New Hire Survey Questions Template: First Impressions, Setup & Early Experience

Collecting early feedback from new hires helps HR and managers spot onboarding issues before they grow. This template survey taps into new employees' first impressions—from offer acceptance through the first weeks on the job—and turns them into clear signals. Having these insights early lets teams fix problems like missing equipment or unclear instructions quickly, improve the experience, and reduce the risk of early turnover.

Survey questions

I received clear instructions about my first day and initial responsibilities.
Communications during the notice period (before my start date) were helpful and consistent.
My equipment (computer, phone, access credentials) arrived on time and was ready for me.
I felt positive and excited about starting in this role (rather than anxious).
I was greeted and welcomed by my team or manager when I arrived on my first day.
My workspace and tools were properly set up and functional on Day One.
I quickly got access to the necessary systems and software needed to do my job.
The onboarding and training I received was relevant and prepared me for my role.
I understand what is expected of me in my role after my first week.
My manager has scheduled (or already held) a one-on-one meeting with me to discuss my role.
My manager has clearly communicated performance expectations for my role.
I feel comfortable asking any question (even a "dumb" question) without judgment.
I have been introduced to key colleagues and feel like part of the team.
My actual experience so far matches what I was told about the role and company during interviews.
I feel good about my decision to join this company based on my experience so far.

Overall satisfaction: On a scale from 0 (Not likely) to 10 (Extremely likely), how likely are you to recommend this company as a great place to work?

What was most valuable about your first week? What helped you the most?
What is one thing we could have done differently to improve your onboarding experience?
Did anything surprise you about the job or company that you want us to know?
Do you have any concerns or questions that make you hesitate about your decision to join?

Decision table

Question(s) / Area	Score & Threshold	Recommended Action	Owner	Deadline
Q1–Q3 (Preboarding & communication)	Avg <3.0	Review and improve offer/notice communications. Ensure all new hires get complete info and timely equipment. Clarify first-day instructions.	HR & IT Ops	within 7 days
Q5–Q6 (Day One welcome)	Avg <3.0	Fix Day One plan: assign greeters, prepare workspace/equipment in advance. Update orientation checklist. Provide a buddy or guide for arrivals.	HR & Hiring Manager	within 7 days
Q7–Q8 (Tools & training)	Avg <3.0	Improve setup and training: expedite system access, provide manuals/tutorials. Assign mentors or hands-on sessions. Adjust schedule to cover missing topics.	IT/Learning Leads	within 14 days
Q10–Q12 (Manager support)	Avg <3.0	Manager on quick follow-up: schedule a 1:1, clarify role expectations, and offer ongoing support. Coach manager on communication and open-door culture.	Hiring Manager	≤24 hours for review
Q13 (Team integration)	Avg <3.0	Boost team bonding: introduce new hire to more colleagues, include them in meetings or social chats. Consider a formal buddy/mentor if not already.	Team Lead	within 7 days
Q4 & Q15 (Attitude & commitment)	Avg <3.0	Hold an informal check-in: address any anxieties or regrets. Re-emphasize positives of role. Involve HR if serious doubts appear.	Hiring Manager/HR	within 2 days
Q14 (Expectations vs Reality)	Avg <3.0	Clarify mismatches: revisit job description, align on role. Update recruiting messages to be more realistic. Ensure transparency in interviews.	HR & Recruiting	within 14 days

Key takeaways

Early feedback from new hires reveals onboarding gaps before they become bigger problems.
Use clear score thresholds (e.g. avg <3.0 on a 1–5 scale) to escalate specific issues immediately.
Assign clear ownership: managers and HR must act on low scores with dedicated support steps.
Align hiring promises with reality by addressing expectation mismatches uncovered by the survey.
Iterate this process: track metrics over time and refine questions to continuously improve onboarding.

Definition & scope

This survey measures new employees' first impressions: the clarity of preboarding, Day One experience, training, manager support, team integration, and how reality met expectations. It's intended for all recently hired staff (e.g. a 1-week and a 30-day survey). Results inform decisions on onboarding improvements, manager coaching, and adjusting recruitment messaging to reduce early turnover.

Scoring & thresholds

We use a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agree) for all closed questions. Track averages for each area: for example, an average below 3.0 flags a critical issue, 3.0–3.9 means "improvement needed," and 4.0 or higher indicates strengths. As a rule, any area with avg <3.0 should trigger immediate action. Moderate scores (3.0–3.9) merit planned follow-up, while high scores (≥4.0) mean onboarding is working well in that dimension.

If any section score is <3.0, schedule a review meeting: the manager and HR discuss causes and corrective steps.
For areas scoring 3.0–3.9, create an improvement plan (e.g. additional training or resources) within a week.
Scores ≥4.0 confirm effective practices—document and replicate these in future onboarding plans.

Follow-up & responsibilities

Define clear owners for follow-up based on survey signals. Typically, the direct manager reviews scores and open comments with the new hire to address problems promptly. HR or the People team aggregates results across new hires and coordinates broader actions (like revising orientation materials). Set deadlines for reactions: any very low score or serious comment should prompt the manager to respond within ≤24 hours, with a plan of action. Other issues should be addressed (meetings, training, process fixes) within ≤7 days of the survey report.

