33+ Onboarding Feedback Survey [2026 Templates & Questions]

Gathering actionable insights from new hires is essential for building an onboarding program that continuously improves and adapts to workforce needs. At Matter, we understand that designing onboarding feedback survey questions can be challenging for organizations struggling to move beyond generic satisfaction ratings. Many companies find it difficult to craft questions that elicit specific improvement suggestions, honest criticism, and constructive recommendations from new employees. The gap between wanting valuable feedback and actually receiving it often leaves HR teams with data that fails to drive meaningful program changes.

Understanding onboarding feedback survey questions, feedback survey examples, and onboarding experience survey questions transforms feedback collection from passive measurement into active improvement. When organizations master what should be included in a feedback survey and learn from effective onboarding feedback examples, they build reliable feedback programs that gather actionable insights. This guide provides comprehensive onboarding surveys for new hires, ready-to-use templates, and proven onboarding feedback questions that help organizations continuously optimize their onboarding process. By implementing these strategies, your team can create an onboarding program that addresses new-hire needs and drives measurable improvements throughout the employee lifecycle.

What is an onboarding feedback survey?

An onboarding feedback survey is a specialized assessment tool designed to gather specific improvement recommendations from new hires about their onboarding experience. Unlike satisfaction surveys that measure levels of contentment, these employee onboarding surveys focus on collecting actionable suggestions for program improvement. The primary goal is to identify what works well, what needs to change, and what elements are missing from the current onboarding process. Organizations use these employee engagement survey tools to continuously refine their approach to welcoming new employees.

Defining onboarding feedback surveys and their improvement focus

Onboarding feedback surveys prioritize gathering constructive feedback over measuring happiness levels with the onboarding program. New hires provide specific recommendations on training effectiveness, resource accessibility, and opportunities for team integration within these assessments. The focus on improvement distinguishes these survey questions from traditional measurement tools that simply track employee satisfaction scores. Organizations gain a clear understanding of exactly what changes would help future hires succeed in their roles.

These specialized tools encourage new hires to share detailed observations about their first week through their initial months. Employee feedback collected through these surveys drives concrete action items for HR teams and hiring managers. The onboarding survey questions prompt thoughtful responses on the orientation process, job description accuracy, and the quality of manager support. Companies that implement effective onboarding survey programs see measurable improvements in new hire retention and employee engagement.

How feedback surveys differ from satisfaction or experience surveys

Satisfaction surveys ask new employees whether they enjoyed their onboarding experience and met their expectations. Experience surveys assess the quality of various onboarding program components and the overall impression of the company culture. Feedback surveys go further by specifically requesting improvement ideas, identifying missing elements, and prioritizing change recommendations. This distinction matters because employee onboarding surveys focused on feedback generate actionable insights rather than just measurement data.

The question structure differs significantly between these survey types and their intended outcomes. Satisfaction surveys use rating scales to measure employee satisfaction with various aspects of the overall onboarding process. Feedback surveys emphasize open-ended questions that allow new hires to provide detailed improvement suggestions and constructive feedback. Organizations need both approaches, but should recognize that feedback surveys drive the most meaningful onboarding program changes.

Critical components that make feedback surveys actionable

Effective onboarding survey questions include open-ended prompts soliciting specific recommendations from new hires about their experience. Comparative questions help organizations identify challenges and understand which elements delivered the most and least value. Gap analysis questions reveal differences between what new employees expected and what they actually received during onboarding. Prioritization questions help new hires rank improvement opportunities by their perceived impact on business success.

The best onboarding survey questions balance structured responses with space for detailed written employee feedback. Organizations should include questions about the recruitment and interview processes, and how they align with actual job responsibilities. Questions about onboarding materials, onboarding training content, and access to all the necessary tools yield practical improvement suggestions. Survey responses become actionable when questions target specific processes rather than general impressions of the employee experience.

What are the benefits of onboarding feedback surveys?

Gathering feedback through structured onboarding surveys delivers measurable improvements in new-hire retention and overall program effectiveness. Organizations that collect feedback systematically can identify challenges before they become systemic issues affecting employee turnover rates. These pulse survey style assessments provide continuous insights that support ongoing refinement of the onboarding process. The benefits extend beyond individual new hires' experiences to impact company culture and long-term business success.

Specific improvement recommendations directly from new hires

New employees experience the onboarding process with fresh perspectives that tenured team members cannot replicate or fully remember. Their feedback identifies unclear job expectations, gaps in onboarding materials, and missing resources that hinder their ability to do their job effectively. Gathering feedback directly from those going through the experience yields authentic insights about what truly needs improvement. Organizations gain specific, implementable suggestions rather than abstract observations about the recruitment process and beyond.

The valuable feedback from new hires often reveals blind spots that internal stakeholders overlook in their onboarding program design. New employees can articulate precisely which training sessions helped them understand organizational values versus which felt redundant. Their survey responses highlight where the job description aligned with actual job responsibilities and where expectations differed significantly. This direct input from new hires creates a clear idea prioritization for HR teams planning onboarding improvements.

Early identification of systemic issues and recurring pain points

Patterns in onboarding survey responses reveal systemic problems that individual conversations might miss in the broader employee onboarding context. When multiple new hires report the same friction points, organizations can address root causes rather than symptoms of poor onboarding. Early identification prevents problems from compounding and negatively affecting new hire retention over time and across departments. Companies with a strong company culture use these data to show their responsiveness and commitment to improving the employee experience.

Collecting feedback at multiple touchpoints during the new hire's tenure reveals issues at different stages of the onboarding process. Day seven surveys capture immediate impressions about the orientation process and team integration experiences during the first week. Thirty-day surveys identify challenges in training effectiveness and role preparation that emerge as new employees settle into their roles. Ninety-day surveys provide comprehensive feedback on whether the employee onboarding program prepared them to perform their jobs effectively.

Continuous improvement culture demonstrating responsiveness to feedback

Organizations that implement onboarding surveys and act on results build reputations as employers who genuinely care about employee sentiment. New hires notice when their suggestions lead to visible changes in the onboarding program for future hires joining the company. This responsiveness strengthens employee engagement and reinforces the organization's commitment to input from all team members at every level. A continuous improvement culture attracts engaged employees and supports stronger new-hire retention throughout the employee lifecycle.

