Wellbeing at work is not merely a perk, it is the key to productivity. A happy employee is a productive employee. Today, companies face a real challenge in maintaining their employees’ wellbeing, as stress and burnout have become part of the daily reality for most teams.

This is where wellbeing surveys come in: they reveal what lies beneath this reality and provide management with a clear view of employees’ mental health and job satisfaction. They are not just measurement tools; they are strategic mechanisms for understanding your team’s needs and identifying areas that require effective support to enhance performance and productivity. 

In this article, we review the importance of mental health surveys in the workplace, highlight their main types, and provide a set of 30 ready-to-use questions, along with guidance on the optimal timing for conducting these surveys to ensure accurate and reliable results. 

Why Companies Need Wellbeing Surveys: Numbers

According to the American Psychological Association, workplace stress remains at a concerning level: 77% of employees experienced work-related stress during the past month. Moreover, 57% reported negative effects from this stress, which may sometimes be associated with professional burnout, including:

   •    31%: Emotional exhaustion

   •    26%: Decreased motivation to perform at their best

   •    25%: Desire to isolate from others

   •    23%: Thoughts of resignation

   •   20%: Decreased productivity

   •   19%: Irritability or anger towards colleagues and clients

   •   18%: Feelings of ineffectiveness

These figures are not just statistics, they reflect employees’ daily reality and underscore the urgent need for effective programs to support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

10 Consequences of Neglecting Mental Health Issues at Work 

Challenges to mental health affect workplace efficiency in multiple ways, and their impact can be observed across various levels within the organization. The key consequences include:

1.   Decline in productivity and work quality

Psychological stress reduces an employee’s ability to focus and follow through, lowering output quality and leading to small errors that accumulate over time.

2.  Increase in operational mistakes

Mental distraction makes employees less precise in reading and executing tasks, raising the likelihood of mistakes that may affect internal workflows. 

3.  Weak participation and engagement

When employees are mentally burdened, their willingness to interact positively with their team decreases, and they gradually withdraw from group activities and initiatives. 

4.  Strained professional relationships

Continuous pressure can manifest as heightened sensitivity, misunderstandings, or unbalanced reactions, weakening collaboration between employees and managers. 

5.  Higher absenteeism and turnover

Feeling stressed or undervalued drives employees to frequent absences and, over time, may lead them to seek a more supportive and stable environment. 

6.  Decline in overall morale

Negative psychological climates spread among team members, reducing enthusiasm, dampening initiative, and affecting the energy of the workplace. 

7.    Increased operational costs

Employee absence or departure leads to new hiring, additional training, and task redistribution, all of which raise human resources management costs.

8.   Reduced service quality and customer satisfaction

Mentally exhausted employees are less patient and precise in their interactions, impacting client experience and trust in the organization.

9.   Weakened ability to attract and retain talent

Internal and external reputation suffers, discouraging high-quality candidates and prompting current employees to look for better opportunities.

10.  Decline in competitiveness

As problems accumulate, decision-making, quality, and client relationships are affected, weakening the organization’s market position over time. 

For these reasons, wellbeing surveys enable companies to monitor employees’ mental health and job satisfaction accurately and objectively, helping management make smart decisions to improve the work environment and address issues before they escalate.

7 Tools for Measuring Workplace Wellbeing

There is no single type of survey that fits all companies. The type of survey should be chosen based on the objectives and topics you want to measure. The following are the main types of surveys used:

1. General Well-being Surveys

These surveys focus on employees’ overall mental and emotional health, aiming to provide a comprehensive picture of their daily experiences and to identify priorities for psychological and professional support programs. 

Surveys include questions about:

   •  Assessing the employee’s overall mental state.

   •   Identifying sources of stress and pressure at work.

   •   Measuring exposure to anxiety, depression, or burnout.

   •   Work-life balance. 

Examples of general wellbeing questions:

   1.  How would you rate your overall mental health at work over the past month?

   2.  Do you feel that your workload is manageable?

   3.  Do you have a good balance between work and personal life?

2. Stress Level Surveys

These surveys focus on identifying sources of pressure in the workplace, such as heavy workloads, tight deadlines, conflicts with colleagues, or lack of resources. This data helps the company address stressors before they escalate into issues that affect performance and job satisfaction. 

Surveys include questions about:

•    Factors causing stress at work.

•    Frequency of feeling stressed or exhausted.

•    Current level of stress experienced by the employee. 

Examples of stress level questions:

4. What factors cause you the most stress at work?

5. How often have you felt that work causes you significant stress?

6. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your current stress level?

