Leading or manipulative questions are among the most common mistakes in online surveys. Your wording provably influences how respondents answer. As a rule, though, you need honest, subjective answers. Respondents should not tick what you think is right, but what they themselves think. Only then is the analysis a solid basis for decisions.
No judgemental or presumptuous wording
Words that carry a judgement or a built-in expectation steer the answer:
- Wrong: “Don’t you agree that our service is excellent?” The answer is already prescribed.
- Wrong: “How much do you like our new design?” It assumes that you like it.
- Neutral: “How satisfied are you with our service?” with a balanced scale.
One-sided questions produce one-sided answers
“What did you like least?” makes respondents more critical overall, “What did you like most?” more favourable. Ask neutrally, or capture praise and criticism in two separate questions.
Balanced answer scales
The scale must not pull in one direction either. If it runs from “very good” to “satisfactory”, the negative side is missing and you automatically get better ratings. Use an equal number of positive and negative steps so every opinion has room.
Avoid pre-selected answers too, such as a top grade that is already ticked. More on this under Imprecise Answer Options.
What is LamaPoll?
LamaPoll is an online survey tool for creating employee surveys and measuring employee satisfaction. With us, you can create, conduct, and analyse all types of employee surveys.
Set up your employee survey in just a few steps, customise it with your company's corporate design, and invite your employees conveniently by email or via your intranet. You'll gather insights to boost employee satisfaction in no time. Sign up for free with our online survey tool. You can then run surveys for up to 50 employees immediately and with no obligation. If you need more responses for your online employee survey, simply use our monthly plans. You can also make use of our templates and examples for employee survey questionnaires.
