Company Culture, High Trust Behaviour, Employee Recognition, Employee Pride, Employee Trust
These research-backed employee survey questions reveal what employees really think of their experience and help you measure employee satisfaction.
Article Highlights
- Building Personal Connections: 91% of employees at top startups say management shows a genuine interest in them as individuals, not just as employees, fostering trust and personal connections.
- Recognition that Resonates: 91% of employees feel valued when their efforts are sincerely acknowledged, reinforcing a culture of appreciation and motivation.
- Fairness and Inclusion: 97% of employees believe they’re treated fairly regardless of age, race, gender, or position, promoting an inclusive and supportive environment.
- Psychological Safety Matters: 90% of employees report feeling emotionally safe at work, which helps prevent burnout and enhances overall satisfaction.
Employee satisfaction is a term that is jam-packed with nuance. It covers such a wide range of issues, from how well employees feel heard and supported to how much they get paid, that setting out to measure, let alone improve, employee satisfaction can feel near impossible. Add the resource constraints of a startup, and it’s likely this formidable task falls quickly to the bottom of the priority list. This however, is a mistake. at the Best™ startups across Canada employee satisfaction is at the top of their priority list because they understand that great employee experience leads to great organizational success.
The key is uncovering what is driving employee satisfaction in your workplace. In a startup environment this is often tied to the energy and engagement people experience when they work somewhere small and their personal impact is large. It’s exciting to be part of something new, and the opportunity to grow and learn new skills is compelling. This positive energy does have a shelf life though, and startups should not rely on it alone to drive their employee satisfaction. People need to feel listened to. They need to feel trusted and supported. The Best Workplaces for Startups™ are delivering on these expectations and they and their people are thriving.
How do you know if these root conditions for employee satisfaction are being met in your workplace? Ask!
The best way to uncover how people are feeling about their work is to ask them. Knowing what questions to ask though, makes all the difference when it comes to uncovering issues and getting to the root of problems. Consider the following:
- Employee satisfaction survey asks employees how satisfied they are with their time off allotment. Results reveal that employees do indeed feel they receive enough paid time off. What this question misses however is that even though they have enough days off, their boss still expects them to respond to calls, texts and emails at all times. The bigger issue therefore is burnout, but if a different survey reveals burnout, a likely solution is to provide more days off. Neither question gets to the root of the issue.
- A better set of questions reveals how well employees feel listened to and understood, and how valued they feel for who they are and the talents they bring to the table. These are the root conditions that build trust, and if they trust that their employer wants the best for them, then it’s less likely they will get to a place of burnout in the first place. An effective strategy for boosting employee satisfaction is to survey your people regularly to better understand the relationship they have with their managers and look for their perceptions of fairness and trust.
5 key questions for Measuring Employee Satisfaction
1. Does management try to connect with employees on a personal level?
91% of employees at the Best Workplaces for Startups™ say that management shows a sincere interest in them as a person, not just an employee.
When it comes to elevating employee satisfaction, it’s essential that you build a high-trust relationship between management and employees. Trust, however, is a deeply personal feeling – it’s nearly impossible to earn someone’s trust without establishing a personal relationship of some kind. The first step in building that relationship is for management to show that they care about their employees as people, not just what they do for them in the office and in a professional capacity. In the burnout example above, a strong leader would recognize the demands in their employees’ personal lives and only make an off-hours request if it was truly urgent. Likewise, employees would trust their manager to only reach out if totally necessary.
2. Does management recognize outstanding work or effort?
91% of employees at the Best Workplaces for Startups™ say management shows appreciation for good work and extra effort.
This question measures how well recognition resonates with individuals (essential for making employees feel valued, appreciated, and cared for) and how genuine is the recognition (essential for fairness and trust). The best leaders know that their people are a priority and they value their contributions. And because they make an effort to get to know their people on an individual basis, they also know what kind of recognition will have the most impact.
They are also genuine with their appreciation and generous with their rewards. Rather than throwing around perks and bonuses indiscriminately to attract, or even retain talent, great organizations provide reward and recognition sincerely and with true appreciation. Startups should resist the temptation to create flashy workspaces as these are not what sustain employee satisfaction – an honest ‘thank you’ goes a long way toward building trust and is what people really crave.
3. Does management listen to employees’ ideas?
91% of employees at the Best Workplaces for Startups™ say management genuinely seeks and responds to suggestions and ideas.
