Work-Life Balance Survey: Step-by-step Guide (Questions + Template)

A comprehensive work-life balance survey works as a compass, guiding HR professionals and leaders in creating a workplace culture that values the well-being of its workforce.

In this article, we present a step-by-step guide to conducting a work-life balance survey, complete with a carefully curated set of questions and a template to help you get started. Let’s dive in.

Work-life balance survey questions: 22 Examples

Prioritizing employee well-being can result in higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and improved employee retention rates. Here's a list of exemplary questions you can use when you create the next employee satisfaction survey concerning work-life balance:

Workload and job demands

One of the crucial aspects of creating a balance between employees' professional and personal lives is considering the workload and job demands they have to face. Here are a few questions you could use:

• On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents "Very low" and 5 represents "Very high," please rate the overall workload in your current role.
• How often do you find yourself working beyond your regular working hours (e.g., evenings, weekends, holidays)?
• How often do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to complete?
• Are you able to complete your assigned tasks within the designated working hours?

Time management

Another critical aspect of improving work-life balance is avoiding employee burnout and helping employees understand how to manage their time more effectively. Here's a list of questions to learn how employees feel about their time management abilities:

• On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents "Very ineffective," and 5 represents "Very effective," how effective are you at prioritizing tasks and managing deadlines?
• How often do you find yourself working on tasks not aligned with your key responsibilities?
• Are you able to accomplish your daily tasks within the allocated time frame?

Flexibility and autonomy

Lack of autonomy to organize one's work can have a negative effect on the person's work-life balance. Here's a list of questions to detect whether employees are experiencing flexibility and autonomy in their professional lives:

• On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents "Very low" and 5 represents "Very high," how would you rate your flexibility in managing your work schedule?
• Are you able to adjust your work hours or schedule to accommodate personal commitments or responsibilities?
• How often do you have the option to work remotely or from home?

Work-life integration

Good work-life integration means more balance in employees' professional and personal routines. You can learn how they feel in this respect by asking such questions as:

• Do you feel your work allows flexibility and adaptability in managing personal and professional obligations?
• Have you ever had to skip a personal event because of work commitments?
• Are you encouraged to bring your authentic self to work and express your personal values and interests?

Work environment

Creating a good work-life balance means taking care of the work environment. When its  healthy, it can increase employees' overall happiness. Here are some question suggestions:

• How often do you experience a sense of collaboration and teamwork in your work environment?
• How often do you receive feedback and recognition for your work within the work environment?
• Are you satisfied with the level of communication and transparency within your work environment? (see also: communication effectiveness survey)

Well-being

Questions about well-being constitute another vital element of a work-life balance employee survey. Here are some examples:

• How often do you feel physically energized and healthy at work?
• How often do you experience symptoms of stress or burnout in your work environment?
• How often do you engage in activities that promote your mental and emotional well-being (e.g., mindfulness exercises, stress management techniques)?

Work-life balance initiatives

Initiatives aiming at achieving better work-life balance by employees are an essential part of a healthy workplace. Here's how you can ask about employee awareness of such initiatives:

• Have you utilized any of the work-life balance initiatives or programs provided by your organization?
• Which specific work-life balance initiatives or programs have you found most beneficial or impactful?
• Are there any work-life balance initiatives or programs you feel are lacking or could be improved within your organization?

How to conduct a work-life balance survey easily

1. Determine survey objectives

Start by clarifying the overall purpose of your survey. What specific information or insights do you hope to gather? Think of the key areas or aspects you want to understand or measure. 

2. Select survey tools

Google Forms is a popular solution for creating surveys, questionnaires, and other forms. However, it has limited design customization options, and the available templates are very basic.

If you want a tool that will allow you to create and schedule employee surveys easily, try Plai, our performance management software. It has a feature that enables you to create and distribute a work-life balance survey to gather employee feedback on their experiences, challenges, and suggestions related to work-life balance.

Plai allows you to:

Easily schedule the survey: Effortlessly schedule and remodel recurring surveys, seamlessly incorporating new participants, modifying questions as needed, and automatically adjusting participant roles to match your team configuration.

Analyze the results: Plai's comprehensive survey analytics allow you to monitor selected metrics such as eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) and identify behavioral patterns and trends over a period of time.

Set goals that employees can actively pursue to achieve a healthy work-life balance. With Plai, you can set objectives for employees that prioritize their well-being, personal growth, and quality time outside of work.

