9 Employer Branding Survey Questions You Need to Ask

As you walk into your office on a Monday morning, the faint aroma of coffee greets you, promising a fresh start to a productive week. As the head of HR, you're prepared to handle everything from talent acquisition to conflict resolution. Your to-do list is filled with employee reviews, yet you're confident that your day will proceed smoothly.

However, just as you're about to immerse yourself in performance analytics, your Talent Acquisition Specialist bursts into the room with an infectious grin. The elusive unicorn candidate for the Lead Data Scientist role, the one you've been trying to fill for months, has finally accepted the offer. Your heart swells with satisfaction, knowing that your relentless efforts have borne fruit.

The celebratory mood, though, is short-lived. Before you can even bask in the glory of this victory, an onslaught of challenges descends upon you. An email notification chimes in the background, heralding the impending resignation of three key team members from the Operations department. The news hits you like a ton of bricks, their departure creating a void that would be hard to fill.

And if that wasn't enough, the COO walks into your office with a stern look on his face. It's been weeks since the Senior Operations Manager role has been vacant, and he's impatient for a replacement. His curt tone resonates in the room long after he's left, a grim reminder of the monumental task ahead.

As you stare at the empty coffee mug on your desk, you can't help but ponder - could this chaos have been avoided? If only there was a way to understand what your employees truly feel about the company. A way to assess your organization's appeal from the perspective of current and potential employees.

And that's when it hits you - an Employer Branding Survey. A tool to gauge your company's reputation as an employer, and in turn, the key to unlock increased employee retention, better hiring outcomes, and an improved work environment.

Employer branding isn't something that you build and then stop working on.

You have to be in constant communication with your employees to make sure their expectations are met and they're currently happy at your organization.

This is especially true during times of change.

Here's how we can help you improve employer branding:

Our platform automatically collects employee feedback on job satisfaction at regular intervals (70% of our clients opt for monthly surveys).

Sparkbay then presents the results in intuitive reports with a clear score out of 10.

With the help of these reports, you’re able to track employee satisfaction in real-time, and understand your top improvement opportunities.

You can also segment your data based on manager, department, tenure and more, or benchmark yourself against companies in the same industry as yours using our proprietary dataset.

We also created a library of easy-to-implement actions from the most successful organizations to help you and your team managers learn and improve.

It’s a great way to build a culture of constant improvement, and give employees a voice that gets heard and acted on.

If you're interested in learning how Sparkbay can help you increase employee satisfaction, you can click here for a demo.

Employer branding survey questions

Are you inspired by the purpose and mission of the organization?

As an HR professional, imagine a typical day in your office. You observe your employees and you can tell who's just punching the clock and who is genuinely engaged. Why does this difference exist? It often stems from how well an individual connects with your company's mission. When employees feel inspired by the organization's purpose, they’re not just working for a paycheck. They're part of a collective endeavor, their tasks gain meaning, and their motivation increases.

Asking this question in an employer branding survey gives you valuable insights into the extent to which your company’s purpose resonates with the staff. If employees find the mission inspiring, they will channel this energy into their work, driving productivity and innovation. If they don't, it’s a red flag that you need to communicate your mission better or reassess its alignment with your workforce's values.

Do you believe the organization lives up to its stated values?

Consider a scenario: your organization states 'transparency' as one of its core values. However, you constantly encounter employees expressing frustration about the lack of communication from leadership. This discordance is a sign of the organization failing to live up to its stated values, which significantly weakens your employer brand.

Values serve as guiding principles that shape culture, inform behavior, and build reputation. If employees perceive a gap between stated and practiced values, it can breed cynicism and disengagement. By asking this question, you can assess whether the values you espouse are reflected in your actions. If the answer is affirmative, it strengthens your employer brand. However, if the responses indicate otherwise, it’s a sign to recalibrate your actions to align with your values.

Do the organization’s stated values align with values you personally consider important in life?

Picture your employees as a mosaic of different backgrounds, interests, and personal values. The intersection between personal and organizational values is where true commitment and satisfaction lie. If an employee’s personal values align with those of the organization, they are likely to be more engaged, productive, and loyal.

This question allows you to evaluate the level of alignment between your employees' personal values and the organization’s values. High alignment means your employer brand is attractive to your current workforce, fostering unity and engagement. Low alignment indicates a mismatch, which can lead to dissonance and discontent, eventually affecting performance, retention, and your employer brand.

Are you proud of how the organization contributes to society?

Imagine an employee at a social gathering. When the conversation turns to work, does the employee speak with pride about your organization’s societal contributions or do they stay silent? An organization's social responsibility is a key component of its employer brand.

Employees need to feel that their work extends beyond profit-making and has a positive impact on society. This question helps you gauge how proud your employees are of your organization’s societal contributions. If they feel a sense of pride, it indicates that your social responsibility initiatives are impactful and well-communicated, strengthening your employer brand. If not, it might be time to rethink your strategy or improve communication about your initiatives.

