18 Employee Benefits Survey Questions HR Leaders Should Be Asking

Feeling the pressure to build a benefits package that actually keeps top talent around? You’re not alone. According to MetLife’s 17th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, 72% of employees say better benefits would increase their loyalty—but too many companies still rely on guesswork when shaping their strategy.

The truth is, assumptions don’t drive impact—insight does. That’s where an employee benefits survey becomes essential. It gives you a direct line to your people’s needs and expectations, so you can understand what matters most, spot the gaps, and build a benefits experience that truly supports their wellbeing.

In this guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know about how to design, administer, and analyze employee benefits surveys. Plus, we’ll share 18 must-ask questions to include in your next survey. Whether you’re starting fresh or fine-tuning what you already have, these insights will help you turn feedback into a strategy that drives satisfaction, retention, and real results.

What is an employee benefits survey?

An employee benefits survey is a tool that helps you understand how your people really feel about the benefits you offer—and whether those offerings are actually supporting their health, happiness, and quality of life.

It’s more than a quick pulse check. A well-designed survey captures direct, actionable feedback on the relevance, accessibility, and impact of your current programs. It gives employees a voice and gives leaders the data they need to see what’s working, what’s missing, and where to improve.

At its core, a benefits survey removes the guesswork—so you can build a strategy that not only reflects your people’s needs, but also drives engagement, retention, and long-term loyalty.

Why are regular employee benefits surveys so important?

Your workforce isn’t static—neither are their needs. That’s why checking in regularly through employee benefits surveys is key to keeping your strategy relevant and impactful. More than half of employees (55%) say they’d consider looking for a new role if they could get a better benefits package, according to the State of Work-Life Wellness 2025​. 

Conducting regular employee benefits surveys helps you:

• Uncover what employees actually value. Instead of relying on assumptions, you get real feedback to guide smarter benefits decisions.
• Reveal gaps in your current offerings. Surveys highlight which programs are underutilized, misunderstood, or missing altogether.
• Support retention and loyalty. Employees who feel heard and cared for are more likely to stay.
• Boost employee satisfaction. When people see that their input leads to real improvements, it builds trust and boosts morale.
• Strengthen your employer brand. Organizations that consistently seek and act on employee feedback position themselves as responsive, people-first employers.
• Drive continuous improvement. Regular surveys create a feedback loop that helps HR leaders adapt benefits over time, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful.
• Improve performance. Engaged, supported employees are more productive and invested in the company’s success.

And the numbers speak for themselves. According to Quantum Workplace, companies that regularly run employee surveys see measurable results:

• 38% more employee engagement
• 17% higher retention
• 28% more employee advocacy

In short: benefits surveys are a simple, powerful way to listen better, lead smarter, and create a culture where people—and performance—thrive.

How to design an effective employee benefits survey

A good benefits survey collects data. A great one sparks change. Your people deserve more than just a checkbox. They deserve to be heard. And when you ask the right questions in the right way, you unlock real opportunities to support their wellbeing, inside and outside of work.

It all starts with clarity. Before you draft your first question, ask yourself: “What do we need to understand about our employees’ experience with benefits?” Are you tracking satisfaction? Testing new ideas? Surfacing gaps? Your goal should guide every part of your survey design.

Start with a clear strategy

• Define your purpose. Are you evaluating existing benefits, exploring new offerings, or tracking satisfaction over time?
• Keep it focused. Stick to one core theme per survey. A focused approach means better data—and a better experience for employees.
• Balance question types. Combine closed-ended questions for measurable trends with open-ended ones that let people share what matters most in their own words.
• Design for ease and inclusion. Keep it anonymous to encourage honesty. Use plain, inclusive language. And make it quick—5 to 10 minutes max—to respect your employees’ time.

Use the right question formats

Different questions unlock different kinds of insight. Here’s a breakdown of formats to help you ask smarter, more intentional questions:

What to include in an employee benefits survey

While every company’s benefits package is unique, there are a few key areas every effective employee survey should explore. These categories help you get a clear picture of how your people experience the benefits you offer—and where you have room to grow.

Here’s where to focus:

• Current benefit satisfaction: Understand how your people feel about the benefits they’re already using. Are they helpful? Easy to access? Meeting expectations?
• Usage and awareness: Just because a benefit exists doesn’t mean it’s being used—or even understood. These questions help you spot what's flying under the radar.
• Perceived value and relevance: Your team’s needs evolve, and your benefits should too. Ask how well your offerings reflect where employees are in their personal and professional lives.
• Access and fairness: Wellbeing should be equitable. These questions help you uncover if some teams or roles feel left out or underserved.
• Future interest and preferences: Your employees are your best source of inspiration. Ask what they want more—or less—of to guide your next round of benefits planning.
• Open feedback: Not everything fits neatly into a checkbox. Give employees space to share honest thoughts, ideas, or concerns in their own words.

18 sample employee benefit survey questions

Once you’ve defined your goals and mapped out your structure, it’s time to bring your survey to life—with questions that go beyond data points and uncover what your people really need. The most effective surveys find the sweet spot between metrics and meaning—they capture the numbers and the stories behind them.

Below, you’ll find sample questions by type to help you build a survey that’s easy to navigate, meaningful to answer, and built to fuel smarter, more human decisions.

Rating Scale Questions

(Best for measuring satisfaction, sentiment, and trends over time.)