When new employees see their feedback implemented, they become more invested in the company's success and long-term mission. The act of gathering feedback itself signals that organizations want to hear from new hires and value their perspectives. Regular onboarding survey administration creates expectations of ongoing improvement and open communication between employees and leadership teams. Organizations measuring employee satisfaction alongside collecting feedback create comprehensive pictures of their onboarding program effectiveness and company culture.

Why onboarding feedback survey questions are important for program optimization

The quality of onboarding survey questions directly determines whether organizations receive generic responses or actionable improvement recommendations. Poorly designed questions generate vague employee feedback that provides little guidance for program enhancement or strategic planning. Effective onboarding survey questions yield specific suggestions that HR teams can implement to improve employee pulse survey results. Program optimization requires questions that probe beneath surface-level satisfaction to uncover genuine improvement opportunities for new employees.

Connection between quality feedback and meaningful program changes

High-quality employee feedback provides the foundation for evidence-based improvements to the overall onboarding process and new hire experience. When new hires offer specific examples of what worked and what failed, organizations can make targeted adjustments effectively. Vague feedback leaves decision-makers guessing which changes would actually benefit future hires joining the team. The connection between feedback quality and change effectiveness makes question design critically important for the success of program optimization.

Organizations that collect detailed feedback can prioritize improvements based on the frequency and severity of the issues identified. Survey responses with specific examples allow teams to understand exactly where breakdowns occurred during the onboarding experience. This precision enables targeted interventions rather than wholesale program redesigns that may not address actual pain points. Quality feedback transforms onboarding from a static process into an evolving program that responds to new hire needs.

How feedback questions demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement

Asking for improvement suggestions signals that organizations genuinely want to enhance the onboarding experience for new employees. New hires recognize when companies ask thoughtful questions rather than going through the motions with generic employee surveys. This distinction affects how candidly team members share constructive feedback about their onboarding experiences and observations. Demonstrating commitment to improvement through question quality builds trust with new employees from their earliest interactions with the company.

The types of questions organizations ask reveal their priorities and openness to change in their company culture. Questions focused solely on satisfaction suggest organizations want validation rather than genuine improvement suggestions from their workforce. Feedback-focused questions invite new hires to participate actively in shaping the onboarding program for future colleagues. This participatory approach strengthens employee engagement and creates invested advocates for organizational improvement initiatives.

Impact on new hire engagement when they see feedback implemented

New employees who provide feedback and witness resulting changes develop stronger connections to their organizations over time. Seeing their suggestions implemented validates that their perspectives matter and that leadership takes employee feedback seriously. This validation increases job satisfaction and reinforces the decision to join the organization during the employee lifecycle. The impact on new-hire retention becomes measurable when organizations consistently act on survey responses.

Closing the feedback loop transforms passive survey participation into an active contribution toward organizational improvement goals. New hires become more likely to provide detailed, thoughtful feedback when they observe previous suggestions being implemented around them. This positive cycle generates increasingly valuable insights with each cohort of new employees joining the organization. Organizations that master this cycle create self-reinforcing systems of continuous improvement and engaged employees throughout their workforce.

What should be included in a feedback survey for onboarding

Effective onboarding feedback surveys require specific question types that generate actionable insights rather than generic satisfaction ratings. Organizations should include open-ended questions, comparative assessments, gap analyses, and prioritization exercises in their pulse survey questions. Each inquiry type fulfills a specific role in comprehending the new hire experience and pinpointing areas for enhancement. Balancing these elements creates comprehensive surveys that yield valuable feedback without overwhelming new employees with excessive length.

Open-ended questions soliciting specific improvement suggestions

Open-ended questions give new hires space to share detailed observations about the onboarding process in their own words. These questions should prompt specific recommendations rather than general impressions about the employee experience they received. Effective prompts ask new employees to describe exactly what they would change about particular onboarding elements. Questions that elicit thorough responses rather than basic yes or no answers provide organizations with greater insights.

The best open-ended questions focus on specific aspects of the onboarding experience rather than the program as a whole. Asking new hires what one change would have most improved their first week generates more useful responses than vague prompts. Questions about specific training sessions, resources, or interactions yield precise improvement suggestions that teams can implement quickly. Open-ended questions work best when they target discrete elements that new employees can clearly recall and evaluate.

Questions identifying the most and least valuable onboarding elements

Comparative questions reveal which onboarding program components deliver the most value from the new hire perspective. Asking new employees to identify the single most helpful element highlights what organizations should preserve and emphasize further. Conversely, identifying the least valuable element shows where resources might be better allocated for future hires. These comparative insights help organizations make strategic decisions about onboarding materials and program priorities.

Value identification questions work best when they require specific selections rather than rating everything as equally important. Forcing new hires to choose their top and bottom experiences generates clearer prioritization guidance for program improvements. Organizations can use these responses to understand which elements justify their time investment and which need redesign. Comparative questions provide essential data for resource allocation decisions affecting the overall onboarding process.

Gap analysis questions comparing expectations versus reality

New employees arrive with expectations shaped by their recruitment process, interview process, and the job description they reviewed. Gap analysis questions reveal where reality diverged from these expectations during the actual onboarding experience. Understanding these gaps helps organizations improve both their hiring communications and their onboarding program delivery simultaneously. Addressing expectation gaps reduces unclear job expectations and improves new hire retention rates over time.

Effective gap questions ask new hires to compare what they anticipated with what they actually experienced. Questions about whether the role matched the job description reveal accuracy issues in the recruiting process communications. Questions about company culture expectations versus reality highlight potential authenticity concerns in employer branding and messaging. Gap analysis provides unique insights that neither satisfaction nor pure feedback questions can capture effectively.

Prioritization questions ranking improvement opportunities

Prioritization questions help organizations understand which improvements would have the greatest impact on new hires' experiences. Rather than treating all feedback equally, these questions reveal what matters most to new employees joining the company. Ranking exercises force new hires to make difficult choices that clarify their true priorities and pain points. Organizations can focus limited resources on high-impact improvements when they understand relative importance from employee perspectives.

