Employee benefits survey: Guide and questions to ask

Wondering if your employees are actually benefiting from your benefits package? Employee benefits surveys are an excellent way for organizations to gather insights into employees’ needs and preferences. In addition to employee engagement and compensation surveys, benefits-specific surveys help businesses gather data to help shape their benefits programs and enhance employee satisfaction and retention. In this guide, we’ll explore what employee benefits surveys are, why they’re important, and some of the key questions you should include to maximize their effectiveness.

What are employee benefits surveys?

Employee benefits surveys are structured questionnaires designed to gather feedback from employees about their benefits. These surveys serve several purposes:

• Collect employee feedback: Surveys allow employees to voice their opinions on existing benefits, helping organizations understand what’s working and what isn’t. 

• Gauge satisfaction: Businesses can identify areas that need improvement by assessing employee satisfaction.

• Facilitate data-driven decisions: Survey results help HR teams make informed decisions on benefit offerings and policies. 

Why are employee benefits surveys important?

Conducting employee benefit surveys is crucial for several reasons:

• Understand employee preferences: Surveys offer insights into what employees value most regarding their benefits, allowing organizations to tailor offerings accordingly.

• Identify gaps in benefits: Feedback from employees lets companies pinpoint gaps in their current benefits and adjust them as needed.

• Enhance employee retention: Satisfied employees are more likely to stay with their company. By addressing benefits preferences, businesses can improve retention rates.

• Align benefits with company goals: Benefits should serve both employees and the organization, and surveys help achieve this alignment.

What should an employee benefits survey include?

An effective employee benefits survey should cover several key components, including: 

Employee health benefits survey questions

Health insurance can be a make-or-break benefit for many employees, so it’s important to make sure employees are satisfied. In a recent SHRM survey, employees ranked health benefits as the most important benefit employers have to offer. 

Retirement plans (401k, pension) survey questions

In the same survey, retirement benefits ranked a close second behind health insurance, so it’s important to tailor these benefits to your employees’ needs and preferences. 

Paid time off (PTO) survey questions

Paid time off is an essential element to a competitive benefits package. Find out how often your employees are using their PTO and how they feel taking time off. 

Work-life balance benefits (remote work options, flexible hours) questions

The first step in creating a comprehensive remote and hybrid work policy is to ask your employees what they value and how your existing policies can be improved. 

Survey questions about other perks

Are there additional perks and benefits you could offer your employees? Find out what’s important to them—like commuter benefits, wellness perks, catered lunches, etc.

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33 best employee benefits survey questions to ask

When designing an employee benefits questionnaire or survey, it’s important to include a wide range of questions. Below, find 33 sample questions, divided into different categories that serve different purposes to help you gather a variety of datasets about employee sentiment and satisfaction regarding your benefits packages.

Rating scale questions

Rating scale questions allow employees to answer questions on a scale—generally, from 1-10. These questions are a great way to gauge average answers among employees. You can adjust the wording as needed: not satisfied to very satisfied, very unlikely to very likely, etc. 

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the company's health insurance offerings?

2. How would you rate the company's retirement plan options on a scale of 1 to 5?

3. How satisfied are you with the amount of paid time off (PTO) provided?

4. On a scale from 1 to 5, how well does the company support your work-life balance?

5. How satisfied are you with the additional workplace perks (e.g., gym membership, wellness programs) offered by the company?

6. How likely are you to recommend our benefits package to a friend or colleague?

7. How important are flexible work arrangements to you on a scale of 1 to 10?

Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are a great way to gather actionable insights about your benefits package. You can also use open ended questions to ask followup questions that you may have from previous surveys.

8. What do you like most about the current employee benefits package?

9. What changes would you suggest to improve our health benefits?

10. How can the company better support your work-life balance needs?

11. Are there any additional perks or benefits you would like to see offered?

12. Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the employee benefits?

13. What do you value most about the current benefits package, and why?

Understanding & communication questions

Benefits packages are only useful if employees know how to use them. Use these questions to gauge how well your organization presents and facilitates its benefits offerings.

