Manager Effectiveness Survey: Questions, Templates & Best Practices

Managers are the single greatest lever an organization has for employee engagement, retention, and performance. Gallup's research consistently shows that managers account for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement scores. Yet most organizations have limited visibility into how well their managers actually lead day to day. Manager effectiveness surveys close that gap by giving employees a structured, confidential way to provide feedback on their manager's leadership.

This guide covers everything you need to design, launch, and act on manager effectiveness surveys, including 50+ ready-to-use questions, templates, analysis methods, and best practices for turning survey data into real improvement.

Why Measure Manager Effectiveness?

The Business Case

Poor management is expensive. A 2025 SHRM study estimated that the cost of replacing an employee who leaves due to a bad manager ranges from 50% to 200% of their annual salary. When you consider that managers are the primary reason people leave organizations, the ROI of identifying and developing struggling managers becomes clear.

Key statistics that support measuring manager effectiveness:

• Employees who rate their manager as "excellent" are 5x more likely to be engaged at work (Gallup, 2025)
• Teams with highly rated managers achieve 21% higher productivity compared to teams with low-rated managers (McKinsey, 2024)
• Organizations that regularly survey manager effectiveness and act on results see 34% lower voluntary turnover (Bersin, 2025)
• 82% of employees say they would consider leaving their job because of a bad manager (GoodHire, 2025)

Beyond the Numbers

Manager effectiveness surveys also serve important cultural purposes:

• Signal that leadership matters — Measuring it demonstrates that the organization takes management quality seriously
• Empower employees — Giving people a voice in evaluating their leaders builds trust and psychological safety
• Create accountability — Managers who know they will be evaluated invest more in their leadership skills
• Identify development needs — Survey data pinpoints exactly where managers need support, replacing generic training with targeted development

Survey Design Principles

Before choosing questions, establish a design framework that ensures your survey produces reliable, actionable data.

Anonymity and Confidentiality

Employees will not provide honest feedback if they fear retaliation. Establish and communicate these safeguards:

• Minimum response threshold — Do not share results for managers with fewer than 4-5 direct reports to prevent identification
• Aggregate reporting — Present data at the theme or category level, not individual comment level
• Third-party administration — Consider using an external survey tool to reinforce confidentiality
• Clear communication — Explain exactly who will see what, and repeat this message multiple times before and during the survey

Rating Scale Selection

The most commonly used and statistically reliable scale for manager surveys is a 5-point Likert scale:

Some organizations prefer a 6-point scale (removing the neutral option) to force a directional response. Both approaches are valid. The key is consistency: use the same scale across all questions and all survey administrations.

Survey Length

Target 20-30 questions. Surveys shorter than 15 questions may not provide enough dimensional coverage, while surveys longer than 35 questions suffer from fatigue-driven drop-off. A well-designed 25-question survey with 2-3 open-ended questions takes approximately 10-12 minutes to complete, which is the sweet spot for response rates.

Include Open-Ended Questions

Quantitative ratings tell you what to pay attention to; open-ended responses tell you why. Include 2-3 open-ended questions to capture nuance that Likert scales cannot.

50+ Manager Effectiveness Survey Questions

The following questions are organized by competency category. Select 3-5 questions from each relevant category to build your survey.

Communication (Questions 1-9)

1. My manager communicates expectations for my role and responsibilities clearly.
2. My manager keeps me informed about decisions and changes that affect my work.
3. My manager is approachable and available when I need to discuss work-related issues.
4. My manager listens to my ideas and concerns with genuine interest.
5. My manager provides timely updates on team goals, priorities, and organizational changes.
6. My manager communicates difficult news honestly and with empathy.
7. My manager fosters open dialogue within the team, encouraging diverse perspectives.
8. My manager tailors their communication style to the needs of the situation and audience.
9. I feel comfortable raising concerns or disagreeing with my manager without fear of negative consequences.

