Too often, HR leaders are left guessing what employees actually value, what they’re confused by, or which programs go unused. Employee benefits are one of the most visible ways a company invests in its people. But here’s the catch: just because you offer benefits doesn’t mean employees feel supported by them.

That’s where a great employee benefits survey comes in. Done right, it’s a tool that gives HR and leaders clear, actionable insights that can guide smarter benefits decisions and benefits administration. 

The right employee benefits questionnaire can help you:

• Spot gaps in coverage or communication
• Understand how different employee groups perceive their benefits
• Pinpoint what’s driving satisfaction (or regret)
• Identify opportunities to improve ROI on your benefits spend

An effective employee benefits survey is a framework that will make your benefits program stronger year after year. Below, we’ll walk through how to structure your survey, the types of questions to ask, and 42 sample employee benefits survey questions you can pick and choose from — plus a free template to get you started. 

Benefits surveys present an excellent opportunity for HR teams to partner with brokers, as their expertise can add value throughout the benefit survey process.

How to Structure Your Employee Benefits Survey

Before you dive into drafting the actual questions on your survey, it’s worth stepping back to think about structure and what you’re trying to achieve. A well-designed survey helps you make sure all the data you get is representative and usable. 

The most effective employee benefits surveys start with a clear set of goals. Are you trying to measure overall satisfaction? Identify which benefits employees value most? Test the clarity of your communication? Or uncover gaps that could lead to missed care or turnover? Having 2–3 primary objectives in mind will keep your survey focused, ensure your questions are relevant, and make the results far easier to act on. Without defined goals, you risk collecting data that looks interesting on paper but doesn’t translate into smarter decisions.

Next, you want to think structure — and how you can best deliver on those goals. Here are a few ground rules:

• Anonymous or named?
  Most HR teams opt for anonymous surveys to encourage honest feedback. If you need follow-up on individual cases, consider an optional contact field.
  
• Timing and frequency.
  The best time to survey is right after a key moment (like open enrollment) and at least once annually. This gives you both real-time employee benefits feedback and a benchmark for year-over-year improvement.
  
• Mix of question types.
  Use a blend of closed (yes/no, multiple-choice), scale-based (1–5), and open-ended questions. Closed questions make data easy to analyze; open-ended questions uncover nuance.
  
• Segment responses.
  Break down results by demographics like age, family status, or role. Engagement often looks very different for a 25-year-old single employee versus a 45-year-old with dependents — and those differences matter.
  
• Keep it short and clear.
  Surveys that take more than 10–15 minutes to complete risk drop-off. At most, aim for 30–40 well-chosen questions grouped into categories so employees can move through quickly. However, you may want to begin with a smaller survey to start.

With the goals and structure in place, the next step is knowing what types of questions to ask about benefits choices, personalized benefits administration and healthcare compliance.

Types of Questions to Ask

The format of your questions matters as much as the content. Different types of questions give you different insights, and the best surveys use a mix. Here are the most common types you’ll want to include in your employee benefits survey:

• Rating scale questions.
  Example: “On a scale of 1–5, how satisfied are you with your current health plan?”
  Great for tracking changes over time and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
  
• Multiple choice questions.
  Example: “Which of the following voluntary benefits would you be most likely to use?”
  These help you measure preferences quickly and make the data easy to compare.
  
• Yes/No questions.
  Example: “Do you feel confident you understand how to use your dental benefits?”
  Simple but powerful for identifying clarity gaps.
  
• Open-ended questions.
  Example: “If you could change one thing about our benefits package, what would it be?”
  Open-ended responses can uncover unexpected insights that numbers alone might miss.
  
• Demographic questions.
  Example: “What is your age group?” or “Do you have dependents on your plan?”
  These allow you to segment responses and see how needs differ across your workforce.

Mixing these formats ensures you get both measurable data and rich qualitative feedback — employees like feedback plans — making your results more actionable. Your broker can be helpful here in crafting goals and expected outcomes.