Effective prioritization questions present multiple improvement options and ask new hires to rank them in order of importance. This approach generates clearer guidance than asking whether each improvement would be helpful on its own. Organizations gain strategic direction when they understand not only what could improve, but also what should improve first. Prioritization questions transform comprehensive feedback into actionable roadmaps for program enhancement and resource allocation.

25+ onboarding feedback survey questions for improvement identification

The following survey questions focus specifically on identifying opportunities for improvement throughout the onboarding process. These employee engagement survey questions target actionable feedback rather than satisfaction measurement. Organizations can customize these templates based on their specific onboarding program structure and new hire populations. Each question category addresses different aspects of the employee experience during onboarding.

Specific improvement suggestions and recommendations questions

1. What single change would have most improved your onboarding experience during your first week?
2. If you could redesign one aspect of the orientation process, what would you change and why?
3. What information would you have liked to have received before your start date to feel better prepared?
4. How would you improve the way new employees are introduced to their team members?
5. What suggestions would you offer to improve training effectiveness for future hires?
6. Which onboarding materials would you revise to make them more helpful for new employees?

Pain point and friction identification questions

1. What was the most frustrating part of your onboarding experience during the first week?
2. Where did you encounter the most confusion about your job responsibilities or role expectations?
3. What obstacles prevented you from being productive during your initial days with the company?
4. Which processes felt unnecessarily complicated or time-consuming during your onboarding process?
5. What aspects of the recruiting process created unclear job expectations about your role here?
6. Where did you experience gaps between what you expected and what you actually encountered?

Missing element and gap detection questions

1. What training or resources were missing that would have helped you do your job effectively?
2. What information about company culture do you wish someone had shared with you earlier?
3. Which tools or systems were you not given access to that initially delayed your productivity?
4. What questions remained unanswered after completing the formal onboarding program activities?
5. Who would have been helpful to meet that you were not introduced to during onboarding?
6. What career development information would have been valuable to receive as a new hire?

Process efficiency and effectiveness questions

1. Which parts of the orientation process felt too long or could have been condensed significantly?
2. What redundancies did you notice in the onboarding training content or materials provided?
3. How could the schedule for your first week have been organized more effectively overall?
4. What administrative tasks could have been completed before your start date to save time?
5. Which meetings during onboarding were essential versus which seemed unnecessary to attend?
6. How could handoffs between different onboarding facilitators have been improved for new employees?
7. What would have helped you understand key business goals and organizational values faster?

20+ onboarding experience survey questions measuring quality

Experience survey questions assess how new hires perceived various aspects of their onboarding journey. These pulse survey software-compatible questions measure quality while still gathering improvement insights. Organizations use these questions alongside feedback-focused assessments to create comprehensive pictures of new hires' experiences. Each category targets distinct onboarding components that contribute to the overall quality of the employee experience.

Welcome experience, quality, and effectiveness questions

1. How welcome did you feel from your team members on your first day at the company?
2. Did the physical or virtual workspace setup meet your expectations for getting started?
3. How effectively did your manager introduce you to team members and key stakeholders?
4. Were you provided with all the necessary tools and resources on or before your start date?
5. How well did the welcome experience align with your expectations based on the interview process?

Training experience and comprehension questions

1. How effective was the onboarding training in preparing you for your job responsibilities?
2. Did the training content match your learning style and help you retain important information?
3. Were trainers knowledgeable and able to answer your questions about job description elements?
4. How adequate was the hands-on practice time during your training effectiveness assessments?
5. Did the training pace allow you to absorb information without feeling overwhelmed or bored?

Support system experience and accessibility questions

1. How accessible was your manager when you had questions during your first week?
2. Did you have a clear understanding of who to contact for different types of support needs?
3. How responsive were team members when you reached out for help or clarification?
4. Were support resources clearly documented and easy to find when you needed them?
5. How comfortable did you feel asking questions without concern about judgment from others?

Cultural integration experience and belonging questions

1. How well did the onboarding program introduce you to company culture and organizational values?
2. Did you feel included in team activities and informal interactions during your early days?
3. How accurately did the onboarding experience reflect the actual workplace culture here?
4. Did you understand how your role contributes to key business goals and the broader company mission?
5. How well did new team members embrace you as part of the group during team integration?

15+ onboarding satisfaction survey questions for overall assessment

Satisfaction questions complement feedback questions by measuring employee sentiment and overall contentment levels. These onboarding survey questions help organizations track trends and identify areas requiring deeper investigation. Combining satisfaction measurement with feedback collection creates comprehensive assessment approaches for new-hire onboarding programs. Organizations can use satisfaction data to track improvements in employee satisfaction over time.

Overall program satisfaction rating questions

1. On a scale of one to five, how satisfied were you with your overall onboarding experience?
2. How well did the onboarding program prepare you for success in your new role here?
3. Did the onboarding experience meet the expectations set during your recruitment process?
4. How satisfied are you with the amount of time dedicated to your onboarding training overall?
5. Would you describe your overall onboarding experience as positive, neutral, or negative?

Component-level satisfaction evaluation questions

1. How satisfied were you with the quality of onboarding materials provided to you?
2. Rate your satisfaction with the manager's involvement in your onboarding process and support.
3. How satisfied are you with the clarity of job responsibilities communicated during onboarding?
4. Rate your satisfaction with the technology and tools provided for your role here.
5. How satisfied were you with team integration opportunities during your onboarding experience?

Expectation alignment and fulfillment questions

1. Did the actual job match what was described during the interview process accurately?
2. Were company culture expectations set during recruiting aligned with your actual experience here?
3. Did you receive the support level promised during your recruitment process discussions?
4. Were the career development opportunities presented during hiring accurately represented?
5. Did the onboarding timeline match what was communicated before your start date here?

Net promoter score and recommendation likelihood questions

1. How likely are you to recommend this company to friends seeking employment opportunities?
2. How likely would you be to recommend our onboarding program to future hires joining the team?

Onboarding feedback examples from high-performing organizations

Learning from high-performing organizations helps companies understand what effective onboarding feedback looks like in practice. These onboarding survey question examples demonstrate how different industries approach gathering feedback from new hires. Each example illustrates specific question strategies tailored to organizational contexts and workforce needs. Organizations can adapt these approaches to fit their unique company culture and onboarding program structures.

