Let's be honest. Most employee onboarding surveys are a waste of time.
You know the type: the generic "How are you settling in?" email that gets a perfunctory "Fine, thanks!" reply.
It makes us feel like we've checked the feedback box, but it tells us nothing.
Meanwhile, the new hire who is quietly struggling rarely says so. By the time the real reasons come out in an exit interview, they are already on their way out.
The cost is real: in a Digitate survey of 1,500 professionals, new hires who had a negative onboarding experience were twice as likely to look for a new job soon.
But here's the catch.
They will almost never tell you this in person. They'll just quietly update their LinkedIn profile and leave you to wonder what happened.
The only way to truly know what's happening in those critical first 90 days is to ask the right questions.
Not the safe, surface-level ones.
The deep, direct, and honest ones that show you're serious about their experience.
That's why we put together this list of 104 questions, grouped by stage of the onboarding journey.
Use it to see your company through your new hire's eyes, identify your blind spots, and build an onboarding experience that makes people stay.
What Should an Onboarding Survey Ask?
A good onboarding survey asks new hires about five things: how ready they were before day one, how clear their role and training are, how much support they get from their manager and team, whether they have the tools they need, and how they feel overall. Send short surveys at set points, from before day one to day 90, and act on what you hear.
A 10-question starter survey for new hires
Short on time? Start with these 10 questions from the full list below. Send the first three in week one and the rest around day 30.
- Did you receive all the necessary information (e.g., start time, schedule, point of contact) before your first day? (#2)
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall first-day experience? (#11)
- How clear are you on what defines success in your role for the first 90 days? (#24)
- What topic or skill do you still feel unprepared or unclear about? (#32)
- How available has your manager been to answer your questions? (#39)
- How comfortable are you asking a teammate for help? (#50)
- Do you feel you have the right tools and resources to be successful in your role? (#73)
- What has been the most frustrating or challenging part? (#96)
- If you could change one thing about the onboarding process, what would it be? (#98)
- Do you see a long-term future for yourself at this company? (#102)
Want it ready to send? Download the free employee onboarding feedback survey template.
Why Standard Employee Onboarding Surveys Fail (And What to Do Instead)
Most companies fail at onboarding feedback for three reasons:
- They ask too late, when the decision to leave has already been made.
- They ask the wrong, generic questions that invite polite, useless answers.
- They never act on the feedback, so employees learn their voice doesn't matter.
The questions below are designed to overcome these failures.
They are specific, actionable, and timed to specific moments in the onboarding journey.
They will give you the candid insights you need to make real improvements.
Preboarding & First-Day Impressions
This is about setting the tone. Your goal here is to measure anticipation and first impressions.
1) How clear and helpful were our communications after you accepted your offer but before your start date?
2) Did you receive all the necessary information (e.g., start time, schedule, point of contact) before your first day?
3) How smooth was the process of completing your new hire paperwork?
4) Did anything before your first day make you feel particularly welcomed or excited to start?
5) Was your schedule for your first day clearly communicated and easy to understand?
6) On your first morning, did you know exactly where to go and who to ask for?
7) How well were you introduced to our company's mission and values before starting?
8) Did your technology (laptop, phone, access credentials) arrive on time and in working order?
9) Was your physical workspace or remote setup ready for you on day one?
10) Did you feel that your team was expecting and prepared for your arrival?
11) On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall first-day experience?
12) What is one thing we could have done to make your first day even better?
Orientation & Initial Training
This measures whether you're providing clarity or causing confusion.
13) How relevant and valuable did you find the orientation content?
14) Was our company's history and mission presented in a clear and engaging way?
15) Did the orientation adequately cover practical information (benefits, payroll, policies)?
16) Was there enough time allocated for questions and answers during orientation?
17) How knowledgeable and engaging were the orientation speakers?
18) Did the pace of the orientation feel too fast, too slow, or just right?
19) Did you have the opportunity to meet people outside of your immediate team?
20) Was the amount of information presented manageable, or did it feel overwhelming?
