While firms face restricted employment markets, greater complexity, and changing organizational structures, the power balance has shifted toward employees. Dissatisfied workers today have many choices beyond their existing employment, making employee engagement and fulfillment more important than ever.

In an increasingly competitive industry, leaders and managers must decide how to retain great people. To overcome this obstacle, we must leverage the link between team thought, engagement, and performance. Asking the proper questions and encouraging continual development empowers our workers to succeed and contribute to the company's success.

This article covers 19 thought-provoking team engagement questions any leader should ask. These questions can help you assess employee engagement, unlock potential, and create a vibrant and harmonious workplace. This proactive strategy will improve team and organizational performance.

Is Team Engagement Really Important?

Engaged teams are more productive, improving revenue and business results. Gallup says highly engaged teams are 17% more productive. Employees work more when they care about their jobs and the company's objectives. They also encourage creativity and adaptation, which boost profits by 21% and give companies an edge.

Engagement attracts top talent and builds a healthier, more resilient team. Leaders may establish cohesive, high-performing teams that succeed in today's fast-paced corporate environment by prioritizing team engagement.

Did you know that companies usually assume a lot of things about their employees based on their performance and overall behavior? However, these indicators might not give you an actual idea of the real motivators and inspirations of your employees.

In order to get a clear picture of how engaged your employees actually are, you need to ask them the right questions. We've made your work a bit easier by listing out 19 questions to assess employee engagement at your company.

#1 What do you adore most about your work? Is there a way we can use this to build commitment and collaboration?

Figure out what the representative loves most about their work. Is it making presentations, concocting the right numbers, or any such thing? Then, at that point, double down on that and settle on something worth agreeing on between the group and individual objectives.

#2 How might we associate your work with our group's main goal to encourage solidarity?

Finding the right fit between an employee's capability and the organization's objectives is critical. The organization and employees can assemble an atmosphere that motivates and drives them to succeed!

#3 How can we increase team communication?

Successful teams depend on good communication to collaborate, comprehend, and synergize. We can improve team relationships and productivity by recognizing and improving our communication methods.

#4 Can we assist you in locating career-boosting skill development?

For long-term success, your company needs unmatched loyalty and involvement. One of the best ways to do this is to improve your employees. You may unleash their latent talent that will take your company to new heights by investing in their growth and development.

Even praise can be personalized in this age and time. Customizing praise to someone's tastes encourages excellent conduct and creates appreciation and reward.  

#6 How might we upgrade the balance between serious work and fun activities for yourself and the group?

Work fulfillment, burnout, and commitment increase with a balance between fun and serious activities, which shows that the company really focuses on workers. Assisting your team with further developing their balance between work and fun activities is the best thing you can accomplish for them.

#7 Can we provide you with greater autonomy and decision-making ability to empower and own your role?

Autonomy gives employees a sense of ownership and motivates them to achieve goals. Some employees do not like to be micromanaged and love to have their own little space of freedom at the office. Learn which one they prefer, and if possible, allow them to work accordingly.

#8 Are there any barriers to your involvement, and how can we address them to improve the workplace?

Addressing issues quickly avoids disengagement and enhances the workplace, fostering a productive team culture. There might be personal or even psychological barriers preventing employees from proper engagement at the office. This question tries to understand what that might be.

#9 How do you feel about our team's feedback process, and how can we improve it to foster constructive feedback and growth?

Good feedback cultivates learning and progress. Giving feedback helps establish a different culture where constructive criticism is welcomed and used to enhance performance. But make sure to keep the feedback constructive rather than just negative.

Cross-functional cooperation generates creativity and teamwork through sharing information and addressing problems creatively. It also helps increase harmony and decrease any interdepartmental conflict. 

#11 How can we foster a development mentality among team members, encouraging risk-taking and learning from mistakes?

A growth mindset creates resilience, challenge-taking, and ongoing progress and engagement. To have a general idea of where to start, the leader must ask the team members where they stand in terms of these aspects.

#12 Stretch tasks or projects to improve your talents and push yourself.

Stretch assignments push employees and inspire them to learn. But before implementing them, it is quite important to understand their take on such ideas. Not every employee might be into the idea of stretch assignments or projects.

