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Step one: define what each section must answer
Start by writing the decision a reader will make with each section. For culture, the decision might be whether the pace and management style suit them. For pay, it is whether an offer is fair. Work backward into questions. Culture can use rated statements about workload, feedback, flexibility and respect, plus one short written example. Pay should ask for role, level, location, base amount, bonus and years of experience. Worked example: a reviewer rates a logistics coordinator role, selecting three-year tenure, a base figure range, and a note that overtime was frequent but acknowledged. Every field then has a purpose a reader can see.
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Step two: make answers comparable and fair
Comparable data needs controlled inputs. Use scales with labeled anchors, such as rarely, sometimes and often, rather than unexplained five-star ratings. Ask for pay in ranges with a stated currency and period, and require the role and employment dates. Add prompts that separate facts from feelings, for instance asking what happened before asking how it felt. Fairness to employers matters too: discourage names of individuals, request specific examples over accusations, and let companies respond publicly. In the earlier example, the overtime note would sit beside a structured frequency answer, so a reader sees both the number and the story behind it.
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Step three: review, publish and read the results
Before launch, test the form with a handful of people who have recently left jobs and watch where they hesitate. Shorten any question that causes stalling. Set a review step that checks for personal data, duplicate submissions and unverifiable claims, and decide how long a reviewer stays anonymous. When publishing, show how many responses sit behind each score so small samples are not overstated. In the worked example, a profile with only three responses would display a cautious label and invite more contributions. Revisit the form quarterly, retiring questions nobody uses and adding ones readers ask for.