Manager's role: Immediately reach out if new hire flags a problem. Discuss concerns and offer support within 1–2 days.
HR/People team: Collect and review all survey data weekly. Alert managers of critical findings and offer resources (e.g. coaching, tools).
Action planning: For each low score, assign an owner and deadline (e.g. fix an equipment issue within 7 days). Track completion so issues are not forgotten.

Fairness & bias checks

Break down results by relevant groups to spot any unintended biases. Compare survey scores across locations, departments, remote vs. on-site workers, full-time vs. part-time, etc. The goal is to catch patterns (e.g. a particular team or site consistently reporting low scores) and address them. Ensure that no group is left behind just because of where or how they work.

Example: If remote hires report lower "Tools & Training" scores, consider providing better online tutorials or sending welcome kits directly to home offices.
Example: If new employees in one department report feeling excluded, set up cross-team introductions or assign experienced buddies to those hires.
Example: If scores vary by location (e.g. one office has better equipment readiness), standardize the onboarding checklist to ensure consistency everywhere.

Examples / use cases

Software company: New developers reported frustration with delayed laptop setup (low score on equipment). HR started shipping laptops a week early and pre-configuring accounts. On the next survey, the average "Tools & Training" score rose from 2.5 to 4.0, and new hires ramped up faster.

Retail chain: Several store managers noticed new staff felt unprepared after the first day (low score on Day One Experience). They implemented a welcome packet and peer mentor for every new hire. As a result, first-week clarity scores improved by 30% and new hires reported feeling more confident.

Consulting firm: A few new hires expressed that the role was not as expected, signaling a mismatch. Recruiting and management updated interview materials and job descriptions for accuracy. Future survey rounds showed higher alignment scores and fewer early regrets.

Implementation & updates

Roll out the survey in phases: start with one team or department as a pilot to refine questions and process. For example, launch the 1-week survey in one department, gather feedback on clarity, and adjust as needed. Then roll out to all teams at once. Provide managers with a quick training or guide on interpreting results and taking action. Make this an ongoing process: schedule the survey regularly (e.g. every new hire's first week and one-month mark) and plan a yearly review of the questions and thresholds.

Pilot with a small group of new hires first; refine the question wording and process within 30 days.
Roll out the survey broadly after pilot results; set a quarterly schedule for new hires.
Train managers on using the survey tool (e.g. Sprad Growth) and reviewing results in team meetings.
Review survey metrics and questions annually: update items based on feedback or changing priorities.
Key metrics: survey completion rate (aim for ≥80%), average scores per category (target ≥4.0), time to issue resolution (e.g. <1 week), and new-hire retention at 90 days.

In summary, this new-hire survey provides an early-warning system for onboarding issues and clear guidance on how to address them. By engaging new employees right away and setting action plans based on their feedback, you'll improve talk quality, alignment and retention. For example, you might pilot the survey in one department, choose an easy survey tool to automate distribution and reminders, and schedule it to launch each week or month. Next steps: assign who will run the survey, set the schedule, and communicate to managers that they need to act on results promptly.

FAQ

How often should the new hire survey be conducted?

We recommend sending a short survey twice early on: one at the end of the first week and again around 30 days after start. These timing points capture the most critical first impressions. Some companies also add a 90-day check-in. Keep each survey concise so new hires complete it promptly.

What if the survey yields very low scores in some areas?

Treat low scores as urgent priorities. The results table above uses an average of 3.0 (on a 1–5 scale) as a threshold. If major areas fall below that, the manager should meet the new hire right away (within 24 hours) to address problems. If equipment or training was missing, fix those issues immediately. In short: escalate, fix, and communicate back quickly.

How should we handle very negative feedback or comments?

Take all feedback seriously but calmly. Ensure the survey was anonymous to encourage honesty. For any critical comments, thank the person for speaking up and investigate the specifics. Managers (or HR) should follow up directly—asking for examples, clarifying any misunderstandings, and outlining how you'll address the issues. The goal is open dialogue and confidence that their voice led to improvements.

How do we involve managers and employees in this process?

Communicate clearly that this survey is a tool to improve everyone's experience, not a blame game. Share high-level findings with managers quickly so they know where to act. Encourage managers to review the results with their new hires and jointly create action plans. Also let employees know their feedback led to changes (e.g. "We're updating the welcome emails based on your input"). This earns trust and increases participation.

Which metrics should we use to gauge onboarding success?

Track both survey results and hard metrics. Besides average response scores, monitor participation rates, retention of new hires, and time-to-productivity. For example, measure how many flagged issues were resolved on time. According to SHRM, useful indicators include new-hire survey scores, turnover/retention rates, and time-to-productivity. Keeping an eye on these numbers shows if your actions are working and where to adjust next.

Jürgen Ulbrich

CEO & Co-Founder of Sprad

Jürgen Ulbrich has more than a decade of experience in developing and leading high-performing teams and companies. As an expert in employee referral programs as well as feedback and performance processes, Jürgen has helped over 100 organizations optimize their talent acquisition and development strategies.