Technology company onboarding feedback example

Technology companies often prioritize rapid productivity and technical skill development in their new-hire onboarding approaches. Their feedback surveys focus on assessing whether new employees received adequate access to systems, documentation, and technical mentorship. Questions might ask whether the development environment setup occurred smoothly and what delays new hires encountered during initial configurations. Technology organizations also gather feedback about whether the technical training content matched the actual project requirements they encountered.

As an example, a technology company might ask new hires to compare their onboarding experience with previous employers. Questions about pair programming opportunities, the adequacy of the code review introduction, and the architecture overview would feature prominently in their surveys. The feedback would help organizations identify technical onboarding challenges that initially slow new-hire productivity. Responses might reveal gaps between documented procedures and actual practices that new employees struggle to navigate.

Healthcare organization onboarding feedback example

Healthcare organizations face unique onboarding challenges around compliance training, credentialing, and patient safety protocols. Their feedback surveys emphasize whether new employees feel adequately prepared to maintain safety standards from day one. Questions assess whether compliance training felt relevant rather than redundant and whether the clinical orientation matched actual unit practices. Healthcare employers gather feedback about mentorship quality and supervision adequacy during initial patient interactions.

Healthcare employers might survey new hires about whether onboarding prepared them for the emotional demands of patient care. Questions about interdisciplinary team integration and the clarity of communication protocols would be essential components of their assessments. The organization would want feedback about whether they felt supported in handling challenging situations during their early tenure. Survey responses help healthcare organizations balance thoroughness with efficiency in their onboarding programs.

Retail and hospitality onboarding feedback example

Retail and hospitality organizations often onboard large numbers of new employees simultaneously with tight timeline constraints. Their feedback surveys focus on whether training prepared new hires for customer-facing interactions and peak period demands. Questions assess whether product knowledge training was adequate and whether scheduling expectations were clearly communicated to new hires. These organizations gather feedback on whether team members were welcoming and helpful during the initial shifts.

An example for retail companies may look like asking new hires what single change would improve customer service readiness. Questions about whether onboarding addressed common customer scenarios and complaint handling would feature prominently in assessments. The feedback would reveal whether the training felt relevant to the job demands that new employees encounter daily. Organizations use these insights to refine condensed onboarding programs that must quickly prepare new hires.

Remote-first company onboarding feedback example

Remote-first organizations face distinct challenges in creating connection and belonging without physical workspace interactions. Their feedback surveys focus on whether new employees feel integrated into teams despite geographic separation from colleagues. Questions assess video-conferencing fatigue, proficiency with virtual tools, and clarity in asynchronous communication for new remote workers. Remote organizations gather feedback about whether company culture and organizational values came through clearly in virtual environments.

A hypothetical remote company might survey new hires about virtual coffee chat programs and digital team-building activities. Questions about home office setup support and equipment provision timing would be important feedback areas. The organization would seek input on whether video onboarding sessions felt engaging versus exhausting for new employees. Survey responses help remote organizations optimize virtual onboarding experiences that build genuine connections across distances.

Feedback survey examples for different onboarding stages

Different stages of the onboarding journey require different question approaches and feedback focus areas. These employee onboarding survey examples demonstrate how to adapt surveys across the employee lifecycle. Organizations should deploy stage-appropriate surveys to capture insights when experiences are fresh in new hires' minds. Each stage presents unique opportunities to gather valuable feedback that improves the overall onboarding process.

Day one feedback survey focusing on immediate impressions

Day one surveys capture raw first impressions before new hires adjust their expectations or forget initial reactions. Questions focus on the welcome experience quality, workspace readiness, and whether the first day met expectations set during interviews. Organizations ask about administrative efficiency, access to technology, and clarity in day-one schedule communications. These surveys should be brief since new employees have limited experience to evaluate on their first day.

Effective day-one questions include asking what surprised new hires most about their first-day experience. Questions about whether they felt personally welcomed by team members yield immediate insights into integration sentiment. Organizations can ask whether anything about day one would discourage a candidate from accepting future offers. Day one feedback helps companies identify challenges in the crucial first impression period of employment.

Week one feedback survey assessing initial training

Week one surveys evaluate early training effectiveness, manager accessibility, and initial progress in team integration. Questions assess whether onboarding training content was appropriately paced and whether new hires experienced information overload. Organizations gather feedback about whether job responsibilities are becoming clearer after the initial training period. First-week surveys capture feedback before new hires fully acclimate and normalize their onboarding experience.

Effective first-week questions ask new hires to identify the single most valuable activity during their initial days. Questions about whether they have a clear understanding of their immediate priorities help assess onboarding clarity. Organizations can ask what information they still need that has not been provided during the first week. Week one feedback identifies early course corrections that can improve the remainder of the onboarding process.

30-day feedback survey evaluating role preparation

Thirty-day surveys assess whether new hires feel prepared to perform their job responsibilities independently. Questions evaluate the comprehensiveness of training, the adequacy of resources, and whether initial performance expectations are clear to new employees. Organizations gather feedback about manager relationship quality and whether support systems are functioning effectively. Month one surveys capture insights after new hires have meaningful experience with actual job demands.

Effective thirty-day questions ask whether new hires can do their job effectively with current training and resources. Questions about career development, conversation timing, and goal-setting clarity reveal the quality of manager engagement. Organizations can ask what single improvement would have most accelerated their productivity during the initial weeks. Thirty-day feedback helps organizations understand whether role preparation met expectations set during the recruiting process.

90-day feedback survey measuring comprehensive effectiveness

Ninety-day surveys provide comprehensive feedback about the entire onboarding program from new hires with substantial experience. Questions evaluate whether initial promises about company culture, career development, and role expectations have been fulfilled. Organizations gather feedback about employee engagement levels and whether new hires feel fully integrated into teams. Three-month surveys capture the perspective of new employees who understand both onboarding and actual job requirements.

Effective ninety-day questions ask new hires to rate their onboarding experience compared to previous employers. Questions about whether they would recommend the organization to job-seeking friends assess overall sentiment and engagement. Organizations can ask what they wish they had known before starting that would have made the transition smoother. Ninety-day feedback provides the most comprehensive evaluation of onboarding program effectiveness and new hire retention indicators.

