The adaptation period is a candidate's first step into the life and culture of a new company, which determines how effectively the future candidate will bring results and achieve the set goals.  And the organization of comfortable adaptation is undoubtedly one of the most important functions performed by the HR department. 

According to surveys, about 70% of newcomers stay in the company for at least 3 years if the experience of adaptation in the company made a positive impression on them. At the same time, about 20% of newcomers start looking for a new job during the first 45 days of the internship if the adaptation processes are not structured. 

Properly structured communication during the adaptation of newcomers is one of the integral components of the probationary period. Thanks to it, you can timely respond and adjust each stage of the employee onboarding journey and qualitatively influence the candidate's experience.

How can a structured survey help during probation?

• Objectively and qualitatively measure the level of adaptation efficiency. Different employees – different attitudes. Thanks to the availability of responses from candidates at each stage of adaptation, you can compare how productive your adaptation is for different personality types.

• Increase the level of engagement from the first week of work. Being able to freely express their personal opinions during the first week of work significantly increases employee engagement and gives them confidence in what they do. This creates an environment of trust and communication between the two channels: "company" and "employee." The candidate understands that they can freely and safely advocate for improving the quality of the company's work and influencing its results.

• Improve the overall employee experience. The most important thing during the adaptation period is meeting and exceeding expectations mutually. The fact that the employee's opinion was already valuable and important to the company during the onboarding process will always resonate with them throughout the entire work experience.

• Reduce staff turnover. Feedback during onboarding is an invaluable source of information that a company can use to improve or create qualitative changes that will impact employee productivity from the start. A positive onboarding experience, as mentioned above, directly affects how long your mutual experience with the newcomer will last.

To make the candidate's probation period efficient and successful, we have prepared a checklist of 74 questions that will help you understand the candidate's attitude to the company and assess the quality of the existing adaptation organized in the company.

Questions after the first week of adaptation

1. Did you have the opportunity to fully explain your experience, career goals, and skills during an interview?
2. Does the job description fully match what you are currently working with?
3. Was the first week of work interesting for you?
4. Which part of your work is the most exciting for you now?
5. Does the adaptation process coincide with your expectations from it?
6. Which word would you use to describe the first week of work?
7. Was there anything you missed during your first week?
8. Is there anything unclear to you about the company's work standards?
9. What did you like the most during your first week of work?
10. Did you always receive help when you needed it?
11. Is there anything you did not like during the first working week?
12. Rate the quality of mentoring on a scale from 1 to 10
13. Were all the tasks you performed during the week clear?
14. Do you need more time with your mentor/manager?
15. Did you receive all the information you needed for comfortable work regarding the history of the company, its culture, and its organization?
16. Tell us about the reasons why you chose our company
17. What seemed special and unusual for you during the first week?
18. What additional assistance can I offer you to ease the adaptation period?
19. On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate your first week at work?
20. Were you able to get full answers to all your questions during your first week?

Questions after the second week of adaptation

1. On a scale from 1 to 10, would you recommend our company to your friends/acquaintances?
2. In what three words would you describe the first 2 weeks of work in our company?
3. Do you see yourself in our company in two years?
4. Do you feel confident that you are using the right tools for your job?
5. Is the support you receive helpful or distracting?
6. Have you faced any obstacles since our last meeting? Please tell us about them.
7. Do you feel well prepared for the tasks you do every day?
8. Are you able to fully cope with your duties now?
9. Is there anything that you do not understand about your responsibilities and the requirements of your position?
10. Please rate your comfort level in the second week of work on a scale from 1 to 10.
11. Which tasks you performed during the second week were the most interesting for you?
12. Which tasks you performed during the second week were the most difficult for you?
13. How would you rate the level of professionalism of your mentor/manager on a scale from 1 to 10?
14. Were all your requests dealt with promptly and effectively during the second week of adaptation?

Questions after the first month

1. Do you have a clear understanding of what is expected of you in your position?
2. Has it occurred to you to look at other vacancies on the market?
3. Is there anything about the company standards, corporate culture, and work responsibilities you would like to learn more about?
4. Do you think you have enough knowledge to succeed in your position?
5. Do you feel proud to work in our company now?
6. Are you ready now to recommend our company to your friends/acquaintances?
7. Have we met your expectations during this first month?
8. Do you see yourself in our company in two years?
9. Does our company encourage you to go beyond what you would do in a similar position elsewhere?
10. Do you understand now what you still need to find out/learn in order to do your job well?
11. Do our company values align with your personal values?
12. Do you understand how your role contributes to our company's goals?
13. Does your experience with us meet your expectations?
14. Do you feel like a part of our team?
15. Does your position match what you expected?
16. Do you feel productive?
17. Do you need help with anything?

Questions after the second month

1. Were you comfortable during the adaptation period?
2. Did the adaptation period help you to smoothly and gradually enter all work processes?
3. Do you think that something important was missed? If yes, what exactly?
4. Would you tell a friend who comes to our company not to worry in the first days?
5. How does your current position differ from the one you had before joining our company?
6. Do you understand the goals of your company?
7. Is there anything we can do as a company to help you be more productive?
8. Do you receive regular feedback from your manager on your performance and progress?
9. Is the level of colleague support you currently receive sufficient?
10. Does your mentor/manager help you develop and support you when needed?
11. Do you understand how your work will be evaluated?
12. Tell us how you currently understand how your role contributes to our company's goals?
13. Do you have a clear understanding of your goals and objectives? What achievements are expected of you?
14. Is there anything that would help you feel more connected to your team?
15. Do you feel that your ideas are valued in the company?
16. Have you had any communication problems that you would like to solve?
17. Do you have a best friend at work or someone you can talk to honestly and openly?
18. Do you have access to all the information you need?
19. What would you change about our current workflow?
20. Are there any resources you might need to help you do your job even better?
21. Do you think the onboarding process reflects the corporate culture of our company?
22. Did the onboarding process help ease the transition to your new job?
23. What impressed you the most during the adaptation process?