Use a Likert scale (e.g., Strongly Agree → Strongly Disagree) or a 1–10 satisfaction scale to get quantifiable results.

• “I understand the benefits available to me.”
• “I feel our wellness benefits support my physical and mental health.”
• “I’m satisfied with the flexibility offered by our current time-off policies.”
• “I feel confident navigating our benefits enrollment process.”
• “The benefits we receive reflect the company’s values.”

Multiple Choice Questions

(Best for tracking usage, awareness, and preferences.)

Offer a defined set of options so you can easily analyze and compare responses.

• “Which of the following benefits have you used in the past 6 months?”
• “How do you typically learn about available benefits?”
• “What benefit would you be most disappointed to lose?”

Open-Ended Questions

(Best for uncovering ideas, emotions, and emerging trends.)

Give employees space to express what they may not see represented in structured questions. Offer a text box for participants to express their opinion freely and in detail.

• “What’s one benefit you feel is missing from our current package?”
• “If you could improve one aspect of our benefits program, what would it be?”
• “Can you share a time when a benefit made a positive impact on your life?”
• “Is there anything you wish we communicated more clearly about our benefits?”

Comparison or Ranking Questions

(Best for understanding employee priorities.)

These questions help you assess what matters most and where to focus resources.

• “Rank the following benefit categories in order of importance to you” (Examples include Health coverage, Retirement plans, Mental health support, PTO, Flexibility, Financial wellness)
• “If you had to choose just one of the following, which would you prioritize?” (examples include Expanded PTO, Higher employer health coverage, More mental health resources, Childcare support, Wellness stipend

Fairness and Perception Questions

(Best for identifying gaps in accessibility and inclusion.)

These questions highlight how employees feel about your offerings—and whether they perceive them as fair and equitable.

• “I believe our benefits are accessible to employees across different departments and job levels.”
• “I feel comfortable reaching out to HR with questions about my benefits.”
  “I feel our current benefits reflect the diverse needs of our workforce.”
• “Everyone at this company has the same opportunity to make full use of our benefits.”

How to administer your benefits survey

Designing a thoughtful survey is only part of the equation—how you deliver it plays a huge role in whether employees engage with it. If you want honest, useful feedback, your rollout strategy needs to be just as intentional as your questions.

• Choose the right survey platform. The best platform is the one your employees will actually use. If it’s clunky or confusing, they’ll drop off. Tools like Google Forms, Typeform, and SurveyMonkey offer a smooth, mobile-friendly experience that makes it easy to respond anytime, anywhere.
• Time it right. To get the most accurate and relevant insights, run a full benefits survey once a year, ideally before open enrollment or benefit renewal. Use shorter pulse surveys quarterly or biannually to stay in tune with shifting needs. And avoid peak stress periods like holidays or major project deadlines—participation will drop.
• Encourage participation. Be sure to let employees know why the survey matters, how long it will take, and how their feedback will be used. 

How to analyze results

Collecting feedback is only step one. The real momentum starts when you analyze the results, spot the patterns, and turn those insights into action.

Here’s how to move from raw data to real impact:

What to look for in your survey results

• Quantitative trends: Identify highs, lows, and averages from rating-scale or multiple-choice responses. Which benefits are hitting the mark—and which ones aren’t?
• Qualitative themes: Scan open-ended responses for recurring ideas, keywords, and concerns. What’s coming up again and again?
• Segmented insights: Break down responses by team, location, or tenure (without sacrificing anonymity) to see how different groups are experiencing your benefits.
• Comparisons over time: If you’ve run previous surveys, compare results to spot progress or persistent gaps.

How to turn insight into action

• Prioritize what matters most. Focus on themes that show up frequently or directly affect wellbeing, retention, or equity.
• Map out your next steps. Decide what can be improved now and what needs more planning. Create short-, mid-, and long-term goals.
• Loop in leadership. Share your findings with stakeholders with clear ties to business goals like engagement or culture.
• Communicate clearly. Let employees know what you learned, what you’re acting on, and what’s still in progress. Even if you can’t implement every suggestion, small updates build trust.
• Test and iterate. Pilot new ideas with a smaller group first. Gather feedback and refine before rolling them out company-wide.
• Follow up regularly. Don’t wait a year to check back in. Send a quick pulse survey in a few months to see what’s working and what still needs refining.

And don’t forget to act fast—employees who don’t feel heard are more likely to walk. In fact, 83% of workers would consider leaving a company that doesn’t focus on their wellbeing​. 

Stronger Benefits Start With Listening

You’ve designed a thoughtful survey. You’ve gathered honest feedback. Now comes the best part: using those insights to build a benefits experience your employees actually want.

But feedback alone isn’t enough—your next move should be a wellness strategy that turns insight into action. That’s where Wellhub comes in. Our platform connects your people to the tools and support they care about most—mental wellbeing, fitness, nutrition, sleep, and more.

Want to boost satisfaction and make your benefits package work harder for your team? Speak with a wellbeing specialist today.

References: 

• MetLife. (2019). MetLife 17th annual U.S. employee benefit trends study 2019. MetLife. https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/metlifecom/us/ebts/pdf/MetLife-Employee-Benefit-Trends-Study-2019.pdf
• Quantum Workplace. (n.d.). 45 employee engagement survey questions that you need to ask. https://www.quantumworkplace.com/future-of-work/employee-engagement-survey-questions