Ask new starters how their first week and first month went, while there is still time to fix what they tell you. This free onboarding survey builder starts with first-week and first-month questions, and has presets for a training session and for general employee feedback. Choose a response scale, edit the questions, then print copies with answer boxes or download the questions to paste into a form tool. The editable sample is a fictional first-month survey for a small shop.
The builder makes a question sheet. It collects no responses: people answer on paper, or in a form tool you choose.
Make an employee onboarding survey
- Enter a title, your business and a short introduction that says why you are asking and how long it takes.
- Add a return-by date and how to hand the survey back, such as a sealed envelope or a folder in the staff room.
- Decide whether the survey is anonymous. An anonymous sheet leaves off the name line and says so; a named one prints Name and Date lines.
- Pick a preset (onboarding, training or general feedback) and select Replace questions with this preset. It asks before replacing your questions, and sets the agreement scale because the preset questions are statements.
- Choose the response scale: agreement (Strongly disagree to Strongly agree), satisfaction (Very dissatisfied to Very satisfied) or rating (1 Poor to 5 Excellent).
- Edit, add, reorder or remove questions, up to 30. Each one is a scale question, a yes or no question, or a written answer.
- Read the wording check, then print or download the survey.
On the printout, each scale question shows five labelled boxes, a yes or no question shows two, and a written answer gets lines to write on.
New hire onboarding survey questions
The onboarding preset covers the practical first week and the settling-in first month on one sheet. The first-week questions ask whether the first day was organized, whether the person had what they needed (keys, logins, a uniform), whether someone was responsible for helping them settle in, whether tasks were explained before they had to do them alone, and whether they know who to ask. The first-month questions ask whether they understand what is expected of them and have had the training they need, with a yes or no question about emergency exits and two written questions to finish.
Acas, the UK's workplace advice service, says a manager should review how someone's induction is going, talk with them regularly, and arrange a review meeting once they have some experience of the role. A short survey before that meeting gives you both something specific to talk about. Plan the first week itself with the onboarding checklist, and see the guide to an employee onboarding checklist for what to prepare before someone starts.
Learning and development survey questions
The training preset is for the end of a session, while it is fresh. It asks whether the training covered what the person needs, whether it was explained clearly, whether there was time to practice, whether they feel confident doing the task alone, and whether the session was the right length. It ends by asking whether they want a follow-up session, which part was most useful, and what else they would like to learn at work.
Answers like "I don't feel confident on my own yet" are a reason to pair that person with someone experienced. Record who is trained on what in the skills matrix, so the next survey has something to compare against.
Write questions people can answer honestly
Ask about one thing in each question. "The training was clear and the right length" mixes two answers into one box; split it into two statements.
Keep the wording neutral. The wording check flags a short list of leading phrases, such as "don't you", "wouldn't you", "isn't it" and "how much did you enjoy". Rewrite the question as a statement people can disagree with, such as "The session was useful." The check is a prompt and never stops you printing.
An anonymous employee survey stays anonymous only if the answers cannot be traced back. In a small team, handwriting, shift details or a written comment can identify someone. When a survey is marked anonymous, the check flags questions asking for "your name", an "employee number" or an "employee ID". Say who will read the answers, and collect the sheets so nobody sees who handed in which.
Tell people what you heard and what you will change, even when the change is small. If people leave within their first months, the employee turnover calculator works out the turnover rate for a period, and the interview scorecard helps you hire against the same questions next time.
Print or download the survey
Print / PDF opens your browser's print dialog, where you can print copies or save a PDF. The text download holds the whole survey, with a [ ] box for each answer choice. The CSV has one row per question with its number, the question, the answer type and the answer options, ready to paste into a spreadsheet or a form tool.
The draft stays in this browser tab if you refresh. Download or print a copy before you close the tab. Nothing you type is uploaded or sent.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make an onboarding survey without an account?
Yes. The builder opens with a fictional sample and works without a login or email address. Nothing you type is uploaded or sent.
Does this tool collect the answers?
No. It makes a printable sheet and a list of questions. People answer on paper, or you paste the CSV questions into a form tool you already use and collect the answers there.
When should a new starter fill in the survey?
The onboarding preset asks about the first week and the first month, so it suits the end of the first month. For a quick check at the end of the first week, keep the first five questions and remove the rest.
Which response scale should I use?
Use agreement for statements such as "I know who to ask when I have a question." Use satisfaction for questions that start "How satisfied are you with…", and rating for "How would you rate…". One scale applies to every scale question on the sheet, so word the questions to match it.