70 questions to ask employees about their mental health

Supporting the mental health of your employees is now more important than ever. There has been a huge shift in working environments and processes which can leave some employees feeling anxious and uncertain.

Perhaps your employees now have to wear a mask to work, or they no longer come to the office because you have sold your space to adopt a more flexible way of working. Maybe your employees are anxious about being close to customers whilst the virus is still rife or they may be uncertain about the security of their job and thus money troubles may frequently enter their mind. Whatever the reason, it’s crucial that you check in on your employee’s mental health to make sure that they feel supported and understood.

Our co-founder Ben discusses why Ocasta ditched the office to adopt a more flexible style of working.

Having happy employees is also paramount to delivering good service to your customers and ensuring your business stays profitable. Mental health should never be overlooked and you should regularly check in with your employees. But how do you check in with them and what are the right questions to ask?

Many employers struggle to evaluate the mental health of their employees because they feel awkward about asking the right questions. It is a sensitive subject and should be approached with care and compassion. We have compiled a list of 70 questions to help you assess the mental health of your employees, discover where they may be struggling and to plan how you can help them feel more positive at work.

Questions to highlight how the job may be affecting your employee’s overall wellbeing 

1). What are your energy levels like after a day at work?

2). Have your sleeping habits changed since you started work here? 

3). Has your appetite changed since you started working here? 

4). Do you suffer mood swings during your day at work? 

5). Which moods do you feel mostly at work? 

6). Have your relationships suffered as a result of work? 

7). Have any of your outside commitments suffered as a result of work? 

Questions to highlight what your employee worries about whilst at work

8). Do you ever worry about finances? 

9). What worries you the most when at work?

10). Do you ever worry about the security of your job?

11). Can you tell us the last time you left work feeling upset?

12). What do you struggle with the most at work?

13). What would a nightmare day look like to you as an employee?

Questions to gauge how your employee feels when they are at work 

14). As an employee here, how would you rate your mental health outside of work? 

15). As an employee here how would you rate your mental health inside of work? 

16). Can you explain the difference or similarities between the two answers given above? 

17). How would you rate your overall mood when you are at work 10 being very happy and 0 being very unhappy?

18). Why have you given the score above? 

19). What makes you unhappy at work?

20). Compared to when you started your role how would you say your mental health is? 

21). As an employee do you ever feel nervous at work?

22). How often do you feel nervous at work? 

Questions to find out how supported your employees feel whilst at work

23). Do you feel supported if you feel unhappy at work? 

24). Who would you turn to if you felt your mental health was declining whilst at work? 

25). Do you feel like we do enough to support your mental health at work as an employee? 

26). How would you rate your stress levels whilst at work 10 being incredibly stressed 0 being not stressed at all? 

27). Can you explain the answer which you have given above? 

28). Is there a way for you to manage your stress effectively whilst at work? 

Questions to find out how your employees manage their mental health

29). How do you manage your feelings when you feel unhappy at work? 

30). How do you unwind after a day at work?

31). Do you do anything currently to help your mental wellbeing?

32). What do you think is the best remedy when you are feeling down or unhappy at work? 

33). Are there any quotes or mantras that you use to boost your mental health? 

Questions to find out how you as a company can better support your employees

34). What could we do to improve your work life balance? 

35). Could you explain a time when you felt very supported at work how can we ensure this happens all the time?

36). Do you feel like we have a supportive culture here?

37). Do you feel like you have the necessary tools to do your job properly? 

38). Would you like us to have dedicated resources here to support your mental health as an employee? 

39). What can we do to make you feel more confident and stable in your role here? 

40). Is there anything we can do as a company to promote better mental health for our employees? 

41). What does a supportive manager look like to you as an employee? 

42). What does an unsupportive manager look like to you as an employee? 

Questions to assess an employee’s self-esteem at work 

43). Do you feel confident at work? 

44). What makes you disappointed as an employee? 

45). Do you see yourself as a capable person?

46). Do you think you can handle most challenges which come your way as an employee?

47). How do you work when you are under pressure?

48). How often would you say you felt positively about your mental health - all the time, very often, sometimes, rarely, never.

Questions to assess how this person feels as a member of the team at your company 

49). Do you feel valued as a team member?

50) Do you get along with your colleagues? 

51). Do you feel fulfilled in your role here? 

52). Why do you or don’t you feel fulfilled in your role here? 

53). Do you feel like you are respected? 

54). Do you feel like your voice is heard here? 

55). Do you feel like your opinions are taken onboard?

Questions to assess how much the workload could be affecting your employee’s mental health 

56). Do you feel like you have a good work-life balance here?

57). Do you ever feel overworked or underworked here as an employee?

58). How much enjoyment do you get from your job?

Questions to discover what or who positively impacts your employee’s mental health 

59). What would a perfect day look like to you as an employee? 

60). What makes you feel excited as an employee? 

61). What do you think you think your main strengths are at work?

62). Who do you think has the most positive influence here and why? 

63). What can we all learn from this person? 

64). What makes you feel happy at work? 

65). What brightens up your day? 

66). Is there anything that you look forward to when coming to work? 

67). Who makes you feel like a valued employee and why? 

68). What are you grateful for at work? 

69). Who do you find the most inspiring at work? 

70). What gives you hope when at work?

Of course, you don’t need to ask all of these questions regarding an employee’s mental health, and nor should you. You should select a few key questions that you think are most relevant and ones that you think will provide valuable insight into your mental he’ mental health.

Once you have gathered the answers, it’s crucial that you think, ‘How can I change these answers for the better?’. Create a structured plan of how you can support this employee going forward. For example, if an employee’s answers seem very focused around not feeling confident enough to carry out tasks. You should make a plan focused on building their self-esteem. A great way to do this is through rewards and recognition.

If you need help creating a plan or ideas on how you can support your employees through technology, just get in touch, and we’d be more than happy to help. Our employee comms, training and engagement app, will make your workforce feel empowered, connected and supported.