Coaching and Development (Questions 10-19)

10. My manager provides regular, constructive feedback that helps me improve my performance.
11. My manager takes an active interest in my career development and growth.
12. My manager helps me identify and pursue development opportunities (training, stretch assignments, mentoring).
13. My manager conducts meaningful 1:1 meetings that are focused on my needs, not just status updates.
14. My manager provides recognition and praise when I do good work.
15. My manager helps me understand how my work contributes to the team's and organization's goals.
16. My manager gives me actionable feedback that I can immediately apply to my work.
17. My manager supports me in learning from mistakes rather than punishing failure.
18. My manager advocates for my advancement and visibility within the organization.
19. My manager has helped me build skills that make me more effective in my current role.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving (Questions 20-27)

20. My manager makes decisions in a timely manner, even when information is incomplete.
21. My manager considers input from the team before making decisions that affect our work.
22. My manager provides clear rationale for decisions, especially when the outcome is different from what the team recommended.
23. My manager demonstrates sound judgment under pressure and during ambiguous situations.
24. My manager empowers me to make decisions within my scope of responsibility without excessive oversight.
25. My manager takes responsibility for their decisions rather than blaming the team or external factors when things go wrong.
26. My manager effectively prioritizes work and helps the team focus on the highest-impact activities.
27. My manager removes obstacles and resolves issues that block the team's progress.

Team Development and Culture (Questions 28-37)

28. My manager creates an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued and respected.
29. My manager fosters collaboration and teamwork rather than internal competition.
30. My manager addresses conflict within the team constructively and fairly.
31. My manager holds all team members to the same standards, without favoritism.
32. My manager promotes a healthy work-life balance and respects boundaries.
33. My manager builds trust within the team through consistent, transparent behavior.
34. My manager celebrates team successes and gives credit to those who contributed.
35. My manager hires and retains talented people who strengthen the team.
36. My manager creates an environment where it is safe to take risks and innovate.
37. My manager actively works to develop a diverse team and promotes equity in opportunities.

Strategic Thinking and Alignment (Questions 38-44)

38. My manager clearly communicates how our team's work aligns with the organization's strategic priorities.
39. My manager adapts the team's approach when business conditions or priorities change.
40. My manager thinks beyond day-to-day operations and drives strategic initiatives.
41. My manager sets ambitious but achievable goals for the team.
42. My manager demonstrates a clear understanding of our industry and competitive landscape.
43. My manager allocates resources and assigns work in a way that maximizes team impact.
44. My manager effectively represents our team's interests and needs to senior leadership.

Accountability and Performance Management (Questions 45-51)

45. My manager sets clear performance expectations and holds team members accountable.
46. My manager addresses underperformance directly and fairly rather than avoiding difficult conversations.
47. My manager provides honest assessments of my work, even when the feedback is difficult to hear.
48. My manager follows through on commitments and keeps their promises.
49. My manager models the behaviors and values they expect from the team.
50. My manager distributes work fairly across the team based on skills, capacity, and development needs.
51. My manager evaluates my performance based on results and impact, not just hours worked or visibility.

Open-Ended Questions (Questions 52-55)

52. What does your manager do best as a leader?
53. What is one thing your manager could do differently to be more effective?
54. Describe a specific instance where your manager's leadership had a positive impact on you or the team.
55. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with your manager?

Survey Templates

Template A: Concise Survey (15 Questions)

Best for organizations running their first manager effectiveness survey or for frequent pulse checks (quarterly).

Select:

• Communication: Questions 1, 3, 9
• Coaching and Development: Questions 10, 14, 15
• Decision-Making: Questions 24, 27
• Team Development: Questions 28, 31, 32
• Accountability: Questions 45, 48
• Open-Ended: Questions 52, 53

Template B: Comprehensive Survey (25 Questions)

Best for annual or semi-annual deep assessments.

Select:

• Communication: Questions 1, 3, 5, 6, 9
• Coaching and Development: Questions 10, 11, 13, 14, 17
• Decision-Making: Questions 20, 24, 26, 27
• Team Development: Questions 28, 30, 31, 32, 36
• Strategic Thinking: Questions 38, 41
• Accountability: Questions 45, 46, 48
• Open-Ended: Questions 52, 53, 55

Template C: Leadership Deep Dive (30 Questions)

Best for senior leadership assessment or executive development programs.

Select all questions from:

• Decision-Making: Questions 20-27
• Team Development: Questions 28-37
• Strategic Thinking: Questions 38-44
• Plus selected questions from Communication (1, 6, 9) and Coaching (10, 11, 18)
• Open-Ended: Questions 52, 53, 54, 55

Analysis and Action Planning

Collecting data is only valuable if you act on it. Here is how to analyze survey results and translate them into meaningful improvement.

Quantitative Analysis

Key metrics to calculate:

Interpreting scores:

• 4.0-5.0: Strength area. Recognize and reinforce.
• 3.5-3.9: Adequate but has room for growth. Include in development conversations.
• 3.0-3.4: Concern area. Requires targeted development.
• Below 3.0: Critical gap. Needs immediate intervention and support.