42 Employee Benefits Survey Questions

1. Overall Benefits Satisfaction

These questions help you understand the big picture: do employees feel supported, valued, and confident in their benefits?

1. On a scale of 1–5, how satisfied are you with your overall benefits package?
   
2. Do you feel our benefits package meets your needs? (Yes/No)
   
3. How well do you understand the benefits currently available to you?
   
4. If you could change one thing about our benefits program, what would it be? (open ended)
   
5. On a scale of 1-5, compared to other employers you’ve worked for, how competitive do you feel our benefits are?
   
6. Do you feel confident that leadership invests appropriately in employee benefits? (Yes/No)
   
7. On a scale of 1-5, How well do our benefits reflect what you value most at this stage of your life or career?
    

2. Health & Wellness Benefits

Healthcare is often the centerpiece of benefits — but also the most complex. These questions uncover clarity and usage gaps.

8. How satisfied are you with your health insurance options?
   
9. Do you feel confident using your health plan (e.g., understanding coverage, copays, deductibles)?
   
10. In the past year, have you delayed or skipped care because you weren’t sure what your plan would cover? (Yes/No)
    
11. How satisfied are you with your dental and vision benefits?
    
12. How valuable do you find our wellness programs (e.g., fitness stipends, EAP, mental health support)?
    
13. What additional health or wellness benefits would you like to see offered?
    
14. How well do you feel our health benefits support preventive care and long-term well-being?
     

3. Retirement & Financial Benefits

These questions help you gauge whether employees feel prepared and supported in planning for the future.

15. How satisfied are you with our retirement plan options (e.g., 401(k), matching contributions)?
    
16. Do you feel confident you’re saving enough for retirement with the support of our benefits?
    
17. How satisfied are you with the financial education or planning resources available?
    
18. Would you be interested in additional financial wellness benefits (e.g., student loan repayment, budgeting tools, HSAs)?
    
19. Have you taken advantage of any company-provided financial resources in the past year? (Yes/No)
    
20. How satisfied are you with our company’s contributions (e.g., match, HSA/FSA contributions) toward your financial security?
    
21. Do you feel our financial benefits meet the needs of employees across all life stages?
     

4. Communication & Education

Even great benefits don’t work if employees don’t understand them. These questions assess the clarity and effectiveness of communication.

22. How clear and easy to understand is our benefits communication?
    
23. Which channels do you find most helpful for learning about your benefits? (e.g., email, text, webinars, in-person)
    
24. Do you feel you receive benefits information at the right time — not too early, not too late?
    
25. Have you ever regretted a benefits choice because you didn’t feel informed? (Yes/No)
    
26. Would you use interactive tools (like decision support software) to help guide benefits choices?
    
27. How would you rate the usefulness of benefits training sessions or resources provided by HR?
    
28. How relevant do you feel our benefits communication is to your personal situation?
     

5. Work-Life & Lifestyle Benefits

These benefits often tip the scales on satisfaction, especially for diverse workforces.

29. Which non-medical benefits do you value most (e.g., paid time off, flexible schedules, childcare, pet insurance)?
    
30. How satisfied are you with our PTO/vacation policies?
    
31. How well do our benefits support employees with families or caregiving responsibilities?
    
32. Do you feel our benefits package supports your work-life balance?
    
33. If you could add one new lifestyle benefit, what would it be?
    
34. How satisfied are you with any voluntary benefits (e.g., legal services, discounts, supplemental insurance)?
    
35. How supported do you feel by our benefits when it comes to mental health or stress management?
     

6. Compliance, Equity & Access

Benefits should be fair, accessible, and compliant — but many organizations have blind spots here.

