Write the Right Questions—What Your 2027 Employee Engagement Survey Should Measure

It’s survey season, but this year’s employee engagement survey should look a little different. In 2026 alone, the workplace changed dramatically. New AI tools and tensions, increased inclusion scrutiny, and employee burnout only scratch the surface of what employees juggle every day.

Newer ways of working are straining older systems

AI is reshaping the employee experience, and not always for the better. Seramount’s latest AI research shows that AI can exacerbate preexisting problems, such as overloaded workflows or unequal access to opportunity. For example, we found that 56 percent of women of color report having no AI sponsor, compared with 48 percent of white women.

And with inclusion strategies often on the chopping block, Seramount research found that only 72 percent of employees report an inclusive experience at work. This is a sharp decline from previous years, particularly among historically excluded talent groups.

Employee burnout also costs employers between $4,000 and $21,000 per employee annually. This means that a 1,000-person organization will feel a $5 million yearly impact.

Meanwhile, many leaders are wondering if their surveys can keep up. Stribe reports that 36 percent of HR leaders say that engagement surveys are the best way to gather feedback, but only 14 percent of leaders feel very confident that these surveys measure engagement effectively.

The bottom line? At this critical moment, organizations need clarity to retain happy, high-performing talent, but many don’t trust the tried-and-true method to get it.

Now more than ever, HR and inclusion leaders need to make more informed engagement decisions and find the cracks before culture crumbles. Drawing on more than 40 years of research and experience, Seramount has identified four factors that contribute to a healthy, productive, and inclusive workplace culture:

1. Psychological safety
2. Valued contributions
3. Reflected identities
4. Consistent cultural norms and expectations

Keep reading to learn how to write questions that measure these factors in your 2027 engagement survey.

1. Evaluate psychological safety

Psychological safety allows people to share ideas, admit mistakes, and raise concerns without fearing repercussions. Yet Seramount’s 2026 national poll of 1,800 U.S. workers found that comfort changes sharply based on who is listening. While 58 percent felt comfortable sharing ideas with peers, only 39 percent felt comfortable doing so with higher-level colleagues. A question such as “I feel safe speaking up” doesn’t consider whether they’re speaking to a colleague or a CEO. Therefore, it’s important to use language that accounts for the behavior and the audience.

Sample prompts

• I can challenge my manager’s ideas without fear of retaliation.
• I can raise concerns with leaders above my manager.
• I can report an inaccurate or biased AI output without fear of repercussions.

2. Learn whether employees believe their contributions are valued

Employees want evidence that colleagues listen to their ideas, managers respect their expertise, and leaders recognize their work. Instead of relying on “I feel valued,” ask about tangible experiences and conversations. Also, keep recognition, feedback, and decision-making in separate questions so leaders know what needs attention.

Sample prompts

• My manager gives me helpful and actionable feedback.
• My ideas influence team decisions.
• My manager recognizes the judgment I apply when reviewing AI output.

3. Ask whether employees see their identities reflected elsewhere

Consider measuring whether people see individuals with similar backgrounds to their own, such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, in leadership positions. This visible representation gives employees a signal about who can and cannot advance. Moreover, as AI continues to influence hiring, performance, and development, it’s important to measure who’s benefiting and who’s being left behind by AI.

For additional insights, pair these questions with optional demographic questions that allow people to self-identify. But always remember to protect anonymity when reporting results.

Sample prompts

• People of all backgrounds can succeed at my organization.
• I see people with backgrounds similar to mine in areas where important decisions are made.
• I have access to AI tools, training, and sponsorship that support my career growth.

4. Determine whether cultural norms are expected of all employees

Inclusive behavior becomes a cultural norm when leaders model it, managers reinforce it, and organizations hold people accountable to it. Questions such as “My company supports inclusion” only assess a pie-in-the-sky aspiration—not a day-to-day reality.

Pose separate questions around how leaders, managers, and colleagues promote inclusion so that strong results for one group do not mask problems in another. Also, define unfamiliar terms at the beginning of the survey rather than assuming people will interpret phrases, such as “responsible AI use,” the same way.

Sample prompts

• Senior leaders demonstrate that they value employees of all backgrounds.
• HR and talent teams explain how AI is used in hiring and performance decisions.
• My manager takes action when an AI tool creates an unfair outcome.

Turn answers into action

Inclusion and HR leaders can’t rely on yesterday’s questions to assess today’s workplace. Instead, use the four principles above to develop timely prompts that reveal the behaviors strengthening or weakening your organization’s culture and capabilities.

Remember, you’re using your annual survey to determine how employees are feeling, but employees will use that same survey to determine what their organization cares about. The questions you ask and how you ask them matter.