Onboarding Survey Questions for New Hires & Users

Most new hires decide whether to stay or leave within their first 90 days.

The right onboarding survey questions reveal problems before they become resignations.

Companies using structured new employee feedback see 82% higher retention rates according to SHRM research.

Yet most organizations either skip surveys entirely or ask the wrong questions at the wrong times.

This guide covers question types for every stage of the employee journey, from first day logistics to 90-day comprehensive reviews.

You’ll find ready-to-use templates, industry-specific examples for healthcare and financial services, and the exact timing that maximizes response rates.

Whether you’re building an HR program from scratch or fixing a broken onboarding process, these questions will show you what’s actually working.

What is an Onboarding Survey Question

An onboarding survey question is a structured inquiry sent to new hires or customers during their initial experience with a company, product, or service.

These questions measure satisfaction, identify gaps in training, and collect actionable feedback about the joining experience.

HR teams at companies like BambooHR and Workday use them to track time to productivity and reduce new hire turnover.

SaaS platforms send them during product onboarding to measure feature adoption and user confusion points.

The goal is simple: find out what works, what doesn’t, and fix problems before they cause someone to leave.

Onboarding Survey Questions

Pre-Start Experience

Recruitment Process Rating

Question: How would you rate the overall recruitment and hiring process?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very poor” to “Excellent”)

Purpose: Evaluates the candidate experience from application through job offer, identifying areas for improvement in the hiring process.

When to Ask: During the first week of onboarding, when the experience is still fresh in memory.

Role Clarity Communication

Question: Did you receive clear information about your role and responsibilities before starting?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with optional comment field

Purpose: Assesses whether job descriptions and pre-start communications effectively set expectations and reduce first-day confusion.

When to Ask: End of first week, allowing time to compare expectations with reality.

Pre-boarding Preparation

Question: How well did the pre-boarding communications prepare you for your first day?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not at all prepared” to “Very well prepared”)

Purpose: Measures effectiveness of welcome emails, guides, and other materials sent before the start date.

When to Ask: After the first day or during the first week review.

Administrative Setup Efficiency

Question: Were all necessary paperwork and setup items completed efficiently?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very inefficient” to “Very efficient”)

Purpose: Identifies bottlenecks in HR processes, IT setup, and administrative tasks that could delay productivity.

When to Ask: End of first week, after most setup tasks should be completed.

First Day/Week Experience

First Day Welcome

Question: How welcoming did you find your first day experience?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not welcoming at all” to “Extremely welcoming”)

Purpose: Measures the emotional and social aspects of the first impression, which significantly impacts retention and engagement.

When to Ask: End of first day or during first week check-in.

Team Introductions

Question: Did you receive a proper introduction to your team and key colleagues?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with follow-up rating on quality if “Yes”

Purpose: Ensures new hires can quickly identify key contacts and begin building working relationships.

When to Ask: End of first week, allowing time for multiple introduction opportunities.

Workspace Readiness

Question: Was your workspace/equipment ready and functional on your first day?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with comment field for issues encountered

Purpose: Identifies IT and facilities preparation gaps that can create frustration and delay productivity.

When to Ask: End of first day or when technical setup is expected to be complete.

Initial Instructions Clarity

Question: How clear were the initial instructions and expectations given to you?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very unclear” to “Very clear”)

Purpose: Assesses whether managers and team leads effectively communicate immediate priorities and tasks.

When to Ask: End of first week, after receiving various instructions from different sources.

Training and Resources

Orientation Program Effectiveness

Question: How effective was the orientation program in helping you understand the company?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not effective at all” to “Very effective”)

Purpose: Evaluates whether company-wide orientation successfully conveys culture, values, structure, and basic operations.

When to Ask: After completing formal orientation sessions, typically within first two weeks.

Role-Specific Training Quality

Question: Did you receive adequate training for your specific role?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Completely inadequate” to “More than adequate”)

Purpose: Measures whether job-specific training meets new hire needs and prepares them for independent work.

When to Ask: 2-4 weeks after starting, when initial training period typically concludes.

Learning Materials Accessibility

Question: Were the learning materials and resources provided helpful and accessible?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not helpful/accessible” to “Very helpful/accessible”)

Purpose: Assesses quality and usability of documentation, training portals, and reference materials.

When to Ask: After 2-3 weeks, once new hires have had time to use various resources.

