What specific type of employee sentiment survey question is most effective at identifying hidden frustration stemming from lack of internal mobility?

The most effective type of employee sentiment survey question for identifying hidden frustration stemming from lack of internal mobility is a 'disguised subjective assessment' question that gauges perceived opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization, framed in terms of hypothetical scenarios and indirectly linked to their own career aspirations. Direct questions about internal mobility often yield skewed results because employees might fear negative repercussions for expressing dissatisfaction or may not consciously attribute their frustration to limited mobility options. Instead, a disguised question presents a scenario involving a hypothetical colleague and asks the employee to assess that colleague's career prospects within the company. For example, a question could state: 'Imagine a colleague who consistently exceeds expectations in their current role and has expressed interest in exploring different areas within the company. How likely do you think it is that they will be given a meaningful opportunity to transition to a role that aligns with their interests and skills within the next year?' The response options should use a Likert scale (e.g., very likely, likely, neutral, unlikely, very unlikely). By framing the question indirectly, employees are more likely to provide honest feedback about their perceptions of internal mobility opportunities without feeling personally exposed. Lower scores on these disguised subjective assessments indicate a widespread perception that opportunities for internal mobility are limited, revealing hidden frustration even among employees who might otherwise express general satisfaction. This approach bypasses the self-censorship that often plagues direct inquiries about career progression, thus providing a more accurate gauge of underlying sentiment.