36. Do you feel all employees have equal access to benefits information and resources?
    
37. Are you clear on your rights related to compliance programs like ACA or COBRA?
    
38. Do you feel part-time or seasonal employees are supported fairly through benefits?
    
39. Have you ever had difficulty enrolling in or changing your benefits? (Yes/No)
    
40. Do you feel our benefits are inclusive and relevant to employees with diverse family structures or identities?
    
41. What could we do to make benefits more inclusive and equitable across our workforce?

A quick note on survey design: 

While it’s tempting to pile on every possible question, balance matters. Open-ended, ranked, or matrixed questions are valuable for uncovering nuance, but they also take more time and effort to answer. If you overuse them, employees may abandon the survey before finishing. A good rule of thumb is to keep these at no more than 5–10% of your total questions.

As for overall length, aim for a survey that takes 10-15 minutes max to complete. In most organizations, that translates to 30-40 well-structured questions. Any longer, and you risk fatigue and lower-quality responses, which undermines the very insights you’re trying to capture.You may wish to begin with a shorter set of questions to start. 

Your Free Employee Benefits Survey Template

Designing a survey from scratch can feel daunting, especially if you’re trying to balance goals, structure, and question types. To make it easier, we’ve put together a customizable employee benefits survey template you can use as a starting point.

The template includes:

• Pre-loaded sample questions grouped into categories
• Clear instructions for editing, adding, or removing items
• Suggested formats (rating scales, multiple choice, open-ended)
• Guidance on timing, distribution, and follow-up

It’s designed in Adobe Acrobat so you can download, make a copy, and tailor it to your organization’s unique needs.

Download your free employee benefits survey template here! 

Take the Next Step: Make Benefits Work Better with Selerix

Employee benefits surveys are a powerful tool — but the real magic happens when you put the insights into action. By listening to employees and adjusting your programs and benefits administration software accordingly, you show your workforce that their feedback matters. That builds trust, drives engagement, and ultimately makes your benefits investment go further.

At Selerix, we help HR leaders go beyond surveys. Our platform makes it simple to communicate benefits clearly, personalize the experience, and track engagement year-round. That way, you don’t just collect feedback — you use it to create a benefits experience employees actually value.

Turn Insights Into Action

See how Selerix helps HR leaders translate survey results into stronger communication, smarter benefits administration, and better employee engagement.

Book a Demo

FAQs About Employee Benefits Survey Questions

Q1. What are 5 good survey questions for employees?
Great starter questions include:

1. How satisfied are you with our overall benefits package?
2. Do you feel confident you understand your benefits?
3. Which of our current benefits do you value most?
4. Have you ever regretted your benefits choice?
5. What one change or addition would improve your benefits experience?
   

Q2. How do you ask about employee benefits?
Keep your wording clear and neutral. Avoid jargon and frame questions in plain language (e.g., “Do you feel confident using your health plan?” rather than “Rate your confidence in navigating provider networks”).

Q3. Should employee benefits surveys be anonymous?
In most cases, yes. Anonymity encourages honest, candid feedback. If you want the option to follow up, add an open field at the end where employees can share their name voluntarily.

Q4. How long should an employee benefits survey take?
Ideally 10–15 minutes. In most cases, that means no more than 30–40 well-structured questions. Longer surveys risk fatigue and incomplete responses.

Q5. When’s the best time to run a benefits survey?
Right after open enrollment (or new employee enrollment) is the most valuable, since employees’ experience is fresh in mind. Running an annual survey mid-year is also smart for benchmarking and spotting trends.

Bringing Your Employee Benefits Satisfaction Survey Together

At the end of the day, employee benefits surveys are one of the simplest ways to show your people you’re listening. When employees feel heard, they’re more likely to trust the process, take advantage of the benefits you’ve worked hard to provide, and stay engaged for the long haul. 

The questions are important, but what really matters is what you do next: acting on feedback, closing gaps, and keeping the conversation going. Acting on the information you receive in surveys is an important measure of trust. That’s how benefits move from being paperwork to becoming a meaningful part of the employee experience — and it’s a terrific opportunity for brokers to partner closely with clients.