Manager Support Quality

Question: How well did your manager support you during the initial learning period?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very poor support” to “Excellent support”)

Purpose: Evaluates manager effectiveness in providing guidance, feedback, and assistance during transition.

When to Ask: End of first month, allowing sufficient interaction time for assessment.

Integration and Culture

Team Integration Success

Question: How well do you feel you’ve been integrated into your team?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not integrated at all” to “Fully integrated”)

Purpose: Measures social and professional integration, which affects collaboration and job satisfaction.

When to Ask: 3-4 weeks after starting, when team dynamics should be more established.

Company Culture Understanding

Question: Do you have a clear understanding of the company culture and values?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with confidence rating if “Yes”

Purpose: Determines whether cultural messaging is effectively communicated and understood.

When to Ask: After 2-3 weeks, following exposure to various cultural touchpoints.

Support Network Identification

Question: Have you been able to identify who to go to for different types of questions or support?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with request for examples if “No”

Purpose: Ensures new hires can navigate organizational structure and find appropriate help when needed.

When to Ask: End of second or third week, after encountering various question types.

Comfort Level for Questions

Question: How comfortable do you feel asking questions when you need help?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very uncomfortable” to “Very comfortable”)

Purpose: Assesses psychological safety and openness of team environment for learning and growth.

When to Ask: 2-3 weeks in, after multiple opportunities to ask questions have occurred.

Role Clarity and Expectations

Job Responsibility Understanding

Question: Do you have a clear understanding of your job responsibilities and priorities?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very unclear” to “Very clear”)

Purpose: Confirms whether role expectations are being effectively communicated and understood.

When to Ask: End of first month, after sufficient time to receive and process role information.

Performance Expectations Clarity

Question: Are your performance expectations and success metrics clearly defined?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with comment field for clarification needs

Purpose: Ensures new hires understand how their success will be measured and evaluated.

When to Ask: 3-4 weeks after starting, ideally after initial goal-setting conversations.

Role Context Understanding

Question: Do you understand how your role fits into the broader team and company goals?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Don’t understand at all” to “Understand completely”)

Purpose: Measures whether new hires see their purpose and contribution within the larger organization.

When to Ask: End of first month, after exposure to broader company context and strategy.

Career Development Awareness

Question: Have you received clear information about career development opportunities?

Type: Multiple Choice (Yes/No) with interest level rating

Purpose: Sets expectations for growth and demonstrates company investment in employee development.

When to Ask: 4-6 weeks after starting, once immediate role concerns are addressed.

Overall Satisfaction

Overall Onboarding Rating

Question: How satisfied are you with your onboarding experience overall?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Very dissatisfied” to “Very satisfied”)

Purpose: Provides a comprehensive satisfaction metric that correlates with retention and engagement.

When to Ask: End of formal onboarding period, typically 4-6 weeks after starting.

Most Valuable Aspects

Question: What aspects of the onboarding process were most valuable to you?

Type: Open-ended text response

Purpose: Identifies successful elements that should be maintained and potentially expanded.

When to Ask: Near end of onboarding period, when new hires can reflect on the entire experience.

Improvement Opportunities

Question: What could be improved about the onboarding experience?

Type: Open-ended text response

Purpose: Captures specific feedback for process improvements and addresses pain points.

When to Ask: End of onboarding period, ensuring honest feedback after relationship establishment.

Recommendation Likelihood

Question: How likely are you to recommend this company as a great place to work?

Type: Net Promoter Score (0-10 scale)

Purpose: Measures overall sentiment and potential for positive word-of-mouth recruitment.

When to Ask: 4-8 weeks after starting, once initial impressions have stabilized.

Role Preparation Confidence

Question: Do you feel prepared and confident to succeed in your new role?

Type: Multiple Choice (1–5 scale from “Not at all confident” to “Very confident”)

Purpose: Measures onboarding effectiveness in building competence and self-efficacy.

When to Ask: End of formal onboarding period, before transitioning to full independence.

Open-Ended Feedback

Additional Support Needs

Question: What additional support or resources would have been helpful during onboarding?

Type: Open-ended text response

Purpose: Identifies gaps in current support systems and opportunities for enhanced assistance.

When to Ask: End of onboarding period, when new hires have experienced various challenges.

Wish-I-Had-Known-Sooner

Question: Is there anything you wish you had known sooner about the company or role?

Type: Open-ended text response

Purpose: Reveals information gaps that could be addressed earlier in the process to reduce confusion.

When to Ask: 4-6 weeks after starting, when hindsight provides valuable perspective.

