Employee pulse survey template: take your team's temperature
Nine questions every two weeks or the core five weekly, reported only for groups of five or more.
- 9questions
- 3 to 4 minto complete
Employee pulse survey questions, weekly to monthly
An employee pulse survey is a short survey sent to the same team on a fixed rhythm, weekly to monthly, with the wording held constant so each wave adds a point to one trend line. Many teams call it a team temperature check. These nine questions open in the editor, where you can make your own survey from them.
The nine questions, every two weeks
The survey above, in order. For a weekly pulse, send questions 1, 3, 4, 5 and 9 only.
- The plan for my work this week is clear to me.
- I know the top priorities for my team right now.
- My workload is manageable for the next two weeks.
- I feel supported by my manager to do my job well.
- Nothing I need for my work is stuck waiting on someone else.When this is low, ask what is stuck and who holds it.
- I can raise a problem without it counting against me.
- Which of these is most affecting your work right now?Count the votes: the top pick is the first thing to fix.
- What one thing makes it harder to do good work right now?
- Overall, I feel positive about work right now.Keep this wording identical every wave so the trend line holds.
Monthly: add three, then one module
Put these before question 9 and add one module below, for 14 questions in about five minutes.
- The team shares what I need to know without me having to chase it.
- I can finish my work within reasonable working hours.
- What is one thing the team does well that it should keep doing?
Module: a busy stretch
Two to four waves through a peak, then take it out.
- In the last two weeks, I could keep up with the pace of work.
- I have enough time for focused work away from meetings.
Module: after a change
Three to six waves after an announcement. Before one, the change readiness assessment asks if people are ready.
- I understand why the recent change was made.
- I know what I need to do differently after the change.
Module: manager habits
Two habits a manager can coach. To rate one named manager, send the manager effectiveness survey.
- My check-ins with my manager help me clear blockers.
- I get feedback early enough to act on it.
Module: shifts, sites and remote teams
For teams spread across places or hours.
- I can quickly get help from someone when I am stuck.
- Updates reach my shift or site in time for me to use them.
Send it every two weeks and read the trend
Send one shared link to everyone on a team of five or more, with no name asked. A smaller team reports with the team above it, so no answer stands alone.
Open each wave on the same morning and close it three working days later. Weekly suits work that changes week to week; monthly suits steady work.
For each question, report the share who agree or strongly agree beside the team's last wave. Act on a question that falls two waves in a row, and tell the team what changes before the next wave opens.
When the open answers keep naming worries about jobs, the job security questionnaire asks about them directly. If the overall line falls and stays down, the employee morale survey reads how work feels at every level.
Employee pulse survey FAQ
Is a team temperature check the same as a pulse survey?
Yes. Temperature check is what many teams call a short pulse run every week or two. The nine questions above work under either name.
What does temp check mean in a BPO?
Temp check is short for temperature check: a quick, regular read of how a team is doing. In a BPO or contact center, a team lead can send the five weekly questions here to one team each week.
How many questions should a pulse survey have?
Five to fourteen. Five suits a weekly pulse, and the median survey on SuperSurvey has 5 questions and is over in 71 seconds.[1] Nine works every two weeks. Fourteen suits a monthly wave with room for one module.
What is the difference between a pulse survey and an engagement survey?
A pulse is five to fourteen questions every week to month, tracking conditions that move fast. The employee engagement survey is twenty questions once or twice a year, producing an index and the drivers behind it.
Michael Hodge, survey methodology · Updated 26 September 2026 · How templates are reviewed
Sources (1)
- SuperSurvey Response Benchmark, 16 September 2023 to 25 August 2026: 25,112 analyzed surveys with 998,864 completed responses, out of 2,274,520 responses platform-wide. Method note.
Pick the day your first pulse goes out
Nine questions, three to four minutes, reported only for groups of five or more. Open it in the editor and set the rhythm.
Use this template