If you are responsible for people, then here are 12 questions that you should review. These twelve questions come from the Gallup Q12 survey. The Gallup Q12 survey is the result of extensive research into what questions in organizational cultural surveys actually produce results that match up with the output of the organization.

If you take a ranking of organizations in terms of their effectiveness, and then try to look inside them to see whether the employees or integrants of the organization are actually happy and well engaged there are questions that will give you meaningful insight, and others that won’t.

For example, if you ask: “Do you get paid enough?” in effective and ineffective organizations you’ll find people who’ll say yes, and people who’ll say no.

In contrast, with the following questions, integrants of effective organizations will answer yes. If a person answers no to the majority of these questions then they are not happy where they are, and will not produce their best work - in fact they may even become alienated from the organization, its management, and its mission to the point where they begin to work against its interests. When the answers are overwhelmingly “no” to these questions retention is low and staff turnover is high.

As a manager these questions give insight into what the priorities need to be to create an engaging culture where people can find their fit and produce their best work. I’ve put the questions that managers need to ask themselves under each Q12 survey question.

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?

Are there clear goals set for the group? Are there clear expectations for individuals? Are their tasks and the outcomes suitably defined?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

Do your people have what they need to get the job done, or are they frustrated through a lack of resources?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

Are your people “only doing what only they can do”? Are they engaged 80/20 in their strength zone? Do they know what their strength zone is?

4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

Do we have a culture of appreciation? Are we appreciating people enough?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

Are we working alongside people, thinking about their development, and giving them tasks for their development, or are we just using them as a means to an end?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

Are we working on empowering and building up our people?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

Have we implemented any suggestions from this person? Where can we action input from this person?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?

Are we clear in linking the mission of the organization with the tasks that our people are performing? Are we casting the vision?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

What standard are we accepting, what standard are we setting? Are we creating a culture of excellence where people can contribute to the creation of excellence, or are we allowing that to be eroded?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

Are we making efforts to team people up in compatible arrangements, and giving time and space for friendships to form?

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

Are we committed to developing our people? Is that being felt? Are we communicating that?

12. This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Are we aligning, empowering, and releasing our people, or trying to keep them under control?