Onboarding Survey Questions Template: First Impressions, Clarity & Integration

A systematic onboarding survey captures early warning signals—missing equipment, unclear expectations, weak team integration—before they drive regret and turnover. By collecting structured feedback at 30, 60, and 90 days, HR teams and managers can spot gaps quickly, adjust onboarding plans, and build stronger connections with new hires.

Onboarding survey questions

I received all necessary information and equipment before my first day.
My first day and first week were well-organized and welcoming.
My responsibilities, goals, and success criteria have been clearly explained to me.
I quickly received access to all IT systems and tools I need for my work.
I was offered helpful training on the relevant tools.
My team members welcomed me warmly in the first few days and showed me how the team works.
My manager has been accessible and supportive at all times.
The learning and onboarding pace feels manageable, not overwhelming.
I feel I am now making progress toward full productivity.

How likely are you to recommend our company based on your onboarding experience to a friend or colleague? (0 = extremely unlikely, 10 = extremely likely)

What has been the biggest challenge in your onboarding so far?
What additional support or resources would have made your start easier?
What improvements would you like to see in the onboarding process?

Key takeaways

Survey uncovers early onboarding gaps and provides clear data for corrective action.
Measurable feedback enables focused conversations between HR, manager, and new team member.
Results identify targeted development and training needs (e.g., tools, role understanding).
Track specific thresholds: behavior below 3.0 indicates immediate need for action.
Regular evaluation reveals trends and supports continuous onboarding improvement.

Definition & scope

This survey measures how well new employees feel integrated during their first weeks (e.g., communication before start, onboarding, team connection, role clarity, training). It is aimed at all newly hired employees (at around 30, 60, and 90 days) and supports HR and managers in decisions about training programs, mentoring measures, or adjustments to the onboarding process.

Scoring & thresholds

We use a 1–5 Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree," 5 = "strongly agree"). Average scores below 3.0 are considered critical, 3.0–3.9 as needing improvement, ≥4.0 as satisfactory. Particularly low scores (e.g., average ≤2) should trigger immediate action. Depending on the score, we initiate targeted measures (e.g., coaching or workshops).

Average <3.0 in one area: Clarifying conversation by the manager initiated within 14 days.
Score 3.0–3.9: Plan team workshop or training (Owner: HR) in the next 30 days.
Score ≥4.0: Continue regular evaluation in the normal process (Owner: Manager).
HR creates regular reports of all scores and compares them with internal benchmarks.
At NPS <7: Offer direct follow-up interview (Owner: HR).

Follow-up & responsibilities

The direct manager is primarily responsible and speaks directly with the new employee about any issues. HR/People Team evaluates aggregated data and initiates company-wide improvements. Particularly critical signals (e.g., very low scores) are immediately escalated to HR management. Response times: Within ≤24 hours for serious feedback, otherwise specific action planning ≤7 days after survey.

Manager: Discusses open points within 7 days after survey in a personal conversation.
HR/People Team: Develops an action plan based on the results (e.g., team workshop) within 14 days.
At peak values in open feedback: HR takes case immediately and clarifies anonymously (Owner: HR leadership, within 24 h).
Monthly review: HR checks the progress of all actions and reports to management.
Timeline for actions: Each measure is documented with responsible role and deadline.

Fairness & bias checks

Results are always segmented by relevant groups (e.g., location, department, role, gender, or remote vs. office). This allows systematic differences to be identified that indicate unequal conditions. For example, a low score among remote employees may indicate a lack of integration; measures such as virtual mentors improve this. The goal is to make discrepancies visible and specifically compensate for them.

Evaluation by group: Compare results by location/team, function, or demographics (Owner: HR after each survey).
Root cause analysis: In case of significant differences, e.g., provide special coaching or resources (Owner: HR/Manager).
Diversity filter: Check participant characteristics (gender, age, work experience) to ensure fair onboarding process.
Remote vs. On-site: Introduce targeted measures such as regular virtual meetings and buddy programs.
Transparent communication of analysis results to all stakeholders.

Examples & use cases

IT/Tools provisioning: A company found that new employees repeatedly stated they did not have all necessary programs. The IT department then installed all software packages on the computers in advance before the new colleagues started. The result: new employees could work productively on the first day and felt better supported.

Role clarity deficits: At a tech company, turnover after 60 days was 20%. The survey showed that 55% of new hires did not clearly understand their tasks. After adjusting the onboarding materials and additional trainings, the resignation rate dropped by about one-third.

Social integration & leadership: In a purely virtual department, new employees felt isolated and resigned at an above-average rate. The team responded by introducing "Culture Coaches" (mentors from other teams) and closer integration into the team. Result: The sense of belonging and retention increased noticeably.

Implementation & updates

Initially, the survey is piloted in one area or team. After feedback analysis, the company-wide rollout takes place (e.g., in the coming months). At the same time, managers receive training on evaluating and following up on results. Finally, the survey must be regularly reviewed and updated (e.g., annually adjust questions, add new topics).

Test run: Deploy onboarding survey in a pilot team and evaluate (Owner: HR, e.g., Quarter 1).
Rollout: After successful test, introduce in all departments (Owner: HR leadership, by Q2).
Training: Train managers on feedback conversations and survey analysis (Owner: HR, by rollout completion).
Review cycles: Review question catalog annually with HR and key users and adjust (Owner: Management).
Regular reports: Evaluate participation rates and score trends quarterly and communicate.

Participation rate (target ≥75%): measures engagement and validity.
Average values (e.g., role clarity, satisfaction) by department.
Early turnover: Proportion of employees who resign within 6 months.
Implementation rate: Percentage of recommended measures that were implemented as planned.
Average time to full productivity (measured in days or quarters).

Overall, a structured onboarding survey offers three decisive advantages: it detects onboarding problems as an early warning signal, improves the quality of feedback conversations, and creates clarity about development priorities. Next, you should define a pilot area, enter the questions into your onboarding software (e.g., a platform like Sprad Growth can help automate survey sends, reminders, and follow-up tasks), and assign responsibilities. Run the first round with new employees, analyze the answers, and define concrete measures based on the insights gained.

FAQ

How often should the survey be conducted? As a rule, it is recommended to send the onboarding survey during the first 3 months (e.g., after 30, 60, and 90 days). This way you can identify problems early and adjust directly. After that, follow-up surveys (semi-annually or annually) can help measure the long-term success of onboarding.
What to do with very low scores? Low scores (e.g., average <3) are alarming. Immediately enter into dialogue: Conduct individual conversations to identify the causes. Create a concrete action plan (e.g., additional training, resources, conversations) and set deadlines so that problems are resolved immediately.
How to handle very critical comments? Treat criticism openly and appreciatively. Anonymous comments should be taken seriously but handled confidentially. Seek conversation if necessary (without breaking anonymity) and communicate what improvements are planned. Transparency shows employees that their feedback is heard.
How to involve managers and employees? Clarify all target groups in advance about the purpose and benefits of the survey. Actively involve managers by having them discuss the results in 1:1 meetings with their new hires. Involvement can also take place through feedback sessions in the team or joint workshops. It is important that everyone understands that the survey contributes to improvements.
How to update the questionnaire over time? Review the questions at least annually: Remove outdated points and add new priorities (e.g., hybrid work or new tools). Get feedback from HR and managers and adjust the catalog accordingly. This way the question catalog remains relevant and reflects current priorities.

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.