Compensation and Pay Fairness Perception Survey

Survey measuring employee perceptions of pay fairness, internal equity, and whether compensation reflects workload and responsibilities. Designed to surface equity concerns that depress engagement before they drive attrition.

Overall Pay Fairness

• My compensation is fair given the work I do and the responsibilities I hold.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• My total compensation (base pay, bonuses, and benefits) reflects the value I bring to this organization.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• If you rated either question above a 3 or lower, please tell us more about what feels unfair.
  Your response is anonymous. Specific examples help us understand the issue.

Internal Equity — Peers and Comparable Roles

• I believe people in similar roles at this company are paid comparably to me.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• I feel confident that pay decisions at this organization are free from bias (e.g., based on gender, race, tenure, or personal relationships).
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• If you rated either question above a 3 or lower, what specific concerns do you have about internal pay equity?
  Your response is anonymous. You do not need to name individuals.

External Competitiveness

• My pay is competitive with what I could earn for a similar role at another organization.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• How often do you actively look at or receive external job offers to benchmark your compensation?
  Select the option that best describes your behavior over the past 12 months.
• If you rated the competitiveness question a 3 or lower, what market information or role types are you comparing against?
  This helps us understand which talent markets or job families may need attention.

Pay Transparency and Process Clarity

• I understand how my pay is determined (e.g., salary bands, performance ratings, market data).
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• I know what I need to do to earn a pay increase or promotion.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• My manager has had a clear conversation with me about how my compensation was set or will be reviewed.
  1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree
• If any of the above rated a 3 or lower, what information or conversation would make the process feel clearer or fairer?
  Your response is anonymous.

Pay Fairness and Intent to Stay

• Concerns about my compensation are a factor in whether I stay at this organization.
  1 = Strongly disagree (pay is not a concern), 5 = Strongly agree (pay concerns are actively affecting my intent to stay)
• On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend this organization as a place to work, considering compensation?
  0 = Not at all likely, 10 = Extremely likely (eNPS-style; 0–6 = detractor, 7–8 = passive, 9–10 = promoter)
• What is the primary reason for your score above?
  Your response is anonymous. This is the single most useful piece of feedback you can give us.

Open Feedback

• Is there anything else about compensation, pay fairness, or total rewards that you'd like leadership or HR to know?
  All responses are anonymous. There are no right or wrong answers — candid feedback directly shapes our compensation strategy.
• Which of the following best describes your employment type? (Optional)
  Optional. Helps us identify whether pay fairness perceptions differ by employment category.
• Which of the following best describes your tenure at this organization? (Optional)
  Optional. Tenure can correlate with pay compression concerns. Less than 1 year / 1–3 years / 3–5 years / 5–10 years / 10+ years.