Employee surveys: A guide for Canadian employers

Employee surveys are one of the most useful tools businesses can use to understand their workforce. Whether you’re aiming to measure engagement, gather feedback or improve retention, an employee survey provides the insights needed to make informed decisions. With the right employee listening strategy and survey tools, companies can discover what matters most to their staff and take action to boost workplace culture.

What is an employee survey?

An employee survey is a structured set of statements or questions designed to collect feedback from employees about their experience. Statements or questions may be structured to invite a rating, or they may be open-ended to collect qualitative feedback. Depending on your business goals, an employee survey might measure job satisfaction, workplace culture, employee morale, employee engagement, leadership effectiveness or similar metrics. Modern employee survey tools make it simple to distribute surveys online, analyze results and compare trends over time.

Why employee surveys are important

Canadian employers face increasing competition for talent, making the employee experience a key focus area. Surveys can provide multiple advantages, including:

• Engagement data: Help your people feel valued by ensuring their voices are heard.
• Retention or flight risk data: Highlight problems before they drive employees to leave.
• Actionable insights: Gain real data to guide HR strategies.
• Informed decisions: Ensure changes are based on employee feedback, not assumptions.

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What are the most common types of employee surveys?

Understanding the various employee survey types can help you gather the right kind of feedback to enhance your workplace.

Engagement pulse surveys

Engagement pulse surveys assess motivation, satisfaction and commitment within your workforce. They offer a comprehensive view of how connected employees feel about the company’s mission, leadership and culture. Sample engagement survey statements include:

• I am really enthusiastic about the mission of my company
  
• I know I will be recognized for excellent work
  
• In my work, I am always challenged to grow

Employee onboarding surveys

Onboarding surveys collect feedback from new team members about their experience adjusting to the new job, work processes and culture. These surveys highlight how effective your hiring and training processes are. Sample onboarding survey statements include:

• I understand what’s expected of me in my new role
  
• I understand the company’s business model and organizational structure
  
• The reality of the job matches my original expectations

Employee exit surveys

Exit surveys help you understand why people are leaving and identify areas for improvement. They reveal insights into leadership, workplace culture and satisfaction levels. Sample exit survey statements include:

• I had the resources I needed to do my job successfully
  
• I felt like my achievements were recognized
  
• The company provided a safe work environment

Candidate experience survey

Candidate experience surveys gather feedback from job applicants about your hiring process, from application to interview to final decision. It helps you understand how candidates perceive communication, fairness and efficiency during recruitment. Sample candidate experience survey statements include:

• The application process was easy to complete
  
• The recruiter acted in a professional manner
  
• Based on my experience, I would recommend this company to a friend or colleague

Workplace resilience survey

Workplace resilience surveys measure how well people can adapt to change, manage stress and maintain productivity during challenging circumstances and events. It gives insights into overall well-being and organizational stability, allowing you to find ways to support your workforce. Sample workplace resilience statements include:

• In the last week, I have felt excited to work every day
  
• My team leader tells me what I need to know before I know it
  
• I completely trust my company’s senior leaders

Benefits satisfaction survey

Benefits satisfaction surveys help you get feedback about the benefits offered to employees and measure your employees' perceptions of satisfaction and understanding of their benefits, and how well they feel the organization is supporting their health and well-being. They help you evaluate whether current programs are competitive and valued by staff. Sample benefits satisfaction survey statements include:

• I understand my benefit options
  
• Overall, I am satisfied with my health benefits
  
• I am satisfied with my retirement plan

Culture and belonging surveys

Culture and belonging surveys evaluate whether people feel respected, valued and included at work. They reveal how effectively your values are reflected in daily interactions. Sample culture or belonging statements include:

• I feel comfortable being my authentic self at work
• I believe employees are treated fairly
  
• I feel my contributions are recognized and valued
  

Common mistakes companies make with employee surveys

Even with the best intentions, employers can sometimes make mistakes that reduce survey effectiveness. Avoid these common pitfalls:

• Asking too many questions: Long surveys may lead to lower participation rates.
• Ignoring confidentiality: People may not answer honestly if they fear identification.
• Failing to act on results: People lose trust if surveys don’t lead to visible changes.
  