General Suggestions

Question: Any other comments or suggestions for improving the onboarding process?

Type: Open-ended text response

Purpose: Captures any remaining feedback not covered by specific questions and encourages comprehensive input.

When to Ask: Final survey question, allowing for any additional thoughts or concerns.

Why Do Companies Use Onboarding Survey Questions

Companies collect new employee feedback because guessing doesn’t work.

A 30-day onboarding survey reveals whether your orientation process actually prepares people for their roles or just checks boxes.

Here’s what organizations actually measure:

• Employee retention rate correlation with onboarding satisfaction scores
• Role clarity and job expectations alignment
• Manager support effectiveness during the first 90 days
• Training effectiveness and knowledge transfer gaps
• Team integration and workplace belonging

Gallup Q12 research shows engaged employees are 59% less likely to look for a new job.

Good onboarding directly impacts that engagement number.

Culture Amp and Lattice have built entire platforms around this connection between early experience and long-term retention.

The ROI calculation is straightforward: replacing an employee costs 50-200% of their salary, while a well-designed survey form costs almost nothing.

Types of Onboarding Survey Questions

Different question categories target different parts of the new hire experience.

Understanding types of survey questions helps you build surveys that actually get useful responses.

Role Clarity Questions

These check if someone understands what they’re supposed to do.

“Do you clearly understand your job responsibilities?” using a Likert scale from 1-5.

Training Effectiveness Questions

Measure whether your training survey questions identify real skill gaps.

Ask about specific modules, not general impressions.

Manager Support Questions

Direct questions about one-on-one frequency and feedback quality.

Manager relationships predict retention better than almost anything else.

Team Integration Questions

Cover buddy system effectiveness and peer introductions.

Social isolation kills new hire engagement fast.

Resource Availability Questions

Equipment, software access, documentation.

Nothing frustrates new employees more than waiting three weeks for a laptop.

Company Culture Questions

Alignment between what was promised in interviews and reality.

Glassdoor reviews often start here when expectations don’t match experience.

Technology and Tools Questions

HRIS access, communication platforms, project management tools.

Technical friction during onboarding creates lasting negative impressions.

Onboarding Survey Questions for New Employees

Timing matters as much as the questions themselves.

Send surveys too early and people don’t have enough experience; too late and they’ve forgotten the details or already quit.

First Day Survey Questions

Keep it short. Three to five questions maximum.

• Did you receive all necessary equipment and access credentials?
• Was your workspace ready when you arrived?
• Did someone welcome you and introduce you to immediate team members?

First impressions form fast. These questions catch logistical failures before they snowball.

First Week Survey Questions

Focus on orientation quality and initial training.

• How would you rate the clarity of your first week’s schedule?
• Do you understand how your role contributes to team goals?
• Have you had meaningful conversations with your direct manager?

The first week sets expectations. Problems here predict problems at 90 days.

30-Day Onboarding Survey Questions

This is where real feedback survey questions start mattering.

• Do you feel confident performing your core job functions?
• Is the workload what you expected based on the interview process?
• What has been the most challenging part of your first month?
• Would you recommend this company to a friend looking for work?

The Employee Net Promoter Score question (that last one) at 30 days predicts turnover with scary accuracy.

60-Day Onboarding Survey Questions

Shift focus toward performance readiness and organizational commitment.

• How well do you understand the criteria for success in your role?
• Do you receive regular feedback on your work?
• Are there skills or knowledge areas where you need additional support?

90-Day Onboarding Survey Questions

The probation period survey that closes the loop.

• How would you rate your overall onboarding experience?
• What would you change about the onboarding process for future hires?
• Do you see yourself working here in two years?

Open-ended questions work better here because employees have enough context to give detailed answers.

Follow best practices for creating feedback forms to maximize response rates at this stage.

Customer Onboarding Survey Questions

Customer onboarding surveys follow similar logic but different timelines.

The ramp-up period for a SaaS product might be hours; for enterprise software, it could be months.

Product Onboarding Questions

Measure feature discovery and initial value realization.

• How easy was it to complete your first [core action]?
• Did you encounter any confusing steps during setup?
• On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to continue using this product?

Tools like Qualtrics and 15Five specialize in this kind of product feedback.

SaaS Onboarding Questions

Focus on activation metrics and support quality.

• Did you achieve your primary goal within the first session?
• How helpful was the onboarding tutorial or walkthrough?
• What feature do you wish you had discovered sooner?

