Company culture survey questions and examples

Company culture is essential to current and potential employees. Every component of company culture affects a business. Findings from a workplace culture survey can help management enhance and improve the work environment and benefit the company as a whole.

Workplace culture survey: Why employee culture surveys are beneficial

If employees love their workplace, customers will love the product. Positive company culture is reflected in all components of operations, from goods and services to customer support. Creating a positive work environment and a strong company culture is essential. They can have a profound impact on the success and well-being of both employees and the organization as a whole.

Unfortunately, an exceptional company culture isn't built in a day. Asking employees survey questions is one way to pinpoint the reality of the current situation. A survey will uncover whether employees relate to the company culture and highlight improvements that can be instituted to make a company a better place to work.

Work culture surveys are beneficial for any company that cares about keeping employees productive and motivated—both keys to improving overall company productivity.

In addition, work-life balance surveys are a great way to understand how employees feel about their workload, which provides insight into preventing burnout and stress.

Company culture survey best practices

Designing and implementing company culture surveys are based on several best practices that ensure the process is effective and provides valuable insights. Here are some best practices for conducting a company culture survey:

• Clearly define objectives. What do you want to learn or achieve? Whether it's assessing overall culture, identifying areas for improvement, or measuring progress, having well-defined goals is crucial.
• Maintain anonymity and confidentiality. Assure participants that responses will remain anonymous and confidential. This promotes honest feedback and reduces fear of reprisal. Read valuable tips on how to create an anonymous survey here.
• Use a mix of question types. Include a variety of inquiries, such as multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended. This will provide both quantitative and qualitative insights.
• Focus on actionable feedback. Ensure that surveys provide actionable feedback. Ask questions that lead to specific suggestions for improvement rather than just identifying problems.
• Simplify and streamline. Keep the survey concise to maintain participant engagement. Long, complicated surveys may result in incomplete responses or reduced enthusiasm. Read our 20 tips on how to make surveys more engaging.
• Communicate the purpose. Clearly explain why the survey is being carried out to employees. Illustrate why their feedback is important and how it will be used to improve the organization.
• Encourage participation. Actively reinforce employee participation. Use multiple communication channels to promote the survey, and consider offering incentives or rewards for completing it.
• Diverse and inclusive. Ensure that the survey is inclusive and sensitive to diverse backgrounds and experiences within the organization. Learn how to avoid survey question bias here.
• Share results transparently. After the survey, share the results transparently with employees. Explain what the data reveals and how it will inform action plans.
• Create action plans. Develop strategies developed from the survey results. Assign responsibilities for implementing changes, and set measurable goals for improvement.
• Monitor progress. Continuously assess progress by conducting follow-up surveys and tracking key performance indicators related to company culture.
• Iterate and improve. Periodically review and enhance surveys based on feedback from participants and changes in the organization's goals and priorities.

By following these best practices, you can conduct company culture surveys that yield meaningful insights and drive positive changes within an organization.

Employee survey questions about culture examples

Here are some examples of workplace culture survey questions that can help assess, understand, and improve workplace culture in an organization:

1. Are you satisfied with your company culture? Why or why not?
2. Do you feel respected in the workplace? Why or why not?
3. What would make this company a better place at which to work?
4. How would you describe the overall workplace culture at our organization?
5. How well does the company culture align with your personal values?
6. How well do you believe the company adheres to its stated values?
7. How would you rate the company's support for maintaining a healthy work-life balance?
8. Rate your level of agreement to the following statements (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree):
   1. I feel like my voice is heard at this company.
   2. I would like to work here as long as possible.
   3. I'm satisfied with the benefits offered.
   4. I receive regular feedback from management.
   5. We treat each other with respect.
   6. I'm rewarded for good work.
   7. We celebrate successes.
   8. I enjoy my coworkers.
   9. I have the resources and training I need to succeed.

Try out our company culture survey template and take a survey.

Team culture survey: Questions and examples

A team culture survey focuses specifically on assessing the dynamics within a particular workgroup or department. This helps identify strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities for enhancing teamwork and collaboration. Here are some key aspects to consider when designing a team culture survey, along with question examples.

Workplace culture survey questions about team dynamics

Assessing how well team members communicate and collaborate to achieve common goals:

• How well do team members communicate and collaborate?
• Do team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and opinions within the team?
• Are there opportunities for open and constructive feedback within the team?

Company culture questionnaire about trust and psychological safety

Evaluating the level of trust and psychological safety within the team to enable open and honest communication:

• Do team members feel psychologically safe to take risks and share their thoughts?
• Is there a high level of trust and mutual respect among team members?
• Are team members comfortable admitting mistakes and seeking help when needed?

Workplace culture survey questions about goal alignment and clarity

Examining the team's understanding and commitment to shared goals, including clear roles and responsibilities:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you understand the overall goals and objectives of the organization?
• Can you name the top three organizational goals for the current year?
• How aligned do you feel your individual goals are with the goals of your team or department?
• Are team goals communicated clearly, and do you understand how your work contributes to them?
• How involved were you in setting your individual goals for the current year?
• How clear are the performance expectations set for you in terms of achieving goals?
• Are team members aligned and committed to achieving the team's goals?
• Is there clarity regarding individual roles and responsibilities within the team?

Collaboration and cooperation

Assessing the effectiveness of teamwork and the willingness of team members to support each other:

• How effectively do team members collaborate and cooperate?
• Do team members actively seek out opportunities to support and assist each other?
• Are there mechanisms in place to encourage and facilitate cross-functional collaboration?
• Do you feel that teamwork and collaboration are valued by the organization?

