15 Powerful New Hire Onboarding Survey Questions Every HR Should Ask

Hi! 

Did you know a well-executed onboarding program can increase employee retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%?

‍

So here, I’m going to show you 25 powerful new hire onboarding survey questions every HR should ask

—your toolkit for insightful feedback and stronger employee connections.

⭐ Why This Matters: These questions will help you understand exactly what your new hires need from the get-go, making you a great recruiter.

‍

⭐ What’s In It for You: With these questions, you can tailor your onboarding. You can directly address the real needs of your new hires. They will feel super valued and understood. (Bonus points for happy employees who stick around!)

‍

⭐ Why You Can't Skip This:  A bad onboarding experience can leave new hires feeling lost and disconnected. It can lead to them bouncing out of the company before they even get settled. 

‍

These questions are your secret weapon – they'll help you catch any problems early on before they turn into bigger headaches.

‍

This employee integration thing is super important. If we get this right, we can seriously improve how we welcome new people on board.  

‍

Let's dive into some ideas to make their first experience awesome and set them up for success from day one.

Why Are Onboarding Questions Crucial for New Hires?

‍

Think about the first day at a new job; it's a mix of excitement and nerves, right? 

‍

Onboarding surveys tap into these fresh experiences. They offer crucial insights that can help shape a more supportive start. 

‍

Simply put, 

‍

🤔when you ask new hires about their initial impressions and challenges, 

💡you're getting the blueprint to make their journey smoother and making sure they feel heard.

‍

What Are the Benefits of Asking the Right Onboarding Questions?

‍

Right onboarding questions are super important for new hires because:

‍

• Help Settle In: They help new hires understand exactly what their job is about and what’s expected of them, avoiding any early mix-ups.
• Improve Job Satisfaction: Good questions make new employees feel welcomed and valued. When new hires feel good from the start, they’re more likely to stick around, reducing turnover.
• Point Out Improvements: You get direct feedback on what’s working in your onboarding and what could be better, so you can keep improving the process.
• Keep Everyone on the Same Page: Addressing any issues or questions right away helps new hires get comfortable and productive faster.

‍

What Are the Essential Onboarding Questions for New Hires?

‍

Developing effective onboarding survey questions is key to understanding how new hires feel about their integration process.

‍

Asking the right onboarding questions can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your employee induction program.

What Questions to Ask About the Onboarding Process?

‍

These questions should help you evaluate the effectiveness of the overall onboarding experience:

‍

1. How would you rate your overall onboarding experience on a scale from 1 to 10? 

Provides a quick quantitative measure of the new hire's initial impression of the onboarding process.

‍

2. Was the onboarding process informative enough regarding your roles and responsibilities?

Assesses whether the onboarding effectively communicated the core aspects of the job.

‍

3. What aspect of the onboarding process was most helpful to you?

Identifies strengths in the current onboarding process that can be emphasized further.

‍

4. What was missing or could have been improved in the onboarding process?

Uncovers areas of weakness or gaps in the onboarding content or delivery.

‍

5. How clear and organized was the onboarding schedule presented to you?

Evaluates the structure and clarity of the onboarding timeline and activities.

‍

You can also use a survey tool like Wrenly. It makes it easier to collect and analyze feedback right when new hires start. As it automates the survey process to quickly gather first impressions.

How to Check Role Clarity and Job Expectations?

‍

6. How well do you understand your job responsibilities after the onboarding?

Checks for any confusion regarding daily tasks and long-term responsibilities.

‍

7. Are there any aspects of your role that you find unclear or confusing?

Pinpoints specific areas where additional information might be needed.

‍

8. Do you feel confident about what is expected of you performance-wise?

Gauges whether performance standards and evaluation criteria were clearly communicated.

‍

9. How effective was the goal-setting session during your onboarding?

Assesses the clarity and usefulness of goal-setting in aligning expectations.

‍

10. Is there additional training or information you need to perform your job effectively?

Identifies gaps in training that could hinder job performance if unaddressed.

‍

What Are Good Onboarding Survey Questions for Understanding Company Culture?

‍

11. How would you describe the company culture based on your initial experience?

Provides insights into the new hire’s perception and understanding of the company culture.

‍

12. Were the company’s core values clearly communicated during your onboarding?

Checks if the foundational values of the company were effectively imparted.

‍

13. How well do you think you fit into this company culture?

Helps understand the new hire’s sense of belonging and alignment with the company.

‍

14. What can we do better to help new hires understand and adapt to our culture?

Offers direct feedback on improving cultural integration for new hires.

15. How encouraged do you feel to participate in company culture initiatives?

Measures the effectiveness of efforts to involve new hires in cultural activities.

‍

How Effective Is the Support and Feedback for New Hires?

