Comprehensive and Robust Set of 69 School Staff Wellbeing Survey Questions

So, you've decided to run a staff wellbeing survey at your school. But what questions should you ask? Don't waste an afternoon thinking up questions on your own. Use this set of 69 questions, adapted from the UK Civil Service People Survey. They are robust and well-tested and cover everything you need.

Feel free to copy them into your own survey tool (e.g. Google Forms). Or use our low-cost school staff survey tool to administer them for you - it'll save you a lot of time, and show you the results as a set of beautiful graphs which you can share with your governors or SLT.

My Work

1. I'm interested in my work
2. I'm sufficiently challenged by my work
3. My work gives me a sense of personal accomplishment
4. I feel involved in the decisions that affect my work
5. I have a choice in deciding how I do my work

School Objectives and Purpose

6. I have a clear understanding of my school's purpose
7. I have a clear understanding of my school's objectives
8. I understand how my work contributes to my school's objectives

My Manager

9. My manager motivates me to be more effective in my job
10. My manager is considerate of my life outside work
11. My manager is open to my ideas
12. My manager helps me to understand how I contribute to my school's objectives
13. Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by my manager
14. My manager recognises when I have done my job well
15. I receive regular feedback on my performance
16. The feedback I receive helps me to improve my performance
17. I think that my performance is evaluated fairly
18. Poor performance is dealt with effectively here

My Colleagues

19. The people here can be relied upon to help when things get difficult in my job
20. The people here work together to find ways to improve the service we provide
21. The people here are encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things

Learning and Development

22. I am able to access the right learning and development opportunities when I need to
23. Learning and development activities I have completed in the past 12 months have helped to improve my performance
24. There are opportunities for me to develop my career in this school
25. Learning and development activities I have completed while working here are helping me to develop my career

Inclusion and Fair Treatment

26. I am treated fairly at work
27. I am treated with respect by the people I work with
28. I feel valued for the work I do
29. I think that this school respects individual differences (e.g. cultures, working styles, backgrounds, ideas, etc)

Resources and Workload

30. In my job, I am clear what is expected of me
31. I get the information I need to do my job well
32. I have clear work objectives
33. I have the skills I need to do my job effectively
34. I have the tools I need to do my job effectively
35. I have an acceptable workload
36. I achieve a good balance between my work life and my private life

Pay and Benefits

37. I feel that my pay adequately reflects my performance
38. I am satisfied with the total benefits package
39. Compared to people doing a similar job in other schools I feel my pay is reasonable

Leadership and Managing Change

40. I feel that this school as a whole is managed well
41. The leadership team in this school is sufficiently visible
42. I believe the actions of the leadership team are consistent with this school's values
43. I believe that leadership team has a clear vision for the future of this school
44. Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by the leadership team
45. I feel that change is managed well here
46. When changes are made here they are usually for the better
47. I am kept informed about matters that affect me
48. I have the opportunity to contribute my views before decisions are made that affect me
49. I think it is safe to challenge the way things are done here

Employee Engagement

50. I am proud when I tell others I am part of this school
51. I would recommend this school as a great place to work
52. I feel a strong personal attachment to this school
53. This school inspires me to do the best in my job
54. This school motivates me to help it achieve its objectives

Taking Action

55. I believe that the leadership team here will take action on the results from this survey

Organisational Culture

56. I am trusted to carry out my job effectively
57. I believe I would be supported if I try a new idea, even if it may not work
58. My performance is evaluated based on whether I get things done, rather than solely follow process
59. When I talk about this workplace I say 'we' rather than 'they'
60. I have some really good friendships at work

61. Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
62. Overall, to what extent do you think the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
63. Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
64. Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?

65. During the past 12 months have you personally experienced bullying or harassment at work?
66. (If yes) Who were you bullied or harassed by at work in the past 12 months?
    [Answer does not expect a name, just a choice from 'colleague', 'manager', 'member of the public', etc.]
67. During the past 12 months have you personally experienced discrimination at work?
68. (If yes) On which of the following grounds have you personally experienced discrimination at work in the past 12 months?
    

69. Which of the following statements most reflects your current thoughts about working here?
    - I want to leave as soon as possible
    - I want to leave within the next 12 months
    - I want to stay working here for at least the next year
    - I want to stay working here for at least the next three years

About the author: Bruce Greig is an entrepreneur and has been a school governor since 2011. He served as Chair of Governors through two Ofsted inspections and four headteachers. He set up SchoolStaffSurveys.com after discovering how enlightening an anonymous staff survey can be and decided to make it easy for every school to run them.