21) Which specific part of the orientation was most helpful to you?
22) Which topic was least clear or could be improved for future hires?
Role Clarity & Training
This is where confidence is built. Your goal is to measure preparedness.
23) Do you have a clear understanding of your primary job responsibilities?
24) How clear are you on what defines success in your role for the first 90 days?
25) Were your initial goals and priorities clearly explained during your first week?
26) Do you understand how your role contributes to the company's overall goals?
27) How applicable has your training been to the actual tasks you are performing?
28) Did your training adequately cover all the essential systems and tools you need?
29) Were the training materials (manuals, videos, and guides) easy to understand and use?
30) Did you have enough time to absorb and practice what you learned during training?
31) What part of your training has been the most effective so far?
32) What topic or skill do you still feel unprepared or unclear about?
33) How confident do you feel performing your core daily tasks without assistance?
34) Was there a sufficient amount of hands-on, practical experience during your training?
35) Were you provided with reference materials to use after the training sessions ended?
36) Do you feel prepared to work independently?
37) What additional training or support would be most valuable to you right now?
Manager Support
People don't leave companies; they leave managers. Measure this relationship early.
38) Did your manager make a deliberate effort to welcome you on your first day?
39) How available has your manager been to answer your questions?
40) How effective is your manager at setting clear priorities and expectations?
41) Has your manager provided you with constructive feedback that has helped you?
42) Overall, do you feel supported by your manager?
43) How comfortable are you approaching your manager with a quick question?
44) Does your manager schedule regular, dedicated check-ins with you?
45) How safe do you feel raising a concern or problem with your manager?
46) How well does your manager explain how your work fits into larger team or company goals?
47) What is one thing your manager could do to better support you?
Team Integration & Culture
This measures belonging, the ultimate antidote to turnover.
48) Did your team make a conscious effort to make you feel welcome?
49) Have you been introduced to the key colleagues you'll be working with directly?
50) How comfortable are you asking a teammate for help?
51) Have members of your team proactively offered you guidance or support?
52) Do you feel included in team meetings, discussions, and informal activities?
53) Were you assigned a buddy or mentor? If so, how helpful have they been?
54) How smooth has collaboration been on your initial tasks or projects?
55) Do you understand the team's dynamics and workflows?
56) Do you feel that your initial contributions are valued by the team?
57) What could the team do to help you feel more integrated?
Culture & Values
This reveals whether new hires feel aligned with the company’s identity, included in its community, and supported in bringing their authentic selves to work.
58) Do you feel aligned with the company’s values?
59) Were the values communicated clearly?
60) Do you see the values in action (not just words)?
61) Do you feel comfortable being yourself here?
62) Do you feel the workplace is inclusive?
63) How would you describe the company culture after your first weeks?
64) Do leaders model the company values?
65) Do employees live up to the culture described during hiring?
66) Do you feel psychologically safe to share opinions?
67) Have you seen good work recognized since you joined?
Tools & Resources
This identifies practical barriers to productivity.
68) Did you receive all necessary software logins and system access on day one?
69) Was your hardware (laptop, phone, etc.) set up correctly and functioning properly?
70) How easy is it to access the systems and tools you need to do your job daily?
71) Were the instructions for using key tools and resources clear and helpful?
72) Have you received timely support when you've encountered technical issues?
73) Do you feel you have the right tools and resources to be successful in your role?
74) Which tool has been the most valuable to you so far?
75) What tool or resource is currently missing that would help you do your job better?
76) How quickly were you added to the email lists, chat channels and calendars you need?
77) Do you know where to find answers to common questions (handbook, wiki or intranet)?
Communication & Feedback
This uncovers how well information travels across the company and if new hires feel safe giving and receiving feedback.
78) Was communication clear during onboarding?
79) Do you receive enough updates about company news?
80) Has feedback been provided regularly?
81) Is feedback constructive and actionable?
82) Do you feel comfortable giving feedback to your manager?
