Questions to Use in an Employee Benefits Survey
When you want to gather data about the type and cost of employee benefits in a specific area, a survey can be a useful tool. Because surveys are anonymous, responders may feel more comfortable sharing information. As you write the survey, include questions that have multiple options to cover a variety of benefits packages.
Other People Are Reading
-
General Criteria
-
To enable your survey results to be methodically compared with those from other businesses, include questions that are specific to the industry you are surveying. If you want your responders to be assured of anonymity, do not ask personal details in the questions. Present the the questions in multiple-choice format and ask responders to pick the closest option or select "Other." You can also allow space for people to write in their answers.
Business Size
-
Because employee benefits will often vary based on the size of the business, include a question about the number of employees. Depending on how you want to use the results, you can choose different size breakdowns. To avoid confusion, allow for the fact that some businesses have multiple branches in different cities. The survey will have to be designed based on the need for information about just one location or all of them. If many of your survey responders will be part of a larger parent company, include separate questions that deal with the the organization as a whole in addition to the subsidiary location.
-
Location
-
Many benefits surveys aim to find out how data is distributed across a geographic area. Ask your survey responders to target their locations, offering a multiple-choice answer to preserve anonymity. Choose locations based on your research interests: consider counties, cities, or even neighborhoods. Because a ZIP code could be used to pinpoint the business' name, ask responders not to write it in to protect their anonymity.
Benefit Types
-
Before writing the survey, make a comprehensive list of benefits that you need to collect data about. Common benefits include health insurance, paid time off, disability pay, retirement plans, dental insurance, and vision coverage. Write a question that covers fringe benefits, as well, such as tuition reimbursement, use of a time share, company credit cards, or discounted gym memberships. Ask participants to answer yes or no to each benefit.
Cost Data
-
If you are surveying employers about benefits, include a section about costs (insurance premiums, for example) to help your clients understand the financial burden of the benefits they offer; this information can also be useful when comparing economies of scale. Depending on how you need the information broken down, you can ask for a lump-sum figure or request costs for individual benefits.
-
References
- Photo Credit id form image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