Use performance reviews and one-on-ones to discuss current work-life balance with your employees. Engage in collaborative agenda creation, keep track of meeting notes, and manage action items effectively.

3. Pick the questions

Choose straightforward, unambiguous questions that effectively capture the desired information. You should also ensure the survey is conducted legally, ethically, and sensitively.

If you have any doubts, consult a qualified healthcare professional or legal advisor for guidance and assistance.

4. Distribute the survey

If required, seek permission from relevant authorities or stakeholders before distributing the survey, especially if it involves sensitive health-related data. Utilize email lists, social media channels, or dedicated survey platforms to reach your audience.

4. Evaluate the outcomes

Compile the survey responses into a structured format, such as a spreadsheet, with each row representing a respondent and each column representing a question. Check for any errors or inconsistencies in the data. Remove duplicate entries, check for missing values, and ensure all responses have correct categories.

Plai makes analyzing survey results a lot easier. It provides valuable tools to assess the linear scale and eNPS questions over multiple survey rounds, including heatmap, participation rate reporting, and trends analysis. The user-friendly filter enables the customization of data views by:

• Round
• Teams
• Direct manager
• Users
• Locations
• Gender
• Age groups
• Tenure
• Facilitated Questions

How to act on work life balance survey HR tips

After you understand the well-being of employees and identify areas that require improvement, it is essential to take meaningful actions based on the survey results.

1. Identify common themes: Carefully analyze the data to identify common themes and trends. Look for response patterns related to workload, flexibility, support systems, and stress levels.
2. Assess and change current policies and practices: If the survey indicates a lack of flexibility or excessive workload, explore ways to introduce flexible work arrangements and job-sharing options or implement workload management strategies.(See also: change management survey)
3. Develop new strategies: Based on the survey results, develop new strategies to promote work-life balance within the organization. It might include offering wellness programs, organizing stress management workshops, or providing resources for employees to manage their work and personal commitments effectively.
4. Communicate and engage with employees: Communicate the survey results to all employees, highlighting the actions you plan to take. Encourage employee feedback and suggestions to foster a sense of ownership and involvement in the process.

Plai can be very helpful here. It allows you to: 

• Schedule regular one-on-one meetings
• Get HR analytics that helps you compare appraisal results from different perspectives 
• Obtain aggregated scores amongst team members and receive regular peer-to-peer feedback
• Use smart AI suggestions to get quick report analysis, hints on goals and feedback, and insights about your team and the whole organization

Survey template

Below is a template for a work-life balance survey. Feel free to customize it based on the needs and goals of your organization:

Work-Life Balance Survey‍

1. Workload and Responsibilities:

a. How would you rate your current workload and job responsibilities?

• Very manageable
•  Manageable with occasional challenges
• Often overwhelming

b. Do you feel comfortable discussing workload concerns with your manager or supervisor?

• Yes
• No
• Not sure

2. Flexibility and Work Arrangements:

a. Are flexible work arrangements (e.g., telecommuting, flexible hours) available to you?

• Yes, and I use them regularly
• Yes, but I rarely use them
• No, they are not available to me

b. If you use flexible work arrangements, how satisfied are you with their effectiveness in achieving work-life balance?

• Very satisfied
• Moderately satisfied
• Not satisfied

3. Stress and Well-Being:

a. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your stress levels at work?

- 1 (very low stress) to 10 (very high stress)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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b. Are there any specific work-related factors that contribute to your stress levels?

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

c. How well do you think the organization supports employee well-being?

• Very well
• Moderately well
• Not well

4. Personal Commitments and Time Management:

a.How often do you find managing personal commitments and work responsibilities challenging?

• Very often
• Occasionally
• Rarely

b. Do you feel comfortable discussing personal commitments and time management with your manager or supervisor?

• Yes
• No
• Not sure

5. Work-Life Balance Support:

a. Are you aware of the work-life balance policies and resources provided by the organization?

• Yes, and I have utilized them
• Yes, but I have not utilized them
• No, I am not aware of them

b. How effective do you find these work-life balance policies and resources?

• Very effective
• Moderately effective
• Not effective
  

Conclusion

By investing the time and effort to design a well-crafted survey, you demonstrate your organization's commitment to prioritizing the well-being of your workforce. So, take that first step now – sign up for Plai, launch your work-life balance survey and set the wheels of positive change in motion.

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