Onboarding feedback questions that drive actionable insights

Some question types consistently generate more actionable responses than others in new hire surveys. These new-hire survey questions use specific structures designed to yield actionable insights. Organizations should strategically incorporate these question approaches throughout their onboarding feedback programs. Each approach targets different types of actionable information that drive meaningful program improvements.

Comparative questions identifying the best and worst elements

Comparative questions force new hires to evaluate onboarding elements relative to one another for prioritization. Asking what was most and least valuable requires thoughtful consideration rather than defaulting to positive responses. These questions reveal which investments pay off and which waste resources from the new hire's perspective. Organizations gain clear direction about what to emphasize and what to reconsider in their programs.

Effective comparative questions might ask new hires which single onboarding activity they would eliminate if forced. Questions about what they would double down on reveal the highest-value elements worth expanding on for future hires. Organizations can ask which element most positively influenced their decision to stay with the company long term. Comparative insights help prioritize limited improvement resources to maximize their impact on new employees.

Prioritization questions ranking improvement importance

Prioritization questions present multiple potential improvements and ask new hires to rank their relative importance. This approach reveals which issues matter most, rather than treating all feedback equally. Organizations can focus on high-priority improvements that new employees identify as most impactful for success. Ranking exercises require new hires to make difficult trade-offs that clarify true priorities.

Effective prioritization questions might present five potential onboarding improvements and ask new hires to rank them. Questions about which gap most negatively affected their productivity help identify urgent priorities quickly. Organizations can ask where they would invest additional resources if the budget allowed for only one improvement. Prioritization insights transform broad feedback into focused action plans for program enhancement.

Hypothetical questions exploring alternative approaches

Hypothetical questions invite new hires to imagine different approaches without directly criticizing current ones. Asking how they would design onboarding if starting fresh yields creative suggestions without defensive reactions. These questions reveal idealized visions that may include practical improvement elements worth careful consideration. Organizations gain insight into what new employees expect during onboarding versus what they receive.

Effective hypothetical questions might ask new hires to describe their ideal first-day experience in detail. Questions about what resources a perfect onboarding program would include reveal gaps in current offerings. Organizations can ask how they would explain the company to a friend who is considering applying for a job. Hypothetical insights often reveal opportunities that direct feedback questions might not surface effectively.

Recommendation questions gathering implementation suggestions

Recommendation questions ask new hires to provide specific, implementable suggestions rather than abstract feedback. Asking for concrete recommendations yields practical ideas that organizations can evaluate and potentially adopt directly. These questions treat new employees as experts on their own experience with valuable implementation perspectives. Organizations receive detailed suggestions rather than general complaints that require additional interpretation.

Effective recommendation questions might ask new hires to recommend one process change and explain how to implement it. Questions about what specific resource would have helped most yield actionable additional ideas for programs. Organizations can ask how they can improve communication between hiring managers and new employees. Recommendation questions transform passive feedback into an active contribution toward organizational improvement initiatives.

Onboarding survey for new hires focused on feedback collection

Designing new-hire surveys with an explicit feedback focus requires intentional question structuring and clear communication of purpose. These eNPS-style questions emphasize collecting constructive input rather than validating existing approaches. Organizations should communicate that they genuinely want improvement suggestions from new hires joining the team. Each question category targets specific actionable feedback that drives meaningful program changes.

Questions about what worked well and should be kept

1. Which aspects of your onboarding experience should definitely be preserved for future hires?
2. What training elements were most effective and should remain unchanged in the program?
3. Which support resources proved most valuable and should be emphasized for new employees?
4. What aspects of manager involvement worked well and should continue for new hires?
5. Which team integration activities successfully helped you feel welcome and connected here?

Questions about what did not work and should be changed

1. What elements of onboarding felt ineffective and need significant revision for improvement?
2. Which training content failed to prepare you adequately for your job responsibilities?
3. What processes created unnecessary friction that could be streamlined for future hires?
4. Which communications were confusing or contradicted information from the recruitment process?
5. What aspects of the orientation process felt like wasted time for new employees?

Questions about what was missing and should be added

1. What resources or training were absent that would have helped you succeed faster?
2. Which relationships or introductions were missing that should be added for future hires?
3. What company culture information was not provided but would have been valuable initially?
4. Which tools or systems were made available too late and should have been available earlier for productivity?
5. What career development context was missing that would have helped new employees understand opportunities?

Questions about implementation, suggestions, and alternatives

1. How specifically would you recommend improving the training effectiveness of our program?
2. What alternative approaches to team integration would better help new hires feel welcomed?
3. How should we restructure the first week to better prepare new employees for success?
4. What technology or tools would improve the onboarding experience for future hires?
5. How could we better prepare managers to support new hires throughout the onboarding process?

Customer onboarding survey templates and best practices

Customer onboarding surveys share many of the same principles as employee onboarding, while addressing different relationship dynamics. These eNPS survey adjacent questions focus on product adoption, service delivery, and implementation success. Organizations serving customers need feedback on how effectively they bring new clients to the successful use of their products or services. Each category addresses distinct customer onboarding components that influence long-term relationship success.

Product onboarding feedback questions

Product onboarding surveys assess whether customers successfully learned to use software, platforms, or physical products. Questions evaluate tutorial effectiveness, documentation clarity, and whether customers achieved initial success with core features. Organizations gather feedback on the appropriateness of the learning curve and whether support resources adequately meet customer needs. Product companies need this feedback to optimize customer adoption and reduce early-stage churn effectively.

Effective product onboarding questions ask customers what features they still do not understand after initial training. Questions about which tutorials were most helpful versus confusing reveal clear content improvement opportunities. Organizations can ask what blocked customers from achieving their first success milestone with the product. Product feedback helps companies create seamless onboarding that accelerates customer time to value.

Service onboarding experience questions

Service onboarding surveys evaluate whether new customers received an adequate introduction to service delivery processes. Questions assess communication clarity, expectation-setting accuracy, and whether customers understand engagement procedures clearly. Organizations gather feedback about responsiveness, professionalism, and whether service levels match what was promised during sales. Service companies need this feedback to ensure smooth transitions from sales to ongoing service delivery.