A great way to build trust is through listening and responding to employees’ ideas – it shows that managers respect and value what their people think and feel. People are drawn to startups because they excited about the vision and mission, and eager to build something from the ground up. Knowing their ideas, no matter how wild or audacious, are welcomed and valued is an immeasurable source of employee satisfaction that can be tapped into effortlessly… with the right leadership mindset. Encouraging managers to be receptive to employees’ ideas also makes employees more comfortable sharing feedback about their experience at work. This gives you more valuable information that you can use to further improve employee satisfaction.
4. Are people treated the same regardless of their background or personal characteristics?
97% of employees at the Best Workplaces for Startups™ believe they are treated fairly regardless of their age, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
95% believe they are treated as a full member of the organization regardless of their position.
A great way to build trust is through listening and responding to employees’ ideas – it shows that managers respect and value what their people think and feel. People are drawn to startups because they excited about the vision and mission, and eager to build something from the ground up. Knowing their ideas, no matter how wild or audacious, are welcomed and valued is an immeasurable source of employee satisfaction that can be tapped into effortlessly… with the right leadership mindset. Encouraging managers to be receptive to employees’ ideas also makes employees more comfortable sharing feedback about their experience at work. This gives you more valuable information that you can use to further improve employee satisfaction.
5. Is it a psychologically healthy workplace?
90% of employees at the Best Workplaces for Startups™ believe their workplace is a psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work.
Employees need to feel psychologically and emotionally safe to have a positive experience at work. More and more, companies are paying attention to their employees’ mental health. Stress and anxiety are on the rise in general and startup environments are particularly susceptible to these pressures. Measuring these forms of safety is an important function of an effective employee satisfaction survey.
If a company is doing everything else right, but employees feel burnt out, feel trapped in a toxic culture, feel uncertainty or feel they can’t get the support they need, it can severely impact overall employee satisfaction. On the flip side, when employees do feel psychologically healthy, they’re much more likely to be willing to extend trust to management, which means other attempts to build trust are more likely to succeed.
People are at the heart of every successful business and startups are uniquely positioned to build this into the core of their culture from day one. As part of your employee satisfaction efforts, focus on your employee-management relationships and ensure your people feel valued and supported. Use surveys to stay on top of how your people are feeling and pay particular attention to the root conditions that build trust – employee satisfaction will certainly follow.
FAQs
- What are the key factors that drive employee satisfaction in a startup environment?
Factors like personal recognition, fair treatment, and psychological safety are essential in startups, where resources might be limited but individual impact is high. - How often should we conduct employee satisfaction surveys?
Regular check-ins are recommended, but a quarterly or biannual survey can provide valuable insights without overwhelming employees. - What are the best practices for framing questions to get honest feedback?
Use open-ended questions that encourage honest responses, focusing on topics like trust, inclusion, and recognition to get to the root of employee experiences. - How can we address negative feedback without discouraging employees?
Approach feedback constructively by showing appreciation for honesty, addressing concerns transparently, and taking actionable steps to improve based on the insights received. - How do we measure the impact of employee satisfaction efforts on overall business
success?
Track metrics like turnover rate, productivity levels, and employee engagement scores over time to gauge how improvements in satisfaction affect organizational outcomes.
Tools & Resources
- Company Culture: Create a thriving startup culture rooted in trust, recognition, and employee well-being. Our resources guide you in building an environment that supports growth and satisfaction for every team member.
- Employee Engagement: Empower your workforce by encouraging feedback and fostering a sense of purpose. Access insights to enhance engagement and create a high-trust environment where employees feel valued.
- Leadership & Development: Effective leadership cultivates trust and drives employee satisfaction. Our programs help you develop leaders who listen, recognize, and support their teams for sustainable success.
- Diversity and Inclusion: A fair and inclusive workplace enhances trust and satisfaction across all demographics. Use our tools to foster a culture where everyone feels respected, valued, and supported.
Feedback
We value your feedback! Your insights are crucial for helping us refine our resources on employee satisfaction. Did the questions and strategies in this article help you think differently about enhancing satisfaction in your organization? Is there a specific area you’d like us to cover in more depth? Share your thoughts and suggestions with us to make these resources even more valuable for you. Have feedback? Fill out this form by clicking here.
Get
Certified 
Want to know how your people feel about your employee benefits package? Get Certified today and learn the answer to this question and gain many more insights along the way.
