can further encourage participation. To promote timely completion of the survey, it is essential to provide a clear timeline. Utilising multiple communication channels, such as email and in-person meetings, can help reach a wider audience. Additionally, offering incentives like prize drawings or recognition can motivate employees to complete the survey. Keeping the survey short and concise is also critical to minimise survey fatigue.
Conclusion
Employee benefits surveys are a powerful tool for UK organisations to gain a deep understanding of their workforce's needs and preferences. By following best practices in survey design, consulting with stakeholders, and choosing the right platform, companies can gather valuable, actionable data. This data enables informed decision-making, leading to a more competitive, effective, and appreciated benefits package. Ultimately, a well-structured and thoughtfully implemented benefits survey programme fosters a positive work environment, enhances employee satisfaction, and contributes significantly to organisational success. Regularly conducting these surveys and acting on the feedback ensures that the benefits package remains relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of employees.