Effective service onboarding questions ask customers whether service delivery matched expectations set during sales conversations. Questions about communication frequency preferences help organizations adjust customer engagement appropriately. Organizations can ask what information was missing that would have helped customers prepare for the service relationship. Service feedback helps companies effectively align sales promises with delivery capabilities.

Implementation process satisfaction questions

Implementation surveys assess whether customers successfully deployed or configured products within expected timeframes. Questions evaluate project management effectiveness, technical support adequacy, and whether implementations met success criteria. Organizations gather feedback about vendor responsiveness, issue resolution, and whether implementations stayed within scope and budget. Implementation feedback helps organizations refine processes that directly impact customer success outcomes.

Ask clients to score their overall happiness with the setup process and identify one adjustment that would have improved their experience. Questions about whether timelines met expectations and where delays occurred reveal high-priority improvement opportunities. This feedback helps companies optimize the onboarding processes that shape long-term customer relationships.

Customer success and support adequacy questions

Customer success surveys evaluate whether ongoing support effectively helped customers achieve their desired outcomes with the products. Questions assess support accessibility, response quality, and whether customers feel equipped for independent success. Organizations gather feedback about whether customer success managers added value beyond basic support interactions. Success feedback helps organizations optimize resource allocation across customer onboarding and ongoing support functions.

Effective customer success questions ask whether customers feel prepared to succeed independently without extensive support. Questions about what additional resources would help customers achieve goals reveal product or documentation gaps. Organizations can ask whether the customer success engagement frequency felt appropriate, rather than excessive or insufficient. Customer success feedback helps organizations balance proactive support with customer independence development.

30+ complete onboarding feedback survey templates ready to implement

The following templates provide complete, ready-to-use surveys for different onboarding touchpoints and purposes. These pulse survey tools' compatible templates can be customized to match organizational needs. Each template includes questions designed to generate actionable feedback rather than just satisfaction ratings. Organizations can deploy these templates using survey platforms that support automated distribution and analytics.

Day one onboarding feedback survey template

First impressions and welcome experience feedback

1. What was your overall first impression of the organization on your first day here?
2. Did you feel personally welcomed by your manager and new team members today?
3. Were all the necessary tools, equipment, and system access ready when you arrived?
4. What surprised you most about your first day at the company, positively or negatively?
5. What would have made your first-day experience better for getting started?

Administrative process efficiency feedback

1. How smoothly did administrative paperwork and setup processes go on day one?
2. Were instructions for completing required tasks clear and easy to follow today?
3. What administrative obstacles did you encounter that should be eliminated for future hires?

Immediate improvement suggestions

1. What single change would most improve the first-day experience for new employees?
2. If you designed day one from scratch, what would you do differently for new hires?

End of week one onboarding feedback survey template

Training effectiveness and improvement feedback

1. How well did this week's training prepare you for your job responsibilities ahead?
2. What training content was most valuable for understanding your role here?
3. Which training sessions felt too long, too short, or poorly paced this week?
4. What training topics were missing that you still need covered going forward?
5. How would you improve the training effectiveness for future new employees?

Information pacing and overload feedback

1. Did you experience information overload at any point during your first week?
2. What information could have been spread out over a longer time for better retention?
3. Which content would be better delivered before the start date rather than during week one?

Manager supports quality feedback

1. How accessible and supportive was your manager throughout your first week here?
2. What additional manager involvement would have helped your transition during this week?

Team integration experience feedback

1. How welcome did you feel from new team members during your first week?
2. What team integration activities were most helpful for building relationships here?
3. What additional introductions or meetings would have benefited your integration?

Most helpful and least helpful week one activities

1. What was the single most valuable part of your first week's experience here?
2. What would you eliminate or significantly change about the first week for future hires?

30-day onboarding feedback survey template

Role preparation adequacy feedback

1. How well prepared do you feel to perform your job responsibilities independently now?
2. What skills or knowledge gaps remain that need additional training or support?
3. How accurately did the job description match your actual job responsibilities so far?
4. What aspects of your role were you least prepared for after initial onboarding?
5. Did you have a clear understanding of performance expectations by day thirty?

Training comprehensiveness feedback

1. What additional training would help you do your job more effectively now?
2. Which training content has proven most useful in your actual daily work so far?
3. What training topics should receive more emphasis for future new employees?

Resource availability feedback

1. Do you have access to all the necessary tools and resources for your job?
2. What resources are still missing that would help your productivity significantly?
3. How adequate is the documentation for the systems and processes you use daily?

Manager relationship feedback

1. How effectively does your manager support your development and answer questions?
2. Have you received adequate feedback about your performance during these initial weeks?
3. How well does your manager communicate expectations and priorities to you?

Cultural integration feedback

1. How well do you understand the company culture and organizational values now?
2. Do you feel like a fully integrated member of your team at this point?
3. What aspects of company culture were unexpected compared to your expectations?

Specific improvement recommendations

1. What single improvement would have most accelerated your success during onboarding?
2. How would you redesign the first thirty days based on your experience here?
3. What advice would you give future new employees starting in your role?

60-day onboarding feedback survey template

Ongoing support adequacy feedback

1. Are you receiving adequate ongoing support as you continue settling into your role?
2. Do you know where to find help when you encounter challenges or questions?
3. How responsive is your team when you need assistance with tasks or decisions?
4. What additional support would help you perform your job more effectively?

Performance expectation clarity feedback

1. Do you have a clear understanding of what success looks like in your role?
2. Are your manager's performance expectations communicated clearly and regularly?
3. Have you received formal or informal feedback about your job performance so far?
4. What improvements in goal clarity would help you focus your efforts more effectively?

Career development discussion feedback

1. Has your manager discussed career development opportunities with you yet?
2. Do you understand potential growth paths within the organization from here?
3. What career development information would be valuable at this stage of employment?

Team collaboration effectiveness feedback

1. How effectively do you collaborate with team members on shared work now?
2. Are communication patterns clear about how your team works together daily?
3. What would improve team collaboration and coordination for new team members?

Improvement priority ranking

1. Looking back, what was the most valuable aspect of your onboarding experience?
2. What single change would most improve onboarding for future employees?
3. What was the least valuable aspect that should be removed or significantly changed?
4. If you could add one thing to the onboarding program, what would it be?

