33 Manager feedback questions for your next employee survey

They say that you get a silly answer if you ask a silly question. So logically, you’re bound to get quality answers if you ask great questions. This theory is especially true when asking for honest employee feedback through survey questions.

To help take out the guesswork and set you on the right course, we’ve put together our top 33 questions about managers’ performance and productivity that you can use for your next employee engagement survey.

Questions like these are a helpful way to get valuable feedback and take positive action.

Asking the right feedback questions about managers

Managers play a vital role in every organization, so it’s just as important to get employees’ feedback on the job performance and skills of the management team as it is for them to assess their direct reports.

Since it’s imperative to ask the right survey questions to get the best feedback on management, we’ve broken the questions down into distinct sections for you.

Questions about a manager’s communication skills

🔑 Communication is key, especially between managers and their direct reports.

To offer outstanding leadership, managers must be great communicators and make their team feel comfortable being open and straightforward with them. This way, they open the door to healthy conversation and the ability to solve problems effectively.

Asking these survey questions can be an excellent tool for receiving feedback about how management and supervisors interact with their team:

1. How comfortable are you communicating with your direct manager?
2. How frequently do you receive recognition from your manager?
3. How satisfied are you with how often you get direct feedback from your manager?
4. Does your manager clearly communicate their performance expectations with you?

Questions about managerial and leadership skills

⚖️ When it comes to leadership, not all managers are created equal.

Some take to it more naturally, while others need more development in their role to be influential leaders.

Employees should feel encouraged to share their thoughts on their manager’s performance as a leader within the organization so they can adequately fulfill their management responsibilities.

5. How confident are you in your manager’s leadership abilities?
6. Does your manager have the right expertise to help your whole team succeed?
7. Does your manager have high standards for their role as a leader?
8. Would you consider your manager a good role model?

Questions about trust and respect for management

🤝 Much like any relationship, whether professional or personal, if you don’t have trust and respect, there’s not a lot of ground to stand on.

These are the foundation for functional, healthy relationships and are essential qualities for leaders to have with their team.

Employees feel valued when they know they are respected and their manager cares. In turn, these qualities also build greater employee-management trust within the organization.

9. Does your manager create an open and trusting environment? How?
10. How does your manager make you feel like you are a valued team member?
11. Does your manager treat everyone on the team fairly and with the same level of respect?
12. Do you feel like your manager values your ideas and suggestions?
13. Does your manager listen and take action when you address an issue with them?

Questions about effectiveness

🎯 A great manager is an effective leader. They can solve problems, see different perspectives, consistently make effective decisions, and set clear goals for their team.

An effective manager will help employees identify and use their strengths to their advantage, giving them even greater confidence in themselves and their roles.

Manager performance should be assessed from all levels of the organization, including from each direct report. Here are some key questions to ask about management effectiveness:

14. How confident are you in the overall effectiveness of your immediate manager?
15. Does your manager have the expertise and ability to help you and your team succeed?
16. Does your manager maintain high standards for their conduct?
17. Has your manager worked to improve on issues in the last year?
18. Does your manager make consistently effective decisions?

“Learning their strengths makes employees 7.8% more productive, and teams that focus on strengths every day have 12.5% greater productivity.”

Gallup.com

Questions about support from management

👐 It’s so important for employees to feel supported by their managers both inside and outside the workplace.

Supportive communication is vital, whether it’s to support their development, encourage productivity, identify areas of improvement, or tell an employee they’re doing a great job.

These open-ended questions can help identify if managers are providing their employees with the professional (and personal!) support they need:

19. Do you feel supported by your manager?
20. Does your manager give you a reasonable workload and realistic deadlines?
21. Does your manager react quickly and efficiently when you request support?
22. Does your manager care about your life and well-being outside of work?

Questions about mentorship

👩‍🏫 Managers can be great mentors for employees looking to grow in their roles and advance professionally.

Career development is valuable, so when managers take the time to lead their employees in the right direction, it can make a world of difference.

Many employees count on their organization to help them get the kind of mentorship they need to maybe even step into a manager position down the line.

23. What do you value about mentorship as an employee?
24. How does your manager act as a mentor to you?
25. Does your manager offer you other mentorship opportunities?

Questions about professional development

⛰️ Career development is valuable to an employee’s growth and a great way to prevent employee turnover and increase employee engagement.

Leaders should be in tune with their team’s skills and identify how they can develop them even further.

Here are some on-point survey questions for organizations to ask their employees to get actionable feedback on professional development:

26. Do you and your manager discuss the status of your career within the company?
27. Do you see yourself advancing your career at this company?
28. Has your manager helped you identify the steps you need to take to grow within the company?
29. Are you satisfied with the learning opportunities available to you?

Questions about work-life balance

🧘 Now more than ever, there is a greater focus and importance on work-life balance within the company culture. A balanced life doesn’t just create more happiness outside of the workplace, but it also contributes to greater satisfaction within the company.

In today’s modern business world, constructive feedback on these questions can help assess whether managers are placing enough importance on the human side of the employee experience:

30. Does your manager recognize the importance of your personal and family life?
31. Do you feel like your manager cares about your mental health and well-being?
32. Does your manager encourage you to take personal time when needed?
33. Do you get a sense that your manager cares about you as a person?

Open the communication with Officevibe

Employee engagement and feedback are essential for healthy company culture.

While taking note of these survey questions is a great way to initiate communication between employees and managers, Offcevibe is a helpful platform for automating the entire employee feedback survey process (with no technical expertise needed!).

Access all the tools

Officevibe offers sample survey questions, templated surveys, easy-to-understand reports, and a range of other valuable feedback tools to take you beyond the big picture, to help keep communication open, and even determine whether a manager change is needed.

Managers, employees, and entire teams will find great value in what Officevibe can bring to the table!

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