Free Burnout Survey
50+ Essential Burnout Survey Questions
Measuring burnout with targeted burnout survey questions helps you spot stressors before they derail team performance and morale. A burnout survey combines fatigue survey questions, compassion fatigue items, and motivation gauges to give you a comprehensive view of workplace well-being. Download our free template preloaded with example employee and physician burnout survey questions - or visit our online form builder to create a custom survey that fits your needs.
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Top Secrets to Building a Burnout Survey That Delivers Results
Crafting an effective burnout survey matters. A burnout survey gives you a clear window into how employees really feel. It highlights stress hot spots before they lead to turnover. In today's fast-paced world, burnout can spread like wildfire. Studies show that emotional exhaustion scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory predict increased turnover risk.
Imagine Sarah, a project manager, hears grumbles about late-night emails. She rolls out a concise questionnaire via a poll and asks two key sample survey questions: "How often do you feel exhausted before your workday starts?" and "What tasks drain your energy the most?". The team answers anonymously, boosting honesty and clarity. Anonymous responses build trust, especially in sensitive teams. This quick check transforms vague worries into actionable data.
To approach your survey effectively, start with clear dimensions: emotional, physical, and cognitive strain. Use validated scales - MBI covers three dimensions, while the Well-Being Index tackles work-life integration. Mix 5 - 10 targeted questions, like "I feel I treat some recipients as impersonal objects," to capture depersonalization. Balance closed-ended scales with an open field for "Any other comments?" to capture emerging issues. Always pilot your draft with a small group before full rollout.
When you ask the right questions, you gain insights that drive meaningful change. Deploy your findings in a tailored Employee Burnout Survey action plan. Tracking trends over time stops small issues from becoming crises. Regular pulses help you adapt as workloads shift. Start smart, stay responsive, and watch engagement climb.
Don't Launch Until You Avoid These Burnout Survey Mistakes
Launching a burnout survey sounds smart, but many teams trip up early. Skipping context forgets to account for remote workers or time zones. Without clear definitions, you risk mixing up "stress" and "burnout." Context shapes how questions land, and a one-size-fits-all approach fails.
Consider Mike in HR running a blind poll of 50 questions. Respondents drop off by question ten. He learns the hard way that length kills response rates. A concise approach with targeted burnout survey questions like "How often does work leave you mentally drained?" and "What areas of your job cause the most strain?" keeps engagement high. Overly technical jargon can alienate participants - keep language simple.
Avoid leading or loaded wording - ask "How often do you feel overwhelmed?" instead of "Why do you feel your job is impossible?". Skip demographic segmenting at your peril; burnout varies by role and tenure. Link responses to department anonymously to spot hotspots without breaching privacy. Test on different devices to ensure mobile compatibility.
Overlooking established frameworks hurts validity - consider the occupational burnout model or the client-focused scale in the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Mistakes shrink as you pilot, refine, and retest. Build a lean Stress Management Survey and watch your data become a catalyst for real change. Document every change so you maintain version control and trace improvements.
Employee Burnout Survey Questions
These questions focus on workplace exhaustion, detachment, and job efficacy to help HR and managers spot burnout early. Use responses to develop targeted interventions and improve team well-being. For more tools, see our Employee Burnout Survey .
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How often do you feel emotionally exhausted after work?
This measures emotional fatigue, a core dimension of burnout, to identify overload.
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How frequently do you find yourself distancing from colleagues?
Assessing interpersonal withdrawal highlights depersonalization and morale issues.
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How often do you feel your workload is unmanageable?
Understanding workload perception helps address resource allocation and stress.
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How often do you lack motivation to start your workday?
Low motivation signals diminished personal accomplishment and increased risk.
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How often do you feel cynical about your job?
Measuring cynicism reveals negative attitudes that erode engagement and culture.
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How often do you feel you're achieving worthwhile accomplishments?
Evaluating accomplishment levels can guide recognition and role adjustments.
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How often do you have difficulty concentrating at work?
Concentration issues often accompany fatigue and reduce productivity.
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How often do you feel physically drained by your tasks?
Physical fatigue awareness can prompt wellness initiatives and breaks.
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How often do you think about quitting your job?
Turnover intention questions help predict retention risks early.
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How often do you feel unsupported by management?
Perceived lack of support correlates strongly with burnout severity.
Physician Burnout Survey Questions
Designed for medical professionals, these items gauge emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment in clinical settings. Use results to refine staffing, schedules, and support programs. Learn more in our Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey .
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How often do you feel emotionally drained by patient care?
Captures core emotional exhaustion from high-intensity caregiving.
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How frequently do you feel detached during patient interactions?
Depersonalization can compromise patient rapport and care quality.
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How often do you worry about medical errors due to fatigue?
Links clinician fatigue to safety concerns and risk management.
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How often do your work hours interfere with personal life?
Work-life conflict is a key driver of chronic stress and burnout.
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How often do you feel undervalued by hospital administration?
Perceived lack of recognition undermines professional satisfaction.
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How often do you have difficulty sleeping after night shifts?
Sleep disruption is a risk factor for both fatigue and clinical errors.
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How often do you experience compassion fatigue?
Measures empathy overload common in high-volume healthcare roles.
