Wellbeing Survey Dimensions
| Dimension | What It Measures | Sample Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Physical wellbeing | Health behaviors, chronic conditions, energy levels | "How would you rate your overall physical health?" |
| Mental wellbeing | Stress, anxiety, depression, resilience | "How often do you feel overwhelmed by stress at work?" |
| Financial wellbeing | Financial stress, savings, debt | "How confident are you that you could handle a $1,000 unexpected expense?" |
| Social wellbeing | Relationships, belonging, community | "Do you feel a sense of belonging at work?" |
| Purpose/meaning | Job satisfaction, meaning, engagement | "Does your work give you a sense of purpose?" |
Validated Survey Instruments
Validated wellbeing survey instruments — the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the HERO Employee Health Management Best Practices Scorecard, and the CDC's HRQOL-14 — provide benchmarkable data that allows comparison to national and industry norms. Using a validated instrument is more valuable than developing a custom survey, because it enables benchmarking.
Survey Confidentiality
Compliance Note
Wellbeing surveys must be anonymous to encourage honest responses. Employees who fear that their survey responses will be seen by their manager or used against them will not respond honestly. Use a third-party survey platform that aggregates responses and provides only group-level data to the employer. Never attempt to identify individual survey respondents.