83) Do you feel comfortable giving feedback to HR?
84) How easy is it to ask for help?
85) How clear are expectations around communication norms (Slack, email, meetings)?
86) How effective are cross-department communications so far?
87) What communication improvements would you suggest?
Engagement & Motivation
This reflects how inspired new hires feel in their roles and whether they see a future of growth and purpose within the company.
88) How excited are you about your role?
89) Do you feel motivated to do your best work?
90) Do you see opportunities to grow here?
91) Do you feel your skills are being used well?
92) Are you proud to work at this company?
93) Is your work challenging you at the right level right now?
94) Do you feel your work has a clear purpose?
Overall Satisfaction & Strategic Improvement
This is your big-picture health check.
95) What has been the single most positive aspect of your onboarding experience so far?
96) What has been the most frustrating or challenging part?
97) Overall, how satisfied are you with your onboarding journey to date?
98) If you could change one thing about the onboarding process, what would it be?
99) Based on your experience so far, how likely are you to recommend this company as a great place to work?
100) Do you feel fully set up for success in your role?
101) What has surprised you most, either positively or negatively, about working here?
102) Do you see a long-term future for yourself at this company?
103) What motivates you most about your work right now?
104) Is there any other feedback you'd like to share about your experience?
How to Implement This: A Practical Playbook
Collecting data is useless unless you act on it. Here is a simple three-step framework:
- Segment and Send: Don't blast all 104 questions. Create micro-surveys.
- Pre-Day 1: 3-4 questions on logistics.
- End of Day 1: 5-7 questions on first impressions.
- End of Week 1: 8-10 questions on orientation and initial training.
- Day 30: 10-12 questions on role clarity, manager support, and tools.
- Day 90: 10-15 questions on culture, belonging, and overall satisfaction.
- Analyze and Act: Identify trends. If three new hires in a row say "IT setup was slow," you have a clear, fixable problem. Prioritize the quick wins and develop plans for larger issues.
- Close the Loop (This is not negotiable): This is the most important step. Share what you learned and what you're changing. Send an email: "Hi team, based on your feedback, we've implemented a new buddy system and streamlined IT setup. Thank you!" This proves you're listening and builds immense trust.
Onboarding Survey Questions: FAQ
Send short surveys at fixed points: one before the start date, at the end of day one, at the end of week one, and around day 30 and day 90. Early surveys catch practical problems like missing equipment. Later ones show whether the person feels clear on their role, supported and likely to stay.
Keep each survey short: 3 to 4 questions before day one, 5 to 7 after day one, and 10 to 15 at day 30 or day 90. Mix a few rating questions with one or two open questions. Short surveys get more answers and more honest ones than one long questionnaire.
In small teams new hires are easy to identify, so true anonymity is hard. Tell people up front whether answers are anonymous or confidential and who will see them. For sensitive topics such as manager support, an anonymous option often gets more honest answers.
Look for patterns across several new hires rather than single answers, fix the quick wins first, such as slow IT setup, and share what you changed with the people who answered. Closing the loop shows new hires their feedback matters and keeps response rates up for the next round.
A survey collects the same structured answers from every new hire, so you can compare and spot trends. A 30-60-90 day check-in is a conversation between the new hire and their manager about goals and progress. Most teams use both: the survey for patterns, the check-in for the person.
The Bottom Line
Onboarding isn't about paperwork. It's about people. It's your first and best chance to show a new employee that they made the right choice.
These 104 questions are the tools you need to stop guessing and start knowing. They will help you transform your onboarding from a cost center into your most powerful retention tool.
Stop wondering why people leave. Start asking the right questions.
You can send these questions automatically before day one and at day 30, 60 and 90 with Newployee's employee survey software, which collects the answers in one dashboard so you can spot patterns across new hires. Prefer to start on paper? Use the free onboarding feedback survey template.
Sources
- New hires are twice as likely to leave employers that mishandle the onboarding process: Digitate survey of 1,500 professionals. HR Dive, May 2018.
