Gallup, Inc. is an American analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C. Founded by George Gallup in 1935, the company became known for its public opinion polls conducted worldwide.

One of its more famous surveys is the Q12 that measures employee engagement. It consists of twelve actionable workplace elements that offer proven links to performance outcomes.

Here are the 12 questions and their underlying importance and references to employee engagement –

Q1 I know what is expected of me at work

This question addresses one’s ability to understand their place within the organization or one’s team. Do employees know how their role is defined? Are they aware of their responsibilities on any given day? Unclear expectations lead to poor engagement.

Q2: I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right

Without the proper tools at their disposal, employees cannot do their job to the highest degree possible. This question is meant to address the discrepancy between what employees have and what they need to produce results.

Q3: At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day

Do employees feel that they are given tasks that effectively utilize their unique set of skills? This question uncovers if employees are in the right jobs and if the organization understands how to maximize their efforts.

Q4: In the last 7 days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work

Simply put: does anyone notice an employee’s effort? This question focuses on the organization’s ability to pinpoint and highlight outstanding individual contributions.

Q5: My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person

Unfortunately, some organizations see their workforce as nothing but labor. This question aims to uncover how emotionally engaged the leaders in your organization already are.

Q6: There is someone at work who encourages my development

Without effective leadership or an encouraging atmosphere, engagement cannot thrive because it is not conducive to such conditions. Is there an encouraging presence within your team or does everyone go about their own business on any given day?

Q7: At work, my opinion seems to count

Do leaders take employee thoughts and opinions into consideration? This question looks at whether everyone is headed in the same direction or just along for the ride when it comes to brand goals.

Q8: The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important

How well do employees feel they relate to the goals of your organization? If employees aren’t in full agreement with where the company wants to go and the role they play in helping you get there, engagement is doomed because there’s nothing to strive for in the long-term.

Q9: My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work

If employees feel coworkers are not as committed as they are, they may feel they are making up for the lack of effort from fellow team members. You should aim to ensure that your team is working in unison and can complete their tasks at the highest levels. 

Q10: I have a best friend at work

Relationships are important and act as an encouraging sign that a team is working as one. If everyone in the organization operates on a different wavelength, it will ultimately hinder the team’s ability to operate as a whole.

Q11: In the last 6 months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress

If employees are doing something wrong, yet no one tells them it’s wrong, they're doomed to continue repeating the same mistakes. By checking in with and encouraging personal growth, team members can maintain more realistic workplace goals.

Q12: This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow

Is there a program in place that encourages personal growth and allows for opportunity to further skills and abilities? This question is designed to uncover your organization’s current engagement levels, as they relate to continued training and education.

Gallup’s Q12 is a simple and good starting point to get to know the engagement of employees. Each question is an indicator levers that, if addressed, can help improve the state of engagement in an organization and among its employees.

Ready for a deeper dive? Click on this link for detailed coverage of each Q12 Employee Engagement question.