7. What work-related situation or event makes you feel most stressed, and how does it affect your ability to perform your tasks?

3. Feedback on Company Resources

These surveys focus on gathering employee feedback regarding programs and resources available to support mental health, such as:

•  Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

•   Psychological counseling services.

•   Mental health days or wellness leave.

This type helps companies improve available resources, raise employee awareness of them, and ensure effective utilization.

Surveys include questions about:

•  Employees’ awareness of available resources.

•  Ease of access to these resources.

•  Use of available resources.

•   Comfort level when requesting psychological support from the company.

Examples of resource and support questions:

8. Are you aware of the mental health resources available in our company?

9. How easy is it to access these resources?

10. Have you ever used any of these resources?

11. Do you feel comfortable requesting psychological support from the company?

4. Mental Health Days Surveys

These surveys focus on understanding employees’ attitudes toward taking mental health leave and how comfortable and accepted they feel when requesting such leave.

This type helps companies shape policies to be more supportive, breaking the stigma associated with mental health.

Surveys include questions about:

•  The extent to which company policies meet employees’ mental health needs.

•   Employee comfort in taking mental health days.

•   Previous experiences of taking mental health days.

•  The impact of offering mental health days on employee wellbeing and productivity.

Examples of mental health days questions:

12. Does the company’s mental health days policy meet your needs?

13. Do you feel that taking a mental health day is acceptable and encouraged?

14. Have you ever taken a mental health day?

15. Do you believe that offering mental health days would improve your wellbeing and productivity?

5. Pulse Surveys

These are short, frequent surveys aimed at monitoring mental health and job satisfaction in real-time. They can measure:

•   Weekly stress levels.

•   Employee satisfaction with current psychological support.

•   Any immediate concerns or suggestions to improve the workplace.

This data provides instant feedback, allowing management to adjust policies or resources quickly to ensure a better work environment.

Surveys include questions about:

•  Employee satisfaction with daily psychological support.

•  Frequency of experiencing mental stress at work.

•   Support from colleagues and managers.

•    Likelihood of recommending mental health resources to coworkers. 

Examples of pulse survey questions:

16. How satisfied are you with the psychological support provided at work today?

17. How often did you feel over the past week that your mental health was a concern at work?

18. Do you feel supported by your colleagues and managers regarding your mental health?

19. How likely are you to recommend the available mental health resources to your colleagues?

6. Role and Control

This section aims to understand employees’ feelings about their job roles, satisfaction with their tasks, and the level of control they have over their work and work-life balance. 

Surveys include questions about:

•  Clarity of job roles and responsibilities.

•   Skills and abilities required to perform tasks.

•   Opportunities for training and professional development.

•   Control over working hours and how tasks are performed.

•  Employee influence on decisions related to their work.

•   Work-life balance within the organization. 

Examples of role and control questions:

20. Are you satisfied with the clarity of your role and job responsibilities?

21. Do you have the necessary skills and abilities to perform your tasks effectively?

22. How satisfied are you with the training and professional development opportunities available to you?

23. How many hours do you spend working on projects outside the office?

24. Do you believe that excessive working hours are managed in your workplace?

25. Are you satisfied with the level of influence you have on decisions related to your work?

26. Do you feel that work-life balance is valued and practically implemented within the organization?

7. Communication and Workplace Relationships

This section aims to understand the nature of communication within the organization and its impact on relationships among employees, colleagues, and managers, and how it supports employee wellbeing. 

Surveys include questions about:

•   Clarity and effectiveness of communication between the employee, their direct manager, and colleagues.

•   Management’s willingness to listen to concerns and take appropriate action.

•  Quality of relationships among colleagues and team collaboration.

•  Employee sense of support and inclusion in the workplace.

Examples of communication and workplace relationships questions:

27. Are you satisfied with your direct manager’s willingness to listen to your concerns and take appropriate actions?

28. Are you satisfied with how others typically communicate with you?

29. How satisfied are you with your relationships with colleagues at work?

30. To what extent do you and your colleagues work in a supportive and collaborative manner?

Best Practices for Enhancing Engagement and Designing Mental Health Surveys

1.  Ensure Confidentiality and Privacy

Emphasize that the survey is anonymous and will not be used against employees, to encourage honesty and participation.

2.  Clarify Purpose and Outcomes

Explain why the survey is being conducted and how its results will help improve the work environment and implement actual changes in policies and resources.

3.  Use Simple and Clear Language

Ask direct and easy-to-understand questions, avoiding complex or academic terms. Include time-specific questions and focus on recent experiences.