#13 What can we do to make the team feel more connected and valued?

Belonging and inclusion build a friendly and cohesive workplace culture that values varied opinions, increasing engagement and cooperation. Again, the idea of feeling valued doesn't mean the same for everyone. The best way to go about this is by directly asking for employee preferences.

#14 To engage everyone, how can we increase openness and communication regarding team goals, progress, and organizational changes?

Communication and transparency establish trust and reduce uncertainty and fear, increasing team participation. If employees are given access to the everyday happenings in the company related to their project, it would help alleviate their anxiety and stress to a great extent.

Appreciation motivates and reinforces positive contributions, improving job satisfaction and engagement. The mere act of asking this question in and of itself goes a long way when we think from the perspective of the employees. 

#16 What incentives and recognition programs would inspire you and your team to succeed?

Personalizing rewards and recognition programs boost motivation and engagement. As the leader asks the team members to give their input on the kind of reward system they would like to have implemented, it would not only enhance the engagement of such employees but also increase their productivity as well.

Additionally, you can infuse creativity into recognition programs to celebrate team achievements and contributions in fun and exciting ways.

#17 How can we create a healthy workplace that promotes your physical and mental health?

Promoting a healthy workplace demonstrates concern for employees, which boosts productivity and engagement. I don't think any other question would have such a big impact on employees as this one would. Letting the employees know that you are concerned about them and their well-being, goes a long, long way.

#18 What community involvement or social responsibility activities would you like the team to participate in to increase purpose and impact?

Community outreach boosts team morale and engagement by giving employees a purpose outside of work. When done as a team, it makes them feel as though they are a part of something good that makes a positive difference in the world.

#19 How can we periodically analyze and quantify team engagement to guarantee continual progress and growth toward a highly engaged and thriving team?

Assessing team engagement levels regularly helps executives find areas for growth and adopt methods to keep teams motivated. Continuous assessment fosters development and improvement.

The Final Question

The most important question to ask yourself is, "Is there anything else I can do for my team?" Simply asking questions for the sake of it won't make a difference. Team involvement is the foundation of a successful business. Leaders must prioritize their teams' well-being and contentment to boost productivity, and collaboration.

They should create an atmosphere where people feel appreciated, driven, and connected to the team's goal by asking deep and meaningful questions. Aligning strengths with positions, encouraging open communication, and offering growth opportunities show your commitment to a good and empowered workplace.

ThriveSparrow helps you put these principles into action by offering research-backed engagement surveys that provide valuable insights into employee sentiment. These insights empower data-driven decision-making, helping you create a workplace where your team feels valued and connected to your organization's goals.

Prioritize your team's well-being with ThriveSparrow.

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1. What questions should leaders ask their employees?

Leaders should ask a range of questions to address challenges, roadblocks, and any other concerns that their team members might have. These questions should foster engagement, and improve communication and collaboration with their teams.

Here are a few of them you can ask in person or through a survey:

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a. What do you adore most about your work?

b. Can we assist you with any skill development to boost your career?

c. How can we improve the balance between work and fun for both individuals and the group?

2. What can leaders do to improve employee engagement?

Leaders can improve employee engagement by:

1. Asking meaningful questions.
2. Connecting work to purpose.
3. Supporting skill development.
4. Balancing work and fun.
5. Customizing recognition.
6. Offering autonomy.
7. Addressing barriers.
8. Fostering communication.
9. Promoting well-being.
10. Encouraging community involvement.
11. Continuous assessment.

3. What are some team-building activities leaders can incorporate to improve employee engagement?

Team building activities are important for employees to engage more at work, and to bond and foster better collaboration and communication with others. Here are some team-building activities that can enhance employee engagement.

1. Plan outdoor adventures.
2. Cross-Department projects to encourage collaboration.
3. Organize skill-building workshops.
4. Engage in volunteer work (Community service)
5. Host lunch and dinner gatherings.
6. Implement peer recognition programs.
7. Play team-building games and challenges.
8. Improve problem-solving by tackling real-world scenarios.
9. Arrange off-site team-building retreats.
10. Incorporate trust falls and games.