90-day comprehensive onboarding feedback survey template

Overall program effectiveness feedback

1. How would you rate the overall effectiveness of your onboarding experience here?
2. Did the onboarding program adequately prepare you for success in your role?
3. How well did the onboarding process help you understand the overall company culture?
4. Would you recommend this organization to friends based on your onboarding experience?
5. How does your onboarding experience compare to previous employers you have worked for?

Most valuable onboarding components identification

1. What three elements of onboarding were most valuable for your success here?
2. Which training or resources should definitely be preserved for future new employees?
3. What support or relationships established during onboarding have been most helpful?

Least valuable components elimination suggestions

1. What aspects of onboarding added the least value to your preparation for the role?
2. Which activities felt like wasted time that could be better spent differently?
3. What content or training was redundant or unnecessary for your role specifically?

Missing elements that would have helped

1. What was missing from your onboarding that would have accelerated your success?
2. What information do you wish you had received earlier in your tenure here?
3. Which relationships or introductions were missing that should be added for future hires?

Specific improvement recommendations prioritized

1. What is the single highest priority improvement for the onboarding program?
2. What quick wins could immediately improve the experience for new employees joining?
3. What structural changes would significantly improve the overall onboarding process?

Implementation suggestions for improvements

1. How specifically would you implement your top priority improvement suggestion?
2. What resources or support would be needed to implement your suggested improvements?
3. Who should be involved in making the improvements you have recommended above?

Comparative feedback versus previous employer onboarding

1. How did this onboarding experience compare to your best previous employer experience?
2. What did previous employers do well that this organization should consider adopting?
3. What unique aspects of this onboarding were better than anywhere you have worked before?
4. How likely are you to recommend this company's onboarding to a friend who is job seeking?
5. What final thoughts would you share about your onboarding experience overall?

Manager onboarding feedback survey template

New hire readiness feedback

1. How prepared did your new hire seem on their first day of employment here?
2. Did you have all the necessary tools and information to support your new hire?
3. What resources were missing that would have helped you onboard your new employee?

Process efficiency feedback from the manager's perspective

1. What aspects of the onboarding process created unnecessary work for you as a manager?
2. Which administrative processes could be streamlined to save the manager's time investment?
3. What automation or tools would help managers support new hires more effectively?

Communication effectiveness feedback

1. Was communication between HR and managers adequate throughout the onboarding process?
2. Did you receive sufficient notice and preparation time before your new hire started?
3. What information about the new hire would have been helpful to receive earlier?

Support adequacy for managers feedback

1. Did you feel adequately trained to effectively onboard your new employee here?
2. What manager training would help you better support new hires' onboarding?
3. Were expectations for manager involvement in onboarding clearly communicated to you?

Manager-specific improvement suggestions

1. What single change would most improve the manager experience during new hire onboarding?
2. What tools or resources would help managers support new employees more effectively?
3. How would you redesign the manager role in onboarding based on your experience?

Remote onboarding feedback survey template

Virtual onboarding experience feedback

1. How effective was your virtual onboarding experience compared to your initial expectations?
2. Did you feel connected to your team even though you didn't meet them in person?
3. Which virtual activities helped you feel most integrated into the team remotely?
4. What would have improved your sense of belonging during remote onboarding?

Technology and connectivity feedback

1. Were all the technology tools and accounts set up and working when you started?
2. Did you receive adequate training on the virtual tools you need for your work?
3. What technology challenges did you encounter that should be addressed for future hires?

Remote training effectiveness feedback

1. How effective was virtual training compared to in-person training you have experienced?
2. Did video meeting fatigue impact your ability to absorb onboarding information effectively?
3. What training delivery methods worked best for you in the remote environment?
4. How could virtual training be improved for future remote new employees?

Virtual team integration feedback

1. How successfully were you introduced to team members and key stakeholders virtually?
2. What virtual social activities helped you build relationships with new colleagues?
3. How could virtual team integration be improved for future remote new employees?

Remote-specific improvement recommendations

1. What single change would most improve remote onboarding for future new hires?
2. What resources for remote workers were missing that should be added to onboarding?
3. How would you redesign remote onboarding based on your experience here?
4. What advice would you give future remote new employees starting in your role?

Training-focused onboarding feedback survey template

Training content quality and relevance feedback

1. How relevant was the training content to your actual job responsibilities?
2. Did the training cover the skills and knowledge you need to perform effectively?
3. What training content was least useful and could be removed or reduced?
4. What topics were missing from training that you needed to learn independently?

Training delivery method effectiveness feedback

1. Which training delivery methods were most effective for your learning style?
2. Were video, live instruction, and documentation balanced appropriately for learning?
3. How could training delivery be improved for different learning preferences?
4. What delivery methods should be added or emphasized more in the training?

Trainer quality and engagement feedback

1. How knowledgeable and engaging were the trainers who led your sessions?
2. Were trainers able to answer your questions and clarify confusing content?
3. What would improve the trainer's effectiveness in future training sessions?

Training materials usefulness feedback

1. How useful were the written materials and documentation provided during training?
2. Were you able to find reference materials easily when you needed them later?
3. What additional documentation would help you do your job more effectively?

Hands-on practice opportunity feedback

1. Did you receive adequate hands-on practice time during your onboarding training?
2. Were practice scenarios realistic and relevant to the actual work you encounter?
3. What additional practice opportunities would have improved your training effectiveness?

Training-specific improvement suggestions

1. What single change would most improve training effectiveness for new employees?
2. How would you redesign the training program based on your experience?
3. What training advice would you give future new employees starting in your role?

Cultural integration feedback survey template

Values introduction, effectiveness, and feedback

1. How effectively did onboarding introduce you to the company's organizational values?
2. Do you understand how values translate into expected behaviors and decisions here?
3. How authentic did the values presentation feel compared to the actual company culture?

Cultural immersion activity feedback

1. Which activities helped you understand the company culture most effectively?
2. What cultural elements were unclear or confusing during your onboarding experience?
3. What additional cultural context would have helped your integration here?

