Quick links
📊 The Problem with Scores
❓ Why Behavioural Questions Change Everything
🎬 From Data to Action
🧑 The Human Impact
📏 From Measurement to Meaning
🔔 Ready to ask better questions?
For years, employee engagement surveys have been the barometer of workplace health. We’ve asked how motivated people feel, how proud they are to work for their organisation, and whether they’d recommend it to a friend. The results get translated into engagement scores, benchmarks and heat maps — all wrapped up in colourful dashboards.
And yet, despite all that data, engagement is stagnating.
According to the People Priorities: Future of Work 2026 report, only one in three organisations saw engagement improve in the last year, with many HR teams reporting rising strain and declining wellbeing. The truth is simple: if we want different results, we need to start asking different questions.
The Problem with Scores
Traditional survey questions tell us how people feel, but not why they feel that way. They generate numbers, not narratives.
Leaders can see that engagement is down three points or wellbeing has dipped five — but these figures alone don’t tell them what needs to change. It’s why, in the latest WorkBuzz webinar “Stop Asking the Wrong Questions,” Director of People Science Ryan Tahmassebi challenged HR professionals to rethink the way they listen.
“Culture is driven by behaviour — yet it’s the thing we measure least,” Ryan explained.
Benchmarking has its place, but when the main goal is comparison, surveys become about keeping up with the average, not improving what truly matters: the lived experience of employees.
Why Behavioural Questions Change Everything
Behaviour-based questions shift the focus from opinions to observable reality.
Instead of asking, “Do you feel recognised for your work?” imagine asking, “What behaviours do you regularly see that make people feel valued here?”
That single change moves the conversation from abstract sentiment to specific, actionable insight. It helps leaders see what’s really happening day-to-day — not just how people rate it on a scale.
In one WorkBuzz client case study, introducing a simple behaviour-based question revealed striking differences between teams doing the same job. Some described their workplaces as “positive, supportive and fun,” while others in the same organisation said “secretive, controlling and uninspiring.” The difference wasn’t policy. It was behaviour — how managers led, how people communicated, and how they treated one another.
From Data to Action
Behavioural data empowers managers to take ownership of engagement in ways that feel tangible and human.
Instead of vague action plans like “improve communication” or “boost recognition,” managers can focus on the specific behaviours that shape culture.
For example:
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“Taking time to get to know people as individuals.”
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“Making information accessible and transparent.”
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“Recognising effort in the moment, not once a quarter.”
When WorkBuzz analysed behaviour-based data across multiple organisations, six simple manager behaviours consistently correlated with stronger inclusion, higher engagement, and better business performance. These weren’t radical changes — just consistent, everyday actions that built trust.
The Human Impact
Numbers often feel cold; behaviour-based insights don’t.
When employees see questions that reflect their lived experience — and see action taken as a result — trust grows. That trust fuels honesty, which drives better data, and the cycle continues. It’s the human connection behind every great survey.
As Future of Work 2026 highlights, trust and two-way communication are the golden thread linking engagement, wellbeing, and performance. Behavioural questions help weave that thread by showing employees that their voices translate into meaningful action — not just metrics.
From Measurement to Meaning
The future of employee listening isn’t about bigger surveys or faster dashboards. It’s about turning scores into stories.
Behaviour-based questions give HR the depth and narrative context they need to move from analysis to action. They help leaders understand what’s really happening within teams — and what it feels like to work there.
As Ryan Tahmassebi summed up:
“Engagement scores don’t tell you how people behave. Behaviour tells you everything.”
So, if your next survey feels like a tick-box exercise, maybe it’s time to stop asking how engaged people are — and start asking why.
Ready to ask better questions?
Understanding the behaviours behind your survey scores is what turns insights into action. If you're ready to go beyond surface-level data and uncover what truly drives your culture, our People Science team can help.
Discover how WorkBuzz People Science transforms listening into lasting change.