Manager feedback survey template: 14 questions about your direct manager
A free survey about the direct manager: 14 original questions on clarity, feedback, fairness, support and follow-through, plus how to use results to help managers improve.
Free to download. The spreadsheet scores the answers for you, including the two reverse-scored questions.
Template by GoldinKollar (goldinkollar.com). Free to use and adapt inside your organisation.
Managers shape much of what people experience at work. Gallup's research found that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in engagement scores across business units — differences between teams, not any one person's engagement. A survey about the direct manager is therefore one of the most useful a company can run — if the results are used to help managers improve, not to rank them.
What questions are in the direct-manager survey?
Fourteen questions about what managers do, each answered on the same five-point scale: 1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neither agree nor disagree, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree, with "not applicable" where it fits. Two questions, marked (reverse-scored), are worded so that agreeing signals a problem; the spreadsheet flips their scores for you.
| No. | Question | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My manager makes it clear what good work looks like in my role. | Clarity, the foundation of everything else |
| 2 | My manager gives me feedback on my work at least once a month. | Whether feedback is regular, not annual |
| 3 | My manager recognises good work when it happens. | Timely recognition |
| 4 | When I need help with a problem, my manager is hard to reach. | Access and support (reverse-scored) |
| 5 | My manager keeps the team informed about changes that affect us. | The manager as a communication channel |
| 6 | My manager explains the reasons behind decisions. | Whether people understand, not just comply |
| 7 | My manager treats all team members fairly. | Perceived fairness inside the team |
| 8 | My manager follows through on commitments made to the team. | Reliability and trust |
| 9 | I can raise a concern with my manager without fear of negative consequences. | Safety to speak up |
| 10 | My manager supports my development through training, new responsibilities or advice. | Investment in the person |
| 11 | My manager involves the team in decisions that affect our work. | Participation |
| 12 | My manager deals with conflicts in the team fairly. | Handling of difficult moments |
| 13 | My manager expects me to answer work messages outside my working hours. | Boundaries and workload (reverse-scored) |
| 14 | Overall, I would like to keep working for my current manager. | A summary item linked to retention |
Open questions
- What does your manager do that helps you most?
- What one thing could your manager do differently that would help you most?
How should you run this survey?
Protect respondents carefully, because answers about a manager feel riskier than any other topic. Report a manager's results only when at least five people answered, and merge smaller teams into a larger group. Remove names and identifying details from open answers before managers read them. Tell people in advance who will see what, and whether the survey is anonymous or confidential.
How do you act on the results?
Give each manager their own results privately first, with support to read them — a coach, an HR partner or a short guide. Ask each manager to choose one item to work on, share it with their team and report back in three months. Use company-wide patterns to design manager training. Do not use these results for performance ratings or bonuses: once people believe the survey can hurt their manager, or hurt them, the answers stop being honest.
Frequently asked questions
Is a manager survey the same as 360-degree feedback?
No. A 360 gathers feedback on one person from their manager, peers and direct reports, for that person's development; peers' and direct reports' answers are usually pooled so no one is identified. This survey collects confidential team views to improve management across the organisation.
What if a team has fewer than five people?
Combine it with a related team, or report only at a higher level. Never show results for a group below your minimum size.
How often should we run a manager survey?
Once a year is enough for most organisations, with a short pulse in between to check whether managers' chosen actions are working.
Sources
- Beck, R. and Harter, J. (2015), "Managers account for 70% of variance in employee engagement", Gallup. gallup.com
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