Qualitative Analysis

For open-ended responses:

1. Code responses into themes — Group similar comments together (e.g., "communication," "recognition," "micromanagement")
2. Count theme frequency — The most mentioned themes represent the strongest signals
3. Identify specific examples — Pull out concrete, behavioral descriptions that can anchor development conversations
4. Note outliers — Single extreme comments may not represent the team's experience but should not be dismissed

The Action Planning Process

Once analysis is complete, guide each manager through this process:

Step 1: Review and Reflect (Individual)

Share results with the manager privately. Give them 48 hours to process the data before any discussion. Provide a reflection worksheet that asks:

• What surprises you in this data?
• What validates what you already suspected?
• Which 1-2 areas would have the greatest impact if improved?

Step 2: Debrief with HR or Coach

A trained HR business partner or executive coach should walk through the results with the manager, helping them:

• Interpret the data accurately (avoid over- or under-reacting)
• Connect quantitative scores to qualitative themes
• Identify root causes, not just symptoms
• Begin drafting development priorities

Step 3: Create a Development Plan

Focus on 2-3 specific behaviors to change, not broad competency areas. Effective development plans include:

• The behavior to change — Stated in observable, measurable terms
• The target outcome — What success looks like
• Specific actions — Concrete steps the manager will take
• Support needed — Coaching, training, or resources required
• Timeline — Milestones and check-in dates

Example Development Action:

Step 4: Share Themes with the Team

Managers should close the loop with their team by sharing high-level themes from the survey (without revealing individual responses) and the specific actions they plan to take. This transparency builds trust and demonstrates that the survey leads to real change.

Step 5: Follow Up

Schedule 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins to track progress on the development plan. Consider running a brief pulse survey (5-7 questions) at the 90-day mark to measure whether the team has observed improvement.

Frequency and Timing

How Often to Survey

Recommendation: Conduct a comprehensive survey annually (25+ questions) supplemented by quarterly pulse surveys (8-10 questions focused on the most critical areas).

When to Deploy

• After the performance review cycle — Captures the full review experience while it is fresh
• Avoid holiday periods and major deadlines — Response rates drop during high-stress or low-attendance windows
• Leave the survey open for 10-14 days — Shorter windows hurt response rates; longer windows reduce urgency
• Send 2-3 reminders — Spaced across the survey window, focusing on confidentiality and the importance of participation

Target Response Rates

Aim for 70% or higher participation to ensure statistical validity and signal organizational buy-in. If response rates fall below 50%, the data may not be representative and could be skewed by the most engaged or most disengaged employees.

Tactics to improve response rates:

• Executive sponsorship and visible endorsement
• Emphasis on anonymity and confidentiality
• Sharing examples of past survey-driven improvements
• Making the survey accessible on mobile devices
• Keeping the survey to 12 minutes or less

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Surveying without acting — Nothing destroys survey credibility faster than collecting feedback and doing nothing with it. If you cannot commit to action planning, do not launch the survey.
2. Sharing raw data recklessly — Protect anonymity at all costs. Never share individual comments with managers of very small teams where respondents could be identified.
3. Using results punitively — Surveys should fuel development, not punishment. Managers who fear the survey will weaponize data against them will lobby their teams to inflate scores.
4. Ignoring context — A manager with low scores who just inherited a struggling team needs a different conversation than a tenured manager with a steady decline. Context matters.
5. One-size-fits-all development — Avoid sending every manager with a low score to the same generic leadership workshop. Tailor development to the specific gaps the data reveals.
6. Survey fatigue — If employees are being surveyed about everything all the time, manager effectiveness survey response rates will suffer. Coordinate with other survey programs across the organization.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Manager effectiveness surveys are one of the most impactful tools available for improving leadership quality across your organization. When designed thoughtfully, administered with appropriate safeguards, and followed by genuine action, they create a virtuous cycle: better data leads to better development, which leads to better management, which leads to better outcomes for everyone.

To get started:

1. Choose your template — Select Template A (15 questions) for your first survey or Template B (25 questions) for a more thorough assessment
2. Establish confidentiality protocols — Communicate them clearly and repeatedly
3. Set a timeline — Plan for survey deployment, analysis, manager debrief, and action planning
4. Train your HR team — Ensure they can analyze data, facilitate debrief conversations, and coach managers on development planning
5. Commit to follow-through — Block time for the full action planning cycle before you launch the survey
6. Measure progress — Plan your follow-up pulse survey before the initial survey even closes

Great managers are not born. They are developed through feedback, coaching, and intentional practice. Manager effectiveness surveys provide the foundation for all three.