Imagine it’s your first day at a new job, and this is your employee experience: when you arrive, you see that your desk has been decked out with your preferred equipment, a company hoodie in your size, and your favorite snacks. A few people drop by to say hello, and you meet a fellow coffee lover who invites you to the neighborhood coffee shop for an espresso. Your manager takes you out to lunch, and it’s your favorite: Thai food! Throughout the day, you meet many more people with similar hobbies: skiing, craft cocktails, yoga, bowling. It’s only your first day, but you already feel connected and welcome.
Fast forward to your company holiday party. You’re offered your choice of gluten-free, kosher meals because your office manager knows you can’t eat the other options offered. Fast forward again to your one year work anniversary. Your manager gifts you with a Disney-themed coffee mug because she knows you love coffee and that your favorite vacation spot is Walt Disney World.
When you’re trying to make someone feel welcome, personalization is key. A new hire survey can help you accomplish a thoughtful first day—and beyond—for all of your employees. Incorporate this survey into your employee preboarding process to gain the full benefit and kickstart an amazing employee experience.
A new hire survey should vary from company to company, so you can learn information that is relevant, interesting, or important for your team to know.
Let employees know what you intend to do with the information, and make the answers optional. You might say something like, “Hi [name], Welcome to the team! We’d like to get to know you a little better before your first day. We’ve attached a quick, 10-question survey. The first 5 questions are for HR purposes only, and the last 5 may be shared with the whole team so they can get to know you as well. This is meant to be fun, so please feel free to skip any questions you’d like to skip. We look forward to seeing you on [start date]!”
Here are some sample new hire survey questions you can ask:
Use your new hire survey data to enhance your employee experience. Here are some ideas to get you started:
You should also store your new hire survey data in your People Operations Platform so it’s not lost or forgotten—especially as managers change.
New hire surveys help you learn more about new employees so you can help them feel welcome at your company. Collect the data you find most useful, and use it to create a memorable first day, connect employees with one another, and create a strong employee experience. Employees will feel more valued when you take the time to get to know them, and personalize their employee experience—beginning on their first day.