Survey Types & Templates

Contents:

Survey types

Setting the survey type helps define and, in some cases, automate recipient eligibility criteria. Survey type is also a filter on the Engage Insights dashboard, which is useful for aggregating results from multiple related surveys.

AdHoc

This survey type can be used if none of the other survey types below apply. It can be considered a "Miscellaneous" survey type.
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  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.

Alumni

This survey type is used to gather feedback from employees who have already departed the organization. Survey invites can be automated by keeping termination dates (and user status) updated in Engage, and setting eligibility criteria defined by the number of days after their termination date the survey should be sent.Screen Shot 2022-06-01 at 11.52.38 AM.png

  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email. 
  • If you choose to add recipients by email, the criteria (“How many days after termination date should the survey be sent?") will no longer be used.
  • Be sure to update the employee’s email address in Engage before sending the survey,  as it is unlikely that they will have access to the email address they held as an employee.

Candidate

This survey type is used to gather feedback from candidates about their experience applying for and interviewing for a job within your organization. Because invited survey participants are not employees, when creating the audience for this survey type, recipients can only be added by email. 

  • Candidates must be added as a user in Engage (under User Management) before they can be added as a survey recipient by email.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

This survey type is used to gather specific feedback from employees about your organization’s DEIB policies and practices and their impact on the work environment and culture.Screen_Shot_2023-04-03_at_4.11.45_PM.png

  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.

Engagement

This survey type is used to regularly assess employee engagement and satisfaction. Recommended intervals are quarterly or semi-annually.

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  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.

Event

This survey type is used to gather feedback from employees about a specific work-related event that has taken place.  The “Event” survey type is also a useful way for learning & development teams to aggregate feedback for training classes/workshops.

Screen_Shot_2023-04-03_at_4.11.45_PM.png

  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.

Hiring Manager

This survey type is used to gather feedback from managers about their new hires. Recommended intervals are 30 and 60 days after the employee’s hire date.

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  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.
  • New hires must be added as a user in Engage (under User Management) before they can be added as a survey recipient by email.
  • If you choose to add recipients by email, the criteria (“How many days post employee's hire date should the survey be sent to his manager?”) will no longer be used.
  • When adding recipients by email, add the email address of the NEW HIRE (and not the manager). The survey invite will automatically be sent to the person who is listed as the new hire’s manager in Engage (under User Management).

Onboarding

This survey type is used to gather feedback from new hires about their onboarding experience. Survey invites can be automated by adding new hires to Engage in a timely manner, and setting eligibility criteria defined by the number of days after their hire date the survey should be sent.

Frequent checkpoints along the new hire journey are recommended in order to set new hires up for success. Recommended intervals are 7, 30, 60 and 90 days after the employee’s hire date.

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  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.
  • New hires must be added as a user in Engage (under User Management) before they can be added as a survey recipient by email.
  • If you choose to add recipients by email, the criteria (How many days are Hire date should the survey be sent?) will no longer be used.

Note: If you are launching this onboarding survey for the first time, how do you include new hires who started more than XX days ago?
or
If you haven't uploaded new user data to Engage in a while, how do you make sure new hires from XX months ago don't get missed?

By default, when determining which users will be invited to participate in an Onboarding survey, Engage takes the eligibility days and doubles them.

    • Example from 7-Day Survey:
      7-day Onboarding survey is launched for the first time on November 1st.
      7 days from November 1st is October 25th; 7 days from October 25th is October 18th.
      Engage will subscribe everyone who has been hired since October 18th AND is at least 7 days post-hire.
      Therefore, on November 1st, anyone hired between October 18th and October 25th will be added as survey participants.

    • Example from 30-Day Survey:
      30-day Onboarding survey has already been launched.
      A new user file, which has not been updated in a few months, is uploaded on November 1st.

      30 days from November 1st is September 28th; 30 days from there is August 29th.
      Engage will subscribe everyone who has been hired since August 29th AND is at least 30 days post-hire.
      Therefore, on November 1st, anyone hired between August 29th and September 28th will be added as survey participants.

Offboarding

This survey type is used to gather feedback from employees who will be leaving the organization. Survey invites can be automated by keeping termination dates (and user status) updated in Engage, and setting eligibility criteria defined by the number of days prior to their termination date the survey should be.
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  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.

Prehire

This survey type is used to gather feedback from new hires before they start working for your organization. Survey invites can be automated by adding new hires to Engage in a timely manner, and setting eligibility criteria defined by the number of days before their hire date the survey should be sent. 

Screen Shot 2022-06-01 at 1.09.30 PM.png

  • Surveys can be sent to everyone eligible or to a subset of users. Uncheck the “send to everyone eligible box” to reveal a dropdown menu with a list of options to further define the survey audience.
  • Unchecking the "send to everyone eligible" box also allows you to manually add recipients by email.
  • New hires must be added as a user in Engage (under User Management) before they can be added as a survey recipient by email.
  • If you choose to add recipients by email, the criteria (How many days before the hire date should the survey be sent?) will no longer be used.

Survey Templates

Survey Templates are an easy way to set up your surveys and will save you time on creating surveys from scratch. There are 16 different templates available for you to use and each comes with its own set of pre-defined questions.

Template questions are not editable, but you can remove questions or add your own custom questions at the end of your survey. Template questions can also be rearranged in any order within the template but all custom questions must follow the template questions.

The following templates are available to use:

Template Survey Type
Remote Work Assessment Ad Hoc
Remote Work Pulse Ad Hoc
Return to Work Ad Hoc
Engagement -Mini - 17 questions Engagement
Engagement - Standard - 30 questions Engagement
Engagement - Extended - 50 questions Engagement
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)
Alumni Alumni
Exit Offboarding
Onboarding Onboarding
Culture Assessment Ad Hoc
Employee Health & Wellness Ad Hoc
Manager Effectiveness Ad Hoc
Organizational Change Ad Hoc
Betterworks Baseline Ad Hoc
Betterworks Reassessment Ad Hoc

*Industry benchmarks are available for the Engagement and DEIB survey templates.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I change the survey type when using a survey template?
    No, survey types are fixed to the template.
  • Does the eligibility criteria count calendar days or business days?
    Calendar days.

  • What if the eligibility date occurs on a weekend, outside of regular M-F business hours?
    On the 30th day, the eligible participant will be subscribed to the survey. If this day falls on a weekend (assuming M-F business hours set in Engage), they will receive the survey invite on Monday.

  • I am launching a 90-day survey but I don't want to survey people who started 5-6 months ago. Can this be changed?
    Yes, to do this you will need to follow these steps:

    1. Make sure the survey is in Draft mode.
    2. Make sure number of days is set under Eligibility Criteria.
    3. Provide the number od days from the eligibility date that you want to look back to determine survey participants.
    4.
    Reach out to your CSM or support@betterworks.com