Team bonding opportunity feedback

1. What opportunities for team bonding were provided during your onboarding period?
2. Did you feel included in informal team activities and conversations here?
3. What additional team bonding opportunities would have helped your integration?

Inclusion and belonging experience feedback

1. Did you feel included and welcomed as a valued team member?
2. Were diverse perspectives and backgrounds visibly respected during your onboarding?
3. What would have made you feel more included during your initial weeks here?

Cultural integration improvement recommendations

1. What single change would most improve cultural integration for new employees?
2. How would you redesign cultural onboarding based on your experience here?
3. What cultural advice would you give future new employees starting at this organization?

Resource and tools feedback survey template

Technology provisioning timeliness feedback

1. Did you receive the necessary technology equipment and access on time for starting?
2. What delays in technology provisioning affected your initial productivity here?
3. What technology setup could have been completed before your start date?

Tool adequacy and functionality feedback

1. Do you have access to all the tools you need for your job responsibilities?
2. Are the tools provided adequate for performing your work effectively and efficiently?
3. What additional tools would help you do your job more effectively here?

Documentation quality and accessibility feedback

1. Is documentation for systems and processes clear and easy to understand?
2. Can you find the necessary documentation easily when you need it for your work?
3. What documentation improvements would most help new employees succeed?

Support system effectiveness feedback

1. Is technical support responsive when you encounter issues with tools or systems?
2. Do you know who to contact for different types of support needs here?

Resource-related improvement suggestions

1. What single resource addition would most improve the onboarding experience here?

How Matter can help with onboarding feedback surveys

Matter provides comprehensive survey tools designed to gather actionable new-hire feedback throughout the employee lifecycle. The platform automatically offers customizable onboarding survey templates for Day 7, Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90 touchpoints. Organizations can launch surveys in minutes with science-backed question banks that emphasize improvement over simple measurement. Matter's Slack and Teams integration ensures new hires receive surveys directly where they already work daily.

Matter's feedback focused on question banks, emphasizing improvement

Matter's survey library includes templates designed to generate specific, actionable improvement recommendations from new employees. Questions target practical suggestions rather than abstract satisfaction ratings that provide limited guidance for change. Organizations can customize templates to match their unique onboarding program structure and company culture priorities. The question design encourages new hires to share detailed feedback that HR teams can implement directly.

Recognition integration, celebrating employees who provide detailed feedback

Matter allows organizations to reward new hires who complete surveys with Matter coins redeemable for meaningful rewards. This recognition approach increases survey participation rates and encourages more thoughtful, detailed responses from new employees. Employees earn coins for completing surveys, reinforcing the value organizations place on gathering honest employee feedback. The reward integration demonstrates that leadership genuinely wants to hear improvement suggestions from new hires.

Action tracking tools connecting feedback to implemented improvements

Matter's analytics monitor survey responses over time, assisting organizations in identifying trends and accurately assessing the effectiveness of improvements. Real-time dashboards show response rates, sentiment trends, and question-level scores across all deployed onboarding surveys. Organizations can monitor how changes affect subsequent new hires' experiences through before-and-after comparisons. The analytics ensure feedback translates into measurable onboarding program improvements rather than sitting unreviewed.

Frequently asked questions about onboarding feedback surveys

Q: What is an onboarding feedback survey?

A: An onboarding feedback survey collects specific improvement recommendations and actionable suggestions from new hires. Unlike satisfaction surveys that measure contentment, feedback surveys focus on gathering concrete suggestions for program improvement. These tools identify what should be kept, changed, or added to the onboarding process. The goal is actionable insights rather than just measurement data.

Q: What questions should be in an onboarding feedback survey?

A: Effective surveys should include open-ended questions soliciting specific improvements from new employees. Include comparative questions identifying strengths and weaknesses in the onboarding program. Add gap identification questions asking what was missing that would have helped new hires. Include prioritization questions and implementation suggestions for comprehensive feedback collection.

Q: What should be included in a feedback survey?

A: Include questions identifying specific improvement opportunities and comparing expectations versus reality. Add prioritization questions, ranking suggested changes, and soliciting implementation recommendations. Include questions identifying the most and least valuable elements, along with missing components. Ensure every question yields actionable insights rather than just satisfaction measurement.

Q: What are good onboarding feedback examples?

A: Good feedback is specific, constructive, and includes implementation suggestions for program improvement. Examples include suggestions to break up orientation into shorter interactive sessions rather than long lectures. Recommendations might include pre-boarding emails explaining technology stacks before start dates. Suggestions to extend buddy programs from 2 weeks to 30 days demonstrate constructive thinking.

Q: How is an onboarding feedback survey different from a satisfaction survey?

A: Feedback surveys focus on gathering improvement recommendations, while satisfaction surveys measure contentment. Feedback surveys ask about what should change, while satisfaction surveys ask how satisfied employees were. Feedback surveys prioritize open-ended questions, yielding specific action suggestions. Both serve different purposes in a comprehensive onboarding program assessment.

Q: What are customer onboarding survey questions?

A: Customer onboarding questions cover implementation experience, training effectiveness, and support quality assessment. Include questions about process smoothness, obstacle identification, and improvement recommendations. Ask about support responsiveness, preparation for independent product usage, and missing resources. Focus on identifying friction points and improvement opportunities for customer success.

Final thoughts on onboarding feedback surveys

Onboarding feedback surveys transform programs through continuous improvement, driven by authentic new-hire insights and specific recommendations. Organizations that systematically collect feedback create responsive onboarding experiences that evolve with workforce needs. The most successful companies recognize employees who provide detailed, constructive feedback through recognition programs. They celebrate managers who implement feedback-driven improvements and reward teams achieving measurable enhancements.

Matter provides a complete solution for gathering actionable onboarding feedback with automated survey deployment at key touchpoints. The platform offers feedback-focused question banks that emphasize improvement over measurement, with customizable templates ready to launch. Action-tracking tools connect survey feedback to implemented changes, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement. Real-time analytics show the impact of improvements, while seamless Slack and Teams integration ensures high participation rates. 

Ready to gather actionable feedback that drives onboarding improvements? Schedule a demo with a Matter expert today and discover how our platform can help you collect meaningful suggestions, track improvements, and create a culture of continuous improvement.