Employee retention survey questions

Why a retention survey

Exit interviews tell you why people left after it is too late. A retention survey, sometimes called a stay survey, asks current employees what matters to them while you can still act. In frontline businesses with high turnover, even small improvements in retention save significant hiring and training costs. See the cost of employee turnover and how to reduce employee turnover.

EZTime announcements send updates to exactly the employees who need them, right on their phone.

Intent to stay

1. I see myself working here a year from now.
2. I would recommend this company as a place to work to a friend.
3. I rarely think about looking for another job.
4. If I were offered a similar job elsewhere for slightly more pay, I would still stay.

Pay and benefits

1. My pay is fair for the work I do.
2. I understand how my pay is calculated, including overtime and any tips or bonuses.
3. I am paid accurately and on time.
4. The benefits offered meet my needs.
5. I know what I need to do to earn a raise.

Accurate, on-time pay is basic, but errors in hours or overtime damage trust quickly.

Schedules and workload

1. I receive my schedule early enough to plan my life.
2. My schedule is consistent enough for my needs.
3. Shifts, including weekends and holidays, are shared fairly.
4. It is easy to swap shifts or request time off.
5. My workload on a typical shift is manageable.
6. I get the hours I want.

For hourly teams, scheduling questions often reveal the biggest and most fixable retention problems.

Manager and team

1. My manager treats me with respect.
2. My manager gives me useful feedback.
3. I can raise a concern without fear of negative consequences.
4. My manager handles problems on the team fairly.
5. I get along well with my coworkers.
6. I feel part of the team, even on my shift.

Growth and recognition

1. I have had the training I need to do my job well.
2. I can see a path to a better role or higher pay here.
3. My good work is recognized.
4. I have opportunities to learn new skills.

See our employee recognition program guide for ideas if recognition scores are low.

Working conditions

1. I feel safe at work.
2. I have the tools and equipment I need.
3. I can take my breaks.
4. Communication about changes is clear and timely.

Open questions

• What is the main reason you stay working here?
• What is one thing that might make you leave?
• If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
• What would make you more likely to recommend working here?

Open questions often give the most useful insights. Read every answer.

Questions for specific groups

Add a few questions tailored to groups with different needs, keeping groups large enough to protect anonymity.

Sample short version (10 questions)

1. I see myself working here a year from now.
2. My pay is fair for the work I do.
3. I receive my schedule early enough to plan my life.
4. My workload is manageable.
5. My manager treats me with respect.
6. My good work is recognized.
7. I can see a path to grow here.
8. I feel safe at work.
9. What is the main reason you stay?
10. What is one thing that might make you leave?

Use this short version if you have never surveyed your team before, then expand once employees see that you act on the answers.

Running the survey

1. Keep it to 15–20 questions and under ten minutes.
2. Make it anonymous and say how anonymity is protected.
3. Send it to phones and keep it open for a week so every shift can answer.
4. Do not report results for groups smaller than about five people.
5. Run it once or twice a year, with shorter pulse surveys in between.
6. Use our employee engagement survey template as a starting point.

Reading the results

Look at average scores per question, the lowest-scoring areas, differences between shifts, roles and locations where groups are big enough, and themes in open comments. Compare intent-to-stay answers with other questions: if people who disagree with “My schedule works for me” also say they are unlikely to stay, scheduling is a retention risk to tackle first. Also compare results with your actual turnover using our employee retention rate calculator and our employee retention rate guide.

Acting on results

1. Share a summary with all employees within a few weeks.
2. Pick the two or three most important issues.
3. Involve employees in finding solutions.
4. Announce what you will change and when.
5. Report progress and measure again.

Common mistakes

• Asking too many questions, which lowers response rates and the quality of answers.
• Running the survey during the busiest season, when people have no time to answer.
• Only making it available on office computers, which excludes frontline staff.
• Asking leading questions, such as asking people to agree that the company is a great place to work.
• Promising changes you cannot deliver.
• Waiting months to share results, so employees assume nothing will happen.

Choosing the answer scale

A five-point agreement scale, from strongly disagree to strongly agree, works well for most questions and is easy to answer on a phone. Keep the same scale throughout so results are comparable, and keep the wording of each question the same from one survey to the next so you can track trends over time.

Pair surveys with stay conversations

Surveys show patterns; conversations show individual situations. Managers can hold short one-on-one stay conversations with key employees, asking similar questions in person: what keeps you here, what would make you leave, what would you change? Act on what you can and follow up. For warning signs between surveys, see signs of disengaged employees.

How EZTime helps

EZTime addresses some of the most common retention issues hourly employees raise: schedules posted early to their phones, easy shift swaps and time-off requests, and accurate timesheets so pay is right. Learn more about employee surveys.

Turning answers into a retention plan

See employee retention rate and turnover cost calculator.

Timing the survey

Avoid running a retention survey in the middle of a peak season, right after layoffs or alongside several other surveys. Pick a calmer period, keep it short and tell people when results will be shared. Annual retention surveys work well alongside monthly pulse surveys. See employee pulse survey.

Questions for new hires

• Is the job what you expected when you applied?
• Did you get the training you needed?
• Do you know who to ask for help?
• Would you recommend us to a friend looking for work?

Early answers help reduce turnover in the first 90 days. See onboarding survey questions.

Retention survey check

Tick each item already in place.

Frequently asked questions

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