Employee Recognition Survey Questions to Ask for Meaningful Insights

Learn 25 employee recognition survey questions and best practices for crafting, administering, and acting on results effectively.

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Creating a recognition program that resonates with your team requires a deep understanding of their preferences and perceptions. Feedback is essential to designing a recognition program that truly resonates with employees. This is where employee recognition surveys come into play. Surveys are a powerful tool to gather meaningful insights directly from employees. They help identify gaps, assess the effectiveness of your recognition initiatives, and uncover opportunities for improvement. This article provides 25 employee recognition survey questions, categorized for comprehensive feedback, and guides you on how to craft, administer, and act on the survey results effectively.

Why Employee Recognition Surveys Matter

Understanding employees’ perspectives on recognition is the foundation for creating impactful programs. Surveys help:

  • Measure the effectiveness of current recognition initiatives.
  • Uncover gaps in how recognition is distributed and received.
  • Gather actionable insights to enhance employee satisfaction and engagement.

When implemented thoughtfully, surveys can be a cornerstone of a culture that values and appreciates employees.

Categories of Employee Recognition Survey Questions

General Perceptions of Recognition

  1. Do you feel recognized for your contributions at work?
  2. How important is recognition to you in maintaining motivation?
  3. Do you think your efforts are noticed and appreciated by your manager and peers?
  4. How satisfied are you with the current recognition practices in our organization?
  5. On a scale of 1-10, how valued do you feel at work?

Frequency and Fairness

  1. How often do you receive recognition for your work?
  2. Do you feel that recognition is fairly distributed across the team?
  3. Have you observed favoritism in how recognition is given?
  4. Are recognition efforts consistent across departments or teams?
  5. Would you like to receive recognition more frequently?

Type of Recognition

  1. What type of recognition do you find most meaningful (e.g., public, private, monetary, non-monetary)?
  2. Do you prefer individual recognition or team-based recognition?
  3. How effective are current recognition methods (e.g., awards, shout-outs, bonuses)?
  4. Would you like more personalized recognition efforts?
  5. What forms of recognition do you think are missing in our organization?

Impact of Recognition

  1. How does being recognized impact your job satisfaction and engagement?
  2. Does recognition motivate you to perform better?
  3. Do you feel more loyal to the company when recognized for your efforts?
  4. How does lack of recognition affect your morale and productivity?
  5. In what ways has recognition (or the lack of it) influenced your decision to stay with the company?

Suggestions for Improvement

  1. What changes would you suggest to improve our recognition programs?
  2. Are there specific forms of recognition you'd like to see implemented?
  3. How can managers better recognize and appreciate employees?
  4. What barriers, if any, prevent effective recognition in our workplace?
  5. Do you have any additional feedback on how recognition programs can evolve?

Best Practices for Crafting and Administering the Survey

To maximize the effectiveness of your employee recognition survey, consider the following best practices:

  • Use Clear and Concise Language: Ensure questions are straightforward and simple to understand.
  • Incorporate Various Question Types: Include a mix of multiple-choice, rating scale, and open-ended questions to gather diverse insights.
  • Ensure Anonymity: Anonymity encourages honest and candid feedback, leading to more actionable data.
  • Communicate the Purpose: Clearly explain why the survey is being conducted and how the results will be used to benefit employees.
  • Follow-up: Share the survey findings with employees and outline the actions you’ll take based on their feedback.

How to Analyze and Act on Feedback

Once you’ve collected survey responses, follow these steps to ensure meaningful action:

  1. Identify Trends and Themes: Look for commonalities in the feedback to pinpoint key areas for improvement.
  2. Prioritize Actions: Focus on changes that will have the most significant impact on employee satisfaction and engagement.
  3. Communicate Results: Share an overview of the survey findings with employees to build trust and show transparency.
  4. Implement Changes: Develop a clear plan to address the feedback and improve recognition practices.
  5. Monitor Progress: Regularly assess the effectiveness of changes and continue seeking feedback for ongoing improvement.

Enhancing Workplace Appreciation With Employee Recognition

Employee recognition surveys are an invaluable tool for understanding and enhancing how employees feel about being appreciated in the workplace. By tailoring your recognition programs based on employee feedback, you can foster a culture of appreciation, motivation, and loyalty.

Take the first step in improving your employee recognition efforts. Use these survey questions to create a survey that aligns with your organization’s unique culture, while gathering valuable feedback and creating meaningful recognition strategies.

Schedule a demo with Assembly today to explore how our platform can help you enhance employee engagement and satisfaction through effective recognition programs.

FAQ’s

What is the best way to ensure high participation in employee surveys? 

Communicate the survey’s purpose clearly, ensure anonymity, and emphasize how the feedback will lead to actionable changes.

How often should employee recognition surveys be conducted?

Conduct them annually or semi-annually to gather regular feedback and track progress over time.

What are some common pitfalls in employee recognition surveys? 

Using vague questions, failing to follow up on feedback, and not taking action based on results are common mistakes to avoid.

Can small businesses benefit from employee recognition surveys?

Absolutely. Even in small businesses, understanding employees’ needs and preferences can lead to better engagement and a stronger workplace culture.

Browse our Free Employee Recognition Guide

Get the foundational knowledge on creating an employee recognition program that boosts employee engagement and helps them feel valued.

Explore Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Assembly SOC 2 compliant?

Yes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.

What's the ROI for employee recognition?

There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.

Does Assembly offer longer-term contracts?

Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs.

The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.

Does Assembly offer onboarding support?

We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.

How much do rewards cost?

At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis.

The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.

Does Assembly offer discounts?

We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

How do I cancel my plan if needed?

If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist.

If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at support@joinassembly.com.

What customizations are available?

Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!

Who can give or receive recognition?

While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here.

What integrations are available?

Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.  

Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.

What's your average adoption rate?

That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.

Must rewards be set up to use Assembly?

They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.

Are points required to use Assembly?

No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.

Could find the answer you are looking for?

Please schedule time with an expert and we will help you to get all your questions answered