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A company’s benefits package can help differentiate organizations from their competitors, ensuring that current employees feel valued. Beyond salary, employees are weighing flexible schedules, financial wellness programs, mental health support, and more when deciding where to work — and whether to stay.
That said, your company’s employee benefits must align with what your employees actually need and value, and not just what the leadership team (or human resources staff) thinks they want.
So how do you bridge that gap? Survey them! Asking employees directly is one of the most strategic and cost-effective steps you can take to build a benefits program that supports your people and drives business results.
It’s easy to presume you know what your employees want, especially if your company has offered the same core benefits for years. But assumptions can quickly become missteps.
For example, a company might invest heavily in commuter benefits when most employees now work remotely. Or they might expand gym reimbursements when workers are actually struggling to afford childcare expenses.
Workforce demographics and expectations are shifting fast. You may be managing four or five generations of employees, each with different needs.
Younger workers might prioritize student loan assistance or mental health access. Parents may be more focused on flexible hours and dependent care. Others could be quietly navigating financial emergencies or caregiving responsibilities.
Relying on outdated templates or industry norms can leave critical gaps in support and can contribute to disengagement and unhappiness among employees.
Designing a thoughtful survey starts with covering the major benefit categories, but it shouldn’t stop there.
Core categories to include:
Remember that employees may not categorize their needs the same way HR structures benefits. Someone struggling to afford car repairs might not check the box for “financial wellness support” — but they would say they need help managing unexpected expenses. They might also say they’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, pointing instead to stress or mental health concerns without realizing the financial root cause
That’s why it’s important to not only ask about specific benefits, but also to explore the broader areas of support employees are looking for. These might include:
Add open-ended questions to invite honest, qualitative feedback. You might ask:
Also keep in mind: many employees may not be aware of all the options out there. If someone has never heard of a workplace-sponsored emergency savings plan or doesn’t know student loan repayment assistance is available at all, they won’t think to ask for it. Consider providing brief descriptions or examples of newer benefits to help employees make more informed choices.
Lastly, leverage data from current programs. If your employee assistance program (EAP) or emergency savings account (ESA) provider gives you insights into usage trends, that can help shape your survey questions.
Once you know what you want to ask, the next step is designing a survey employees will actually complete.
Keep it short and focused. Aim for 5 to 10 minutes max completion time. The easier and shorter it is, the more responses you’ll get.
Use clear, inclusive language. Phrase questions in ways that resonate with real life. For example, instead of asking “Do you find our financial wellness offerings sufficient?” ask “Do you feel confident managing your day-to-day and long-term financial needs?”
Include both multiple-choice and optional comment fields. Structured data is easier to analyze, but open-ended responses often hold the richest insights.
Ask what’s missing. A simple question like “What’s one benefit or resource you wish we offered?” can surface big ideas.
Ensure anonymity. Employees are more likely to be honest if they know their responses won’t be tied back to them.
Ask about the employee’s demographics. This can be tricky when you want to ensure anonymity, but it can be very useful to ask employees to identify their age (in terms of decade or life stage), gender identity, income, and other variables that can help you understand big-picture trends.
Decide on frequency. A longer, annual survey might help with planning big-picture changes. But shorter pulse surveys throughout the year can keep you in tune with changing needs and respond more quickly.
Collecting data is only the first step. What you do next matters just as much, if not more.
Look for trends and pain points. Are many employees asking for more flexible schedules? Are there repeated mentions of confusion around existing benefits?
Share insights with leadership and employees. Transparency builds trust. Let employees know what you learned and how you plan to respond.
Prioritize quick wins. Maybe you can’t overhaul your 401(k) provider overnight, but you can start offering a new mental health app or host a lunch-and-learn on budgeting. Delivering fast, tangible results helps build momentum.
Be honest about limitations. You won’t be able to fulfill every request—and that’s okay. Just be clear about what you’re able to do now, what’s under consideration, and what’s out of scope (and why). When people feel heard, they’re more likely to be patient.
Benefits are one of the most powerful tools you have to support your employees, build loyalty, and strengthen your company culture. But they only work if they’re aligned with what people actually need.
Surveying your workforce isn’t just a box to check, it’s a way to build a culture of listening, adaptability, and trust. When employees see that their voices lead to real changes, they’re more likely to feel valued, engaged, and committed to your organization.
In a world where work is evolving fast, the smartest companies aren’t the ones with the flashiest perks. They’re the ones that ask, listen, and respond with intention.