14. Do you feel you have a clear understanding of all the benefits available to you? (Yes/No)

15. How clearly do you understand the details of your health insurance plan?

16. How often do you use the company’s wellness programs or resources?

17. Is information about the retirement plans (e.g., 401k, pension) easily accessible and understandable? (Yes/No)

18. Do you fully understand the company's PTO policies and how to utilize them? (Yes/No)

19. How effective is the company's communication regarding updates or changes to the benefits package?

20. Do you feel that you have enough information to make informed decisions about your benefits?

21. How could the company improve in helping you navigate your benefits?

Employee benefits usage questions

Sometimes it’s the simplest questions that yield the most valuable insights. Get a baseline about which benefits your employees use by simply asking them about their enrollment and usage.

22. How frequently have you utilized your health benefits in the past year?

• Never

• Once or twice

• Several times

• Regularly

23. Are you currently enrolled in the company's retirement plan? (Yes/No)

24. Approximately how many PTO days have you used in the past year?

25. Have you utilized any work-life balance benefits (e.g., flexible hours, remote work)? If so, which ones?

26. Which of the following perks have you used in the past year? (Select all that apply)

• Gym membership

• Wellness programs

• Employee discounts

• Other (please specify)

Employee benefits satisfaction survey questions

Broad satisfaction questions can help you gain a general understanding of how employees feel about their benefits. Answers to these questions can be a great way to present findings to company leadership when advocating for improvements.

27. How satisfied are you with the coverage levels of your health insurance?

28. Do you feel that the retirement benefits align with your long-term financial goals?

29. Are you satisfied with how PTO is accrued and managed?

30. How satisfied are you with the flexibility of your work schedule?

31. How would you rate the company’s commitment to providing competitive employee benefits?

32. In your opinion, how can the company improve its overall benefits offerings?

33. Overall, how satisfied are you with the total benefits package offered by the company?

Best practices for conducting employee benefits surveys

To effectively conduct employee benefits surveys, consider the following best practices:

• Ensure confidentiality: Use anonymous survey platforms to encourage honest feedback.

• Choose the right frequency: Conduct surveys annually or bi-annually to capture timely insights and spot trends. 

• Communicate the purpose and results: Share your findings with employees and let them know how their feedback will inform changes. This fosters a culture of transparency and responsiveness.

How to analyze employee benefits survey results

Analyzing survey data effectively is important to surface valuable insights. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Identify trends

Examine satisfaction levels across different demographic groups to uncover patterns or disparities.

Step 2: Use data visualization tools

Employ charts and graphs to present key findings clearly and effectively, making it easier to share trends and significant data points.

Step 3: Prioritize improvements based on feedback

After engaging with your employees about their benefits package, it’s time to take action. Adjust benefits accordingly to maintain a competitive advantage and keep your employees happy. 

Simplify employee benefits surveys with Rippling

For HR teams looking to turn employee responses into meaningful action, Rippling offers comprehensive tools that simplify gathering and analyzing employee feedback. Build your own survey from scratch, or use a template that you can customize with your own questions.

You can send your survey to your whole organization or to a carefully curated group of team members based on their role, location, or other attributes. Once your survey results are in, uncover trends by blending survey data with employee data to build powerful reports.

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Employee benefits survey FAQs

What is the ideal frequency for conducting employee benefits surveys?

Conducting employee benefits surveys annually or bi-annually is generally recommended. This frequency allows organizations to stay updated on employee preferences and satisfaction while providing ample opportunities for feedback. But, if you need quick feedback on a specific benefit, you can always employ a pulse survey between regularly scheduled surveys. 

How do you ensure anonymity in employee benefits surveys?

Use survey platforms that allow for anonymity—like Rippling—and assure employees that their responses will be confidential. This approach encourages honest and constructive feedback.

How can businesses maximize response rates for employee benefits surveys?

To maximize response rates, communicate the importance of the survey, ensure confidentiality, and consider offering incentives for participation. Additionally, keeping the survey concise and user-friendly often encourages higher completion rates.