‍

It's important to regularly survey new hires to gather timely feedback on your onboarding practices.

‍

16. How comfortable do you feel providing feedback about your onboarding experience?

Indicates the openness of communication channels and psychological safety.

‍

17. Who have you felt most comfortable approaching for help during your initial days?

Highlights effective support systems or individuals within the company.

‍

18. How responsive have your colleagues and superiors been to your questions or concerns?

Assesses the supportiveness and accessibility of team members and management.

‍

19. What type of ongoing support would you find most beneficial as you transition into your role?

Identifies specific types of support that could enhance the new hire’s integration and effectiveness.

‍

20. Have you received adequate feedback on your performance since starting your job?

Checks if there is effective and timely communication regarding job performance.

‍

The results from our latest hire onboarding survey may indicate a need for more comprehensive training sessions.

‍

Again, Wrenly continuously gathers feedback about the support new hires receive. It  ensures all concerns are addressed promptly.

‍

When you draft your next set of survey questions, ask about both the clarity of job roles and the sufficiency of support received.

‍

How Prepared Are You for the Challenges and Development in Your New Role?

‍

21. What additional resources or tools do you feel you need to succeed in your position?

Helps determine if any tools, resources, or technologies could enhance job performance.

‍

22. How clearly have your career development paths been outlined to you?

Ensures that new hires understand their potential career trajectory within the company.

23. What are your biggest concerns or challenges about your role or working at this company?

Reveals any apprehensions or obstacles. Something that could affect the new hire’s job satisfaction or performance.

‍

24. What type of training or development would you like to see in the future?

Gathers preferences for future training and development opportunities to better align them with employee needs.

‍

25. How prepared do you feel to meet the challenges of your new role?

Evaluates the new hire’s confidence and readiness to handle the responsibilities. And also the challenges of their position.

‍

Now that we have those questions under our belt. Let's acknowledge that this whole process can be a bit tedious but is nonetheless worth the time. 

‍

Additionally, we have a tool that facilitates just that.

‍

Wrenly allows for regular assessments of how well new hires understand the company culture and much more, with customizable templates that align with your company values.

‍

Not only that, but Wrenly also automates the analysis of survey data, highlighting trends and areas for improvement, thereby enabling HR to make data-driven decisions.

Try Wrenly for Free!

Test out every feature for two weeks, no credit card needed.
You also get a free AI health score during your trial.
What are you waiting for?

Try it free

Request a demo

How to Implement Onboarding Survey Feedback Effectively?

‍

When you get feedback from onboarding surveys, here’s what you can do to make the most of it:

‍

• Look for Patterns: See if certain comments keep popping up—these are your clues on what needs fixing.
• Pick What to Tackle First: Not all changes are created equal. Start with the ones that will make the biggest difference.
• Talk About It: Let your team know what feedback you’ve received and what you plan to do about it. It’s all about staying on the same page.
• Take It Step by Step: Roll out changes slowly so it’s manageable and you can see what’s working.
• Check If It Worked: Use future surveys to see if the changes made things better. Keep tweaking as you go.

‍

What’s the 30 60 90 Day Survey for New Hires?

‍

The 30 60 90 day survey is like checking in at key early moments in a new job:

‍

• After 30 Days: How’s everything going? Do you have what you need to get started?
• After 60 Days: Are you settling in okay? How’s the vibe with the team and the job so far?
• After 90 Days: Now that you’re really in the swing of things, how do you feel about your role and the company?

‍

These check-ins help make sure we catch any issues early on and keep everything moving smoothly.

‍

How Often Should We Survey New Hires?

‍

Finding the right balance for survey frequency is key:

‍

• In the Beginning: Stick with the 30 60 90 day plan to get timely feedback when it matters most.
• Later On: Once the initial three months are up, you might want to ease up—maybe check in every few months.

This way, you get the insights you need without overwhelming anyone with too many surveys. It’s all about keeping a good flow of feedback without going overboard.

‍

Conclusion

‍

Asking the right onboarding questions is more than just a formality. It sets the foundation for a strong workplace. These questions help you see what's working and what needs fixing—each answer helps shape your company’s future.

‍

For HR folks, the message is simple: treat this feedback like a goldmine. It's your guide to making the onboarding process better all the time. And remember, a smooth onboarding can really boost how long employees stick around and how happy and productive they are.

‍

So, take this feedback seriously and see it as an opportunity. 

‍

And by using tools like Wrenly, companies can better adapt and refine their onboarding processes based on actionable feedback, enhancing employee integration and satisfaction.

‍

Each survey is an opportunity to make your onboarding even better, helping your company grow stronger with every new hire. Your effort in refining this journey is key, to turning new starts into long-term successes.

‍