Would you recommend the organization to a friend or family member looking for a job?

Word-of-mouth plays a pivotal role in shaping your employer brand. An employee’s willingness to recommend their organization as a place to work is a testament to the quality of their experience. It signifies not only job satisfaction but also faith in the organization and its future.

This question serves as a simple, yet powerful metric known as the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS). An employee advocating for your organization can significantly enhance your employer brand. Conversely, an unwillingness to recommend the organization flags potential areas of concern that need your attention.

Do you understand how your work contributes to the goals of the organization?

Visualize an employee who knows their daily tasks but fails to see the bigger picture of how their work contributes to the organization's goals. This lack of understanding can lead to a sense of detachment and a decrease in motivation.

This question is crucial as it helps you understand if your employees see the value in what they do. If they understand their role in the organization's success, they will feel valued and important, driving engagement and productivity. However, if they struggle to see the connection, your internal communication and job design may need a revamp.

Given your experience with the company, would you be excited to apply for a job at our organization?

This question serves as a reflective mirror to assess the employees' journey in your organization. If an employee has had a positive experience, they would be excited to 'apply again'. This not only shows job satisfaction but also trust in the organization's growth and future.

It provides insights into your employees' experience and their perception of the organization as an employer. If the majority would reapply, your employer brand is perceived positively. But if not, there might be underlying issues in the work environment, growth opportunities, or the culture that need to be addressed.

What three words would you use to describe the organization to someone unfamiliar with us?

These three words serve as a mini litmus test of your employer brand. The words employees choose provide a snapshot of your organization's culture, work environment, and overall brand image.

This question offers an open-ended way for employees to express their perception of your employer brand. The responses help identify trends and themes that can highlight your brand's strengths and reveal areas for improvement.

What are the top three things you are looking for in an ideal job?

Every employee has a unique set of priorities and expectations from their ideal job. It could be a supportive manager, flexible hours, challenging work, or learning opportunities. Understanding these priorities helps you tailor your employer brand to attract and retain top talent.

This question helps identify what your employees value most in a job. Knowing these preferences will allow you to align your employer brand to meet these expectations and enhance job satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty. It serves as a compass, guiding you in shaping your brand to become an 'ideal employer' in the eyes of your current and potential employees.

An employer brand is not just about attracting potential employees—it's also about maintaining the ones you already have

As you settle into the quiet hum of your office at the end of the day, the value of these questions resonates more than ever. As an HR professional, these questions provide a powerful tool to gauge the strength of your employer brand and, more importantly, to identify areas that need improvement.

Remember, an employer brand is not just about attracting potential employees—it's also about maintaining the ones you already have. Understanding how your employees perceive your organization is the first step in ensuring that they remain committed and motivated.

So, the next time you encounter challenges in retention or recruitment, or when you sense a drop in employee morale or productivity, remember to revisit these questions. The answers will not only shed light on your organization's current standing but will also guide your way towards a better, stronger employer brand.

So go on, embrace these questions. Let them guide your quest for a thriving, robust employer brand. After all, in the world of human resources, understanding is the first step to improvement.

The benefits of a robust employee survey platform

A robust employee survey platform such as Sparkbay can help leaders understand obstacles and opportunities and focus their efforts where it matters. It can also track engagement and satisfaction over time to identify which actions are working and which aren't.

Explore employee data any way you want

It is important to be able to segment data based on demographics such as tenure and role. Sparkbay allows leaders to interrogate their data in any way they want to uncover deeper insights about their people.

Empowers action

Surveying employees serves no purpose if leaders do not take advantage of the opportunities they discover. With Sparkbay's automated coaching, managers can act on easy-to-implement strategies. These tools drive action to ensure you meet your employee-centric objectives. 

Provides robust benchmarks

Leaders need to compare their survey results with industry benchmarks to understand how they are doing. Using the right survey platform, you can compare your survey data with others in your industry, similar-sized companies, and top employers. 

Equips managers with dashboards to visualize their results

Manager dashboards help managers visualize their survey results all in one place. With these dashboards, managers can easily track employee experience trends, and identify strengths and opportunities.

Provides a seamless user experience

You don't want your managers to waste valuable time on a clunky, hard-to-use platform. We designed Sparkbay with simplicity in mind. Your managers will master our intuitive dashboards in no time.

Gain access to real-time results

Taking action is the most significant part of your survey strategy. That’s why Sparkbay's real-time results let you expedite your process and propel insights into action.

Offers science-backed questions on key workplace topics

To get the insights you need, you have to ask questions that resonate. Sparkbay offers science-backed questions on key workplace topics such as diversity and inclusion, change management, employee benefits, and more.

Measuring and improving employer branding through employee pulse surveys is straightforward and effective when you adopt an approach that works.

By using a robust employee survey platform to administer the right survey questions, you can easily collect employees’ feelings and sentiments to put these insights into context.

If you're interested in learning how Sparkbay can help you improve employee branding, you can click here for a demo.