Lead generation for SaaS gets expensive. Keeping users after acquisition costs less than finding new ones.

Service Onboarding Questions

Healthcare, financial services, consulting. Different employee satisfaction survey questions principles apply to client satisfaction too.

• Was the service delivery timeline clearly communicated?
• How would you rate your primary point of contact’s responsiveness?
• Did the service meet the expectations set during the sales process?

Consider using survey form templates to standardize your approach across service lines.

Watch for survey fatigue if you’re sending multiple touchpoint surveys.

How to Create Effective Onboarding Survey Questions

Bad surveys get ignored or produce garbage data.

Good form design principles apply here just like anywhere else.

Question Format Guidelines

One concept per question. Double-barreled questions (“Was training helpful and engaging?”) confuse respondents and produce unusable data.

Front-load critical questions; survey response rates drop after question five.

Rating Scale Selection

The Likert scale (1-5 or 1-7) works for most satisfaction questions.

Net Promoter Score uses 0-10. Don’t mix scales within the same survey.

Open-Ended vs Closed-Ended Questions

Closed-ended for benchmarking and tracking trends over time; open-ended for discovering problems you didn’t know existed.

Ratio of 80/20 closed to open works well for most onboarding surveys.

Survey Length Recommendations

First day: 3-5 questions. 30-day: 10-15 questions. 90-day: 15-20 questions maximum.

Completion rates drop 15% for every additional minute past five minutes. Good form UX design keeps things tight.

When to Send Onboarding Surveys

Timing affects both response quality and completion rates.

Send too early and responses lack depth; send too late and people forget specifics or have already disengaged.

• Day 1: End of first day, focusing on logistics and first impressions
• Week 1: Friday afternoon, covering orientation and initial training
• Day 30: Role clarity, manager support, early performance confidence
• Day 60: Workflow integration, peer relationships, skill gaps
• Day 90: Comprehensive review, future intent, process improvement suggestions

Tools like SAP SuccessFactors and Peakon automate this cadence.

Manual tracking falls apart once you’re onboarding more than a few people per month.

Consider mobile forms since many employees complete surveys on phones during commutes or breaks.

Onboarding Survey Question Examples by Industry

Generic questions miss industry-specific concerns.

Compliance matters more in finance; patient safety matters more in healthcare.

Healthcare Onboarding Survey Questions

• Do you feel confident with electronic health record (EHR) systems?
• Were HIPAA compliance requirements clearly explained?
• Do you understand patient safety protocols for your department?

Lead generation for healthcare organizations depends on trust; staff confidence directly impacts patient experience.

Technology Company Onboarding Survey Questions

• How would you rate access to development environments and tools?
• Is the code review process clearly documented?
• Do you understand the product roadmap and where your work fits?

Tech companies often skip cultural onboarding. Big mistake when remote work makes belonging harder.

Retail Onboarding Survey Questions

• Do you feel prepared to handle customer complaints independently?
• Was POS system training sufficient for peak hours?
• Do you understand loss prevention policies?

High turnover in retail makes fast, effective onboarding a business survival issue.

Financial Services Onboarding Survey Questions

• Are compliance and regulatory requirements clear for your role?
• Do you understand client confidentiality protocols?
• Was anti-money laundering (AML) training adequate?

Lead generation for financial advisors runs on reputation; compliance failures during onboarding create massive downstream risk.

How to Analyze Onboarding Survey Responses

Collecting data without analyzing survey data properly wastes everyone’s time.

Most HR teams make the mistake of reading individual responses instead of looking for patterns.

Key Metrics to Track

• Onboarding completion rate: percentage finishing all survey touchpoints
• eNPS trends: Employee Net Promoter Score changes from day 30 to day 90
• Role clarity scores: correlation with 6-month retention
• Manager support ratings: variation by department and individual manager

Benchmarking Against Industry Standards

Glint and Officevibe publish annual benchmark reports.

Your 30-day satisfaction score of 4.2 means nothing without knowing the industry average is 3.8 or 4.6.

Action Planning Based on Results

Identify the three lowest-scoring areas. Assign owners. Set improvement targets. Resurvey.

Workforce analytics only matter if they drive actual changes to the preboarding process and beyond.

Common Mistakes in Onboarding Survey Questions

Knowing what to avoid saves time and improves data quality.

Leading Questions

Wrong: “How much did you enjoy our excellent training program?”