• Using unclear language: Vague or ambiguous employee survey questions can cause confusion or misinterpretation.

How to conduct an employee survey

Whether you’re a small business with a lean team or a large organization with hundreds of people, the process of running a successful employee survey follows the same core steps:

1. Define objectives
   
2. Choose an employee survey tool
   
3. Write strong questions
   
4. Communicate the purpose
   
5. Ensure confidentiality
   
6. Analyze the results

Step 1: Define objectives

Before sending out a survey, clarify what you want to learn. For small businesses, objectives may be straightforward, such as checking if people feel supported, valued or overworked. Larger organizations often need broader objectives, such as measuring engagement across departments, tracking retention risks or aligning results with HR strategies. Clarifying the “why” helps ensure the survey is focused and meaningful.

Step 2: Choose an employee survey tool

The right employee survey tool will vary by company size and requirements. Small businesses may prefer simple, budget-friendly platforms that are quick to set up. Larger organizations often benefit from advanced solutions that offer features like built-in analytics, customizable templates, integration with HR and payroll systems and the ability to segment results across different teams or locations. 

Step 3: Write strong questions

Good questions form the basis of effective surveys. Small businesses might concentrate on practical topics, such as workload management support and team communication. Larger organizations typically balance standardized engagement questions with customized items reflecting specific teams, regions or job levels. In all cases, ensure questions are clear, unbiased and directly aligned with your objectives.

Step 4: Communicate the purpose

Employees are more likely to participate if they understand how their feedback matters. In a small business, a personal note from the owner or manager may suffice. Larger organizations communicate via multiple channels, such as company-wide emails, intranet updates or manager briefings,  to explain the survey’s goals, how results will be used and why participation is important.

Step 5: Ensure confidentiality

Confidentiality is essential for honest responses. Small businesses can utilize anonymous survey methods while ensuring they use secure platforms, just as larger organizations may depend on these platforms or third-party providers to manage larger volumes of data and reassure staff that their feedback remains anonymous. Clearly explaining how anonymity is protected helps build trust in the process.

Step 6: Collect and analyze data

When the survey closes, review the results and take action. Small businesses can focus on quick wins, such as adjusting schedules, clarifying policies or improving communication. Larger organizations may need a more involved approach, such as analyzing trends by team or location, prioritizing high-impact issues and creating action plans that align with broader HR and business strategies. Regardless of size, the most important thing is to act on the results so people experience their feedback, leading to real change.

How to use survey results

Gathering responses is just the beginning. The real value comes from acting on the insights. To maximize the benefits of employee surveys:

• Make sure leadership owns the employee experience: Ensure the right leaders, not just HR, own results and action planning.
• Share findings: Be transparent with staff about key themes.
• Prioritize actions: Focus on two to three areas where you can make meaningful improvements.
• Involve employees: Create working groups or committees to codevelop solutions.
• Measure progress: Use follow-up surveys or pulse checks to track improvements. 

Ready to improve engagement with employee surveys?

Employee surveys can be a powerful way to strengthen culture, activate retention strategies, and give staff a meaningful voice. With ADP Voice of the Employee, employers gain access to research-backed templates and built-in analytics that simplify the process of capturing feedback while ensuring secure data collection. This comprehensive approach allows organizations to not only gather insights but also act on them effectively. By leveraging ADP’s Voice of the Employee, employers can foster an environment where employees feel valued and engaged, ultimately enhancing overall workforce satisfaction and driving organizational success. Discover ADP’s Voice of the Employee.

FAQs

This guide is intended to be used as a starting point in analyzing employee surveys and is not a comprehensive resource of requirements. It offers practical information concerning the subject matter and is provided with the understanding that ADP is not rendering legal or tax guidance or other professional services. Please consult with your legal counsel.