4.  Mix Question Types

Use closed-ended questions such as Likert scales, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions to facilitate analysis and give employees a chance to express themselves.

5.   Inclusivity and Accessibility

Ensure the survey is available to all employees, taking into account diverse backgrounds and roles. 

6.   Cover All Aspects of Wellbeing

Questions should address stress, psychological support, work-life balance, and overall health. 

7.    Provide Follow-up Resources and Support

Offer links or information about psychological support after the survey to reinforce employees’ sense of care.

8.   Offer Simple Incentives

Such as extra break time or formal recognition to encourage participation.

9.   Test the Survey Before Launch

Pilot the survey with a small sample to ensure clarity of questions and identify any difficulties or biases.

10.  Analyze Results and Distinguish Trends

Look for patterns in stress and satisfaction, and differentiate short-term issues from long-term ones for effective intervention.

11.   Communicate with Employees After Data Collection

Share results and clarify practical steps to address issues, demonstrating appreciation and transparency.

12.  Follow-up After Implementation

Conduct additional surveys or follow-up meetings to ensure continuous improvement and prevent new issues from arising.

Optimal Timing for Conducting Mental Health Surveys in Organizations

The timing of mental health surveys depends on the organization’s size and employees’ needs. However, regular surveys are essential for effective monitoring of employee wellbeing. Here is a simple and effective approach for survey frequency:

1.    Quarterly Surveys (Every 3 Months):

   •   Suitable for frequent monitoring of employees’ mental health, especially in dynamic work environments.

   •     Provide real-time data to help management detect rapid changes in stress levels or job satisfaction.

   •     Allow early intervention before issues escalate, such as burnout or workplace conflicts.

   •    Can be short (pulse surveys) to focus on key points without overwhelming employees.

   2.    Semi-Annual Surveys (Every 6 Months):

   •    Suitable for small companies or those with less changing programs.

   •     Help evaluate the impact of programs and measures implemented during the first half of the year.

   •    Provide an opportunity to identify chronic issues and challenges that may need attention before year-end.

   3.   Annual Surveys: 

   •  Offer a comprehensive view of long-term trends in mental health and employee satisfaction.

   •   Help assess the effectiveness of previous support programs and identify areas for development.

   •   Enable strategic planning for future policies and resources to support employee wellbeing.

Practical Tip:

•   Combine short quarterly surveys to assess mood and general satisfaction with longer semi-annual or annual surveys to measure deeper aspects such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

•   Send surveys on regular workdays, not on weekends or immediately before holidays, as responses are generally more accurate.

•   Balance frequency and length: regular short surveys are preferable to long surveys that are repeated in a disruptive manner.

Analyzing Results and Using Them Wisely 

After collecting mental health survey data, the most critical phase begins: understanding the numbers and turning them into decisions that genuinely improve the work environment. The following methods can be relied upon: 

1.  Analyzing Percentages for Closed-Ended Questions

Calculate the percentages of responses to identify general trends, such as the proportion of employees experiencing high stress or low satisfaction. This step reveals quick patterns and determines whether an issue is individual or a widespread phenomenon.

2.   Averages of Likert Scales

Used to measure stress levels, satisfaction, or work environment quality. Comparing averages across departments or over time shows whether the situation is improving or deteriorating. 

3.   Analysis of Open-Ended Text Responses

Extract recurring themes such as workload pressure, poor communication, or leadership issues. This analysis adds depth that closed-ended questions cannot provide and uncovers the real reasons behind the numbers.

4.   Comparing Different Groups

Segment the data by age, gender, department, or location. The goal is to identify groups most at risk for mental health issues and direct resources to them precisely, rather than using random solutions.

How Are These Data Translated into Decisions?

By combining all the above, management can take well-informed steps such as:

•  Reducing workload pressure in overburdened departments.

•    Improving resources, such as psychological support or stress management training.

•  Launching development programs for managers to enhance communication and leadership.

•   Reassessing the work environment and adjusting policies that negatively affect employees.

Effective analysis transforms surveys from mere numbers into powerful tools for change.

Conclusion:

Employee mental wellbeing is not just an option, it is a fundamental element for enhancing productivity and achieving outstanding organizational performance. Wellbeing surveys provide accurate data that help you understand your team’s needs, identify areas requiring effective support, and turn insights into actionable steps.

With BSure, you can design smart surveys, track results accurately, and make data-driven decisions to foster a healthy and productive work environment.

Start Now with BSure! and give your team the opportunity to express their needs, while benefiting from precise data that enhances employee wellbeing and improves your organization’s performance in a tangible way.