Communication and feedback

Evaluating the quality and frequency of communication within the team, along with feedback mechanisms:

• Are team members satisfied with the level and quality of communication within the team?
• Do team members provide regular and constructive feedback to each other?
• Are there channels for addressing conflicts and resolving issues within the team?
• Which communication channels do you find most effective for receiving important updates or information?
• Are there any specific channels or platforms you believe could be improved?

Workplace culture survey questions about leadership and support

Assessing the effectiveness of team leadership in providing guidance, support, and valuing team members' contributions:

• How effective is the team's leader in providing guidance and support to team members?
• How confident are you in the leadership's ability to make informed and strategic decisions?
• How satisfied are you with the communication from leadership regarding organizational updates and decisions?
• Do you feel well-informed about the company's direction and future plans through communication from leadership?
• Do team members feel that their ideas and contributions are valued by the team's leader?
• Are team members satisfied with the level of support and resources provided by the leader?

Recognition and celebrations

Examining whether team members receive recognition and have opportunities to celebrate successes:

• Are team members recognized and appreciated for their contributions and achievements?
• Are there opportunities for celebrating team successes and milestones?
• Do team members feel motivated and rewarded for their efforts?
• Besides formal programs, from whom do you prefer to receive recognition (peers, supervisors, leadership)?
• How does receiving recognition impact your motivation and job satisfaction?
• Are there specific types of recognition or praise that are more meaningful to you?

Learning and development

Assessing the presence of learning opportunities and support for professional growth within the team:

• Are there opportunities for skill development and growth within the team?
• Do team members feel supported in their professional development goals?
• Are team members encouraged to share knowledge and learn from each other?

Workload and work-life balance

Evaluating the team's workload management and whether team members maintain a healthy work-life balance:

• Are team members able to manage their workload effectively?
• Do team members feel that they have a healthy work-life balance?
• Are there mechanisms in place to address excessive workload or burnout concerns?

Overall team satisfaction

Gauging team members' overall satisfaction with the team's culture, dynamics, and sense of belonging:

• How satisfied are team members with the overall team culture and dynamics?
• Do team members feel proud to be part of the team?
• Are there specific areas where team members feel the team could improve?

The net promoter score (NPS) is a valuable tool for assessing and improving company culture indirectly. While NPS is traditionally used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction, it can also be adapted for internal purposes to gauge employee satisfaction engagement, which is integral to company culture. Read more about NPS in this blog and how it can help with a company culture survey.

Staff culture survey questions

Staff culture survey questions and team culture survey questions differ in their focus and scope. While both aim to assess workplace culture, they are used to gather feedback on different levels within an organization.

Staff culture surveys provide a broad view of the overall organizational operations, while team culture surveys dive deeper into a specific team or department. They serve different purposes, though organizations can use them in tandem to gain a comprehensive understanding of internal culture and identify areas for improvement at different levels of the organization.

What to know about a questionnaire on organizational culture

Such surveys are designed to measure the prevailing culture of an organization, meaning the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that shape the behavior of individuals within it.

A questionnaire on organizational culture typically includes a series of queries about perceptions of the company's culture. These may focus on topics such as communication, teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and work-life balance. The questionnaire may use a Likert scale or other rating system to assess the degree to which employees agree or disagree with each statement.

The purpose of such a survey is to help leaders and managers better understand the organization’s prevailing culture, identify areas to improve it, ways to make employees feel valued, and how to develop strategies that strengthen operations. The results of such surveys can be used to inform changes to policies and practices, guide training and development programs, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Examples of organizational culture survey questions

When designing an organizational culture survey, it is important to ensure that the questions are clear, concise, and relevant to the organization. It should also be anonymous and confidential, which will encourage honest feedback from employees. Finally, survey findings should be communicated to all employees transparently and constructively, including a clear plan for addressing any identified areas of weakness.

Here are some examples of survey questions that may be included in an organizational culture questionnaire:

Regarding communication

• How would you rate the effectiveness of communication within your team/department/organization?
• Are employees encouraged to provide feedback and share their opinions openly?
• Does your supervisor/team leader provide regular updates and keep you informed about changes within the organization?

Team culture

• How would you rate the level of collaboration and teamwork within your team/department/organization?
• Do employees work together to solve problems and share ideas?
• Are teams encouraged to share their successes and insights with other teams or departments?

Leadership and management

• How would you rate the effectiveness of leadership within your organization?
• Do leaders set clear expectations and provide guidance on how to achieve goals?
• Are leaders approachable and willing to listen to employee feedback?

Decision-making

• How would you rate the effectiveness of decision-making within your team/department/organization?
• Are decisions made collaboratively or by a single person or group?
• Is there a clear process for making decisions?

Work-life balance:

• How would you rate the organization's support of work-life balance?
• Are employees encouraged to take time off when needed to manage their workload effectively?
• Is there a culture of respect for employees' personal time and boundaries?

These are just a few examples of questions that can be used to assess different aspects of organizational culture. Specific questions may vary depending on the goals of the survey and the unique characteristics of the organization.

Use SurveyPlanet to create company culture surveys that stand out

Now that you have an idea about the survey questions that will help in better understanding company culture, it's time to create a workplace culture survey.

SurveyPlanet makes it easy to find out what employees really think. Start by choosing one of our beautiful themes, which will make any survey inviting, and then write questions or select them from our templates.

If you want a survey that goes even more in-depth, upgrade to Pro to gain access to unique features like question branching, custom themes, white labeling, and so much more. Sign up today to get started.