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How often do you feel your skills are underutilized?
Identifies mismatches between expertise and task assignments.
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How often do you consider leaving the medical profession?
Early turnover signals can inform retention strategies.
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How often do you find it hard to maintain work-life balance?
Highlights ongoing struggles that impact well-being and performance.
Fatigue Survey Questions
These items assess general tiredness, energy fluctuations, and cognitive impact to guide wellness and recovery planning. Ideal for occupational health or personal well-being checks. See benchmarks in our Stress Level Survey .
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How often do you feel fatigued upon waking?
Morning fatigue indicates poor rest quality or sleep disorders.
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How frequently do you experience midday energy crashes?
Midday slumps often reflect nutritional or workload imbalances.
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How often do you feel sleepy during meetings?
Daytime drowsiness can impair engagement and decision-making.
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How often do you need caffeine to stay alert?
Reliance on stimulants may mask deeper recovery needs.
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How often do you struggle to complete daily chores due to tiredness?
Functional impairment in everyday tasks signals high fatigue levels.
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How often do you have difficulty concentrating on tasks?
Cognitive fatigue reduces accuracy and efficiency.
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How often do you feel mentally foggy?
Mental fuzziness points to stress-related cognitive load.
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How often do physical symptoms like headaches accompany fatigue?
Somatic complaints deepen understanding of overall strain.
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How often do you feel irritable due to tiredness?
Irritability is an emotional sign of unresolved fatigue.
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How often do you rely on naps to function normally?
Frequent napping can indicate chronic sleep insufficiency.
Burnout and Motivation Survey Questions
This set examines how motivation levels intersect with burnout symptoms, helping teams foster engagement and resilience. Use insights to boost morale and set clear career paths. Explore related metrics in our Work Life Balance Survey .
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How often do you feel enthusiastic about your work?
High enthusiasm correlates with low burnout and strong drive.
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How frequently do you struggle to find purpose in your tasks?
Purpose deficits can deepen disengagement and exhaustion.
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How often do you feel energy decline mid-project?
Mid-task slump signals motivation dips affecting project flow.
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How often do you set goals and achieve them?
Goal attainment fosters momentum and counters burnout.
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How often do you feel overwhelmed by deadlines?
Deadline stress is a common trigger for motivational burnout.
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How often does lack of motivation affect your performance?
Direct link between motivation gaps and work quality issues.
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How often do you feel inspired by your colleagues?
Peer inspiration can buffer stress and sustain engagement.
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How often do you receive recognition that boosts motivation?
Recognition underpins a positive feedback loop for morale.
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How often do you feel drained after accomplishing a task?
Post-task fatigue suggests insufficient recovery time.
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How often do you take initiative on new projects?
Proactivity is a sign of healthy motivation and resilience.
Compassion Fatigue Survey Questions
Focused on secondary trauma and empathy exhaustion, this set helps caregivers monitor compassion burnout. Use results to develop peer support and self-care strategies. Pair with insights from our Stress Management Survey .
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How often do you feel emotionally exhausted by others' suffering?
Core measure of compassion fatigue in caring professions.
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How often do you find it hard to empathize with clients?
Empathy block can signal emotional overload.
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How often do stories of trauma affect your mood long after the encounter?
Ongoing emotional carryover reflects insufficient processing.
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How often do you take work home psychologically?
Psychological spillover can impair personal life and well-being.
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How often do you feel numb or detached in your role?
Detachment is a defense against emotional burnout.
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How often do you dread seeing certain clients/patients?
Anticipatory dread indicates compassion fatigue escalation.
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How often do you experience difficulty sleeping after heavy caseloads?
Sleep disturbances often follow high emotional workload.
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How often do you question your ability to help?
Self-doubt undermines professional confidence and motivation.
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How often do you avoid social interactions to recharge?
Social withdrawal can be a coping strategy for emotional overload.
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How often do you seek peer support after challenging cases?
Seeking help is a positive step toward resilience and recovery.
General Burnout Survey Questions
This broad overview addresses exhaustion, cynicism, and efficacy across roles, ideal for regular pulse checks. Use responses to track trends and plan organizational health initiatives. See our Pulse Survey for quick check-ins.
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How often do you feel emotionally depleted at the end of the day?
Daily depletion illuminates cumulative stress levels.
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How often do you feel indifferent toward your responsibilities?
Indifference is a hallmark of depersonalization.
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How often do you find tasks that were once enjoyable now draining?
Loss of enjoyment signals waning engagement.
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How often do you have difficulty recovering after a stressful day?
Poor recovery predicts chronic burnout risk.
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How often do you feel unable to meet personal or professional demands?
Overwhelm indicates a mismatch between demands and resources.
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How often does stress negatively impact your relationships?
Interpersonal strain often accompanies high burnout levels.
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How often do you feel disconnected from your sense of purpose?
Purpose disconnection undermines long-term motivation.
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How often do you notice decreased productivity at work?
Productivity drops are tangible signs of exhaustion.
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How often do you feel you need a break but can't take one?
Perceived lack of rest options worsens burnout.
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How often do you think a lack of rest is harming your health?
Self-awareness of health impacts can prompt preventive action.
