Get actionable results with these retail staff survey questions that quantify employee engagement. Employee surveys are one of the best ways to predict behavior and give your employees a chance to feel heard.
Simple, consistent surveys are key
So you’ve decided to start conducting surveys to measure sentiments and engagement among your retail associates. How do you do so in a way that will actually create something tangible?
One key aspect of a successful employee survey program is consistency. You should be asking the same questions annually or biannually, so you have a baseline and can see patterns and discrepancies.
It’s also crucial to keep the survey simple, so people actually do it. Furthermore, ask questions that give you quantitative data, and if possible, use an employee app specifically designed for retail.
Do something with the data
The most important thing you can do, above all else, is make sure you actually do something with this data. Take it in, analyze it, and pick some areas where you can take action. Furthermore, ensure that your store associates see you taking that action.
In the long run, this will build trust, and make people feel like they have a voice. They’re also more likely to take the survey seriously if they remember the actions you took last year.
If you’re not going to do anything with the data, it’s pointless to collect it. You’re better off asking fewer questions and using the answers for something tangible. Following these guidelines is the key to mitigating the burnout issues that plague many retail organizations.
With all that out of the way, here are 5 retail staff survey questions you should consider asking. All of them can be measured on a scale of 1 to 10.
1. How likely are you to recommend us as a place to work?
This question can be used to create what’s known as an eNPS, or employee Net Promoter Score, which helps you put a number on employee engagement. If someone is likely to recommend you to their friends and family as a place to work, they’re happy with their job.
Asking a question like this gives you a single number that tells you how happy your employees are. Compare different job functions or locations against each other. It will be apparent who needs more support and where your efforts are best focused.
You can also have a follow-up question that asks why. This isn’t measurable, but if you take the time to read the responses, you’ll gain some valuable insights.
Learn more about how to use eNPS scores to measure engagement and loyalty.
2. Do you feel equipped with the tools and training you need to perform well in your role?
This is a great retail staff survey question because it has a clear action item. When your employees say they feel unequipped, all you have to do is find out what tools or training they’re missing. Then, you do your best to provide what they ask for.
Just asking this question can go a long way towards creating affinity with your store associates. And actually doing something about it? That’s a home run.
People want to feel like their work matters, and investing in them demonstrates their value to you. Many retail communication problems can be avoided simply by asking this question.
3. How is your relationship with your supervisor?
This is a tricky one, because associates are often hesitant to criticize their manager if they think there could be negative repercussions. However, if you ask it the right way, you can get important data about your employee experience.
The old adage that “people quit their boss and not their job” generally holds true.
Getting data on this topic makes it easy to either remove poor managers, or find ways to help them improve. Retention among store associates is always a topic of conversation, and better management leads to better retention.
MangoApps can help you create and deploy employee surveys
4. Do you feel that you have opportunities for career growth and development here?
This is another telling question, because retail staff who don’t feel that there’s room for growth are unlikely to stick around.
It’s likely that this question will get a comparatively lower score among certain subsets of your employee base, like students or seasonal workers. It may not be a priority, but it’s still useful to get a baseline and track it over time. The results are likely to give you some actionable insights.
5. How would you rate your working conditions?
This example question is intentionally vague, but you should take the opportunity to ask about something specific.
You could measure worker perception towards compensation and benefits, or the structure of their team, or their physical location, or any number of other things. The more specific you get in the question, the more useful the answers.
Your store associates are the best eyes you have for potential issues with working conditions. The best way to get that data is to simply ask.
Seriously, do something with the data
The best employee survey in the world is still a wasted effort if the data doesn’t get turned into action.
Asking your retail staff survey questions like the above will give you insights that you can actually use. Ask the same questions regularly, establish a baseline, and take action when you spot areas for improvement.
Do this right, and you can establish trust with your store associates, and improve retail employee engagement, sentiment, and retention.
For more reading, take a look at our employee app for retail, or read customer stories from Superdrug and A.S. Watson.
