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Run your workplace survey

Download questions, collect responses, then prepare a results file for analysis.

Choose your questions

Use the Prior Work questions

The supplied survey covers 20 factors with 88 items on 5-point scales. It combines established measures with bespoke items. Check the questions and their sources for suitability in your workplace.

Download survey questions (.csv)

This file contains questions and response scores, not completed results. Check the wording and numeric scores when setting up your survey platform.

Already use another instrument? Keep its wording and scoring protocol.Prepare an existing survey for upload.

What the survey measures - 20 factors, 88 items (click to expand)
Role Overload4 items
Cognitive Demand4 items
Emotional Demand4 items
Role Ambiguity4 items
Role Conflict4 items
Work-Life Conflict4 items
Job Insecurity4 items
Job Control4 items
Supervisor Support4 items
Co-Worker Support4 items
Recognition4 items
Procedural Justice4 items
Change Consultation4 items
Workplace Relationships4 items
Development & Growth4 items
Meaningful Work4 items
Psychological Safety4 items
Work Engagement4 items
Burnout6 items
Psychological Distress (K10)10 items
Job demands
Job resources
Personal & growth resources
Outcomes

Before you send the survey

  • Consult workers and their representatives about the purpose and how findings will lead to action.
  • Explain who can see responses, where data is processed and how you will protect confidentiality.
  • Set a closing date and tell workers when they will hear back. Allow time to respond during work.
  • Choose a platform that exports one row per respondent. Check its privacy settings and whether numeric response scores are preserved.

The questions include work conditions and health and wellbeing outcomes. Use the findings for group-level workplace improvement.

Suggested timing & channels (click to expand)
WhenChannelMessage
2 weeks beforeTeam briefing / all-staff emailWhy we're doing this, what's confidential. Watch for the survey link on [date].
1 week beforeManager briefing (separate)Full briefing - what they'll see, what they won't, and their role.
Launch dayEmail + intranet + stand-upSurvey is live. Link, closes [date], ~10 minutes. Results feed into focus groups in [month].
MidpointReminder from senior leaderResponse rate nudge. Reiterate confidentiality. Closes [date].
After closeEmail to participantsThank you. Reviewing results. Watch for focus group invitations in [timeframe].
After focus groupsBriefing + written summaryThanks. Working through everything and will bring recommendations back. Updates in [month].

Templates for the key comms. Edit to suit.

Pre-launch staff email (.docx)Manager briefing guide (.docx)Results communication template (.docx)
Question sources and permissions

The questions draw on HSE Management Standards Indicator Tool items (Cousins et al. 2004, UK Open Government Licence v3.0), Kessler K10 items (public domain) and bespoke items (© 2026 Prior Work, CC BY-SA 4.0). Retain source and licence notices when using the question bank. The download contains item source notes.Read factor definitions and references.

Once responses are collected, prepare the results for upload →

Survey FAQ - response rates, demographics, translation, L/M/H coding, and more.

Read the survey FAQ →