Right: “How would you rate the training program’s effectiveness?”

Vague Language

Wrong: “Was communication good?”

Right: “How often did your manager check in during your first week?” with specific frequency options.

Missing Follow-Up Mechanisms

Surveys without action create cynicism. Employees stop responding when nothing changes.

Close the loop by sharing what you learned and what you’re doing about it.

Ignoring Anonymous Option

New hires fear retaliation. Anonymous surveys get more honest answers about manager effectiveness and culture fit.

Tools like SurveyMonkey and Typeform handle anonymity well.

Wrong Question Types

Rating scales for questions that need text responses. Open-ended questions where you need quantifiable data.

Match the form fields to what you’re actually trying to learn.

Onboarding Survey Templates

Starting from scratch wastes time. Use proven templates and customize for your context.

New Hire 30-Day Survey Template

Ten questions covering role clarity, training quality, manager support, resource access, and overall satisfaction.

Include one NPS survey question and two open-ended questions for qualitative feedback.

90-Day Comprehensive Template

Fifteen to twenty questions with sections for job expectations, team integration, professional development, and future intent.

Add demographic survey questions to segment results by department, location, or role type.

Customer Onboarding Template

Focus on activation success, feature discovery, support quality, and likelihood to recommend.

Keep it under eight questions. Customers have less patience than employees.

Building Your Own Template

Use feedback form templates as a starting point.

Add conditional logic to show different questions based on role, department, or previous answers.

Test with a small group before rolling out company-wide. Form validation catches technical issues; pilot testing catches confusing questions.

If you’re collecting personal data, ensure your surveys follow GDPR compliant forms standards.

FAQ on Onboarding Survey Questions

How many questions should an onboarding survey have?

First day surveys work best with 3-5 questions. The 30-day survey can include 10-15 questions, while 90-day surveys can stretch to 20.

Completion rates drop significantly after five minutes of survey time.

When should you send onboarding surveys to new employees?

Send surveys at day 1, week 1, day 30, day 60, and day 90. Each touchpoint captures different aspects of the new hire experience.

Automated tools like BambooHR handle this scheduling.

What is the best rating scale for onboarding surveys?

The Likert scale (1-5) works for most satisfaction questions. Use 0-10 for Net Promoter Score questions.

Consistency matters more than the specific scale you choose.

Should onboarding surveys be anonymous?

Anonymous surveys get more honest feedback about manager support and culture fit. New hires fear retaliation.

Platforms like SurveyMonkey and Culture Amp offer anonymity features that build trust.

How do you measure onboarding success with surveys?

Track Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), role clarity ratings, and manager support scores across the 90-day period.

Compare results against industry benchmarks from Glint or Gallup Q12 research.

What questions measure role clarity during onboarding?

Ask whether job responsibilities match expectations, if success criteria are clear, and whether daily tasks align with the job description.

Low role clarity scores at 30 days predict turnover at 6 months.

How do customer onboarding surveys differ from employee surveys?

Customer surveys focus on product activation, feature discovery, and support quality. Employee surveys cover training effectiveness, team integration, and manager relationships.

Customer surveys should be shorter since patience runs lower.

What is a good response rate for onboarding surveys?

Target 70-80% response rates for employee onboarding surveys. Anything below 50% indicates survey fatigue or trust issues.

Short surveys sent at optimal times consistently outperform lengthy questionnaires.

How do you act on onboarding survey results?

Identify the three lowest-scoring areas, assign owners, set improvement targets, and resurvey. Share findings with new hires to close the feedback loop.

Data without action creates cynicism and kills future response rates.

Can you use the same onboarding survey for all departments?

Core questions about manager support and company culture work across departments. Add role-specific questions for technical teams, sales, or compliance-heavy positions.

Multi-step forms or single-step forms help organize department-specific sections.

Conclusion

Effective onboarding survey questions turn guesswork into workforce analytics you can actually use.

The difference between companies with strong organizational commitment and those bleeding talent often comes down to whether they measure the employee lifecycle properly.

Start with the basics: time to productivity metrics, job satisfaction scores, and knowledge transfer effectiveness.

Build from there using tools like Workday, Qualtrics, or 15Five to automate your onboarding pulse surveys across the 90-day window.

Track engagement scoring trends over time. Compare departments. Find the managers whose new hires consistently rate higher.

The data tells you exactly where your preboarding process and training programs need work.

Ask the right questions at the right moments, and your human capital management shifts from reactive to predictive.