Free Employee Survey Templates for HR Teams (Ready to Use in 2026)

Building a good employee survey from scratch is harder than it looks. Most HR teams start with good intentions and end up with either a 70-question monstrosity that nobody completes, or a 3-question opinion poll that doesn't produce actionable data.

The templates below are designed to sit between those two extremes — short enough to get high response rates, specific enough to generate insight you can act on. Each template includes the exact questions to use, the recommended scale, and guidance on how to deploy them.

All templates are free to copy. If you want to run them as actual surveys and get real-time analytics, TruePulse has all of these pre-loaded and ready to send in under 5 minutes.

Template 1: Employee Pulse Survey (10 questions, monthly)

Use this for your regular monthly check-in. Covers the core dimensions that predict engagement and retention in a format most employees can complete in under 4 minutes.

All questions use a 1–5 scale: Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Neither / Agree / Strongly Agree unless noted.

1. "On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend this company as a place to work?" (eNPS question — see our eNPS guide)
2. "I plan to still be working here in 12 months."
3. "My current workload is manageable."
4. "I feel energised by my work."
5. "My manager gives me the support I need to do my job well."
6. "In my team, it is safe to speak up without fear of negative consequences."
7. "I receive recognition for my contributions."
8. "I see a clear path for growth at this organisation."
9. "I feel proud to work here."
10. "Is there anything else you'd like to share with HR or leadership?" (open text)

Instructions: Run this every month on the same day (e.g., first Monday). Track scores over time — the trend matters more than any single result. Share aggregate results with employees within two weeks of each survey closing.

Template 2: Annual Employee Engagement Survey (30 questions)

Use this once a year for your comprehensive engagement baseline. Covers seven dimensions, takes approximately 12 minutes to complete.

Overall engagement (5 questions):

1. "I feel proud to work for this organisation."
2. "I would recommend this company to a friend looking for a job."
3. "I rarely think about leaving for another organisation."
4. "My work gives me a sense of purpose."
5. "I am motivated to go above and beyond what is required in my role."

Manager effectiveness (5 questions):

6. "My manager clearly communicates what is expected of me."
7. "My manager gives me useful, timely feedback on my work."
8. "My manager supports my professional development."
9. "When I raise concerns with my manager, they are taken seriously."
10. "My manager treats me with respect."

Career growth (4 questions):

11. "I see a clear path for career growth at this organisation."
12. "I am given opportunities to develop new skills in my role."
13. "The organisation invests in my learning and growth."
14. "My work aligns with my skills and strengths."

Psychological safety (4 questions):

15. "In my team, it is safe to speak up and share concerns."
16. "If I make a mistake, it is not held against me."
17. "Different perspectives are genuinely welcomed in my team."
18. "I feel comfortable asking for help when I need it."

Recognition and belonging (4 questions):

19. "In the past month, I received meaningful recognition for my contributions."
20. "I feel that my work is valued by this organisation."
21. "I feel a sense of belonging at this company."
22. "People at this company are treated fairly."

Wellbeing (4 questions):

23. "My current workload is manageable."
24. "I am able to maintain a healthy work-life balance."
25. "This organisation genuinely cares about employee wellbeing."
26. "I have the resources and support I need to do my job well."

Leadership and direction (4 questions):

27. "I understand how my work contributes to our organisation's goals."
28. "Senior leadership communicates effectively."
29. "I trust leadership to make good decisions."
30. "When significant changes happen, I feel informed and heard."

Instructions: Run this in Q1 or Q4 each year. Use the results to set priorities for the year and track progress with monthly pulse surveys. Always share headline results with employees.

Template 3: Employee Wellbeing Survey (15 questions, quarterly)

Focused specifically on wellbeing and burnout indicators. Ideal for post-crunch periods, after major changes, or as a quarterly health check.

1. "In the past two weeks, how often have you felt burned out?" (Never / Occasionally / About half the time / Most of the time / Always)
2. "My current pace of work is sustainable long-term."
3. "I am able to disconnect from work in the evenings."
4. "I feel that the organisation takes my wellbeing seriously."
5. "My workload has been manageable in the past month."
6. "I take regular breaks during the workday."
7. "I feel comfortable raising stress or workload concerns with my manager."
8. "I feel connected to my colleagues."
9. "Work pressures rarely affect my life outside work."
10. "I feel financially secure in my current role."
11. "I have energy left at the end of the workday."
12. "The organisation provides useful resources for mental health and wellbeing." (Yes / No / I'm not aware of any)
13. "My work environment supports my physical health."
14. "On a scale of 0–10, how would you rate your overall wellbeing right now?" (0 = Very poor, 10 = Excellent)
15. "What is the one thing that would most improve your wellbeing at work?" (open text)

Template 4: New Employee Onboarding Survey (10 questions, day 30)

Send this at the end of a new hire's first month. See our full 3-wave onboarding survey guide for week 1 and day 90 templates.

1. "I have a clear understanding of what is expected of me in my role."
2. "I know what success looks like in my first 90 days."
3. "My manager has helped me understand my priorities."
4. "I feel comfortable asking questions and raising concerns."
5. "I feel like a valued member of my team."
6. "The role matches what was described to me during hiring."
7. "I have the training and resources I need to do my job."
8. "I would recommend this company to a friend as a great place to work." (0–10, eNPS format)
9. "What has been the biggest challenge in your first month?" (open text)
10. "Is there anything else you'd like to share?" (open text)

Template 5: Exit Survey (12 questions)

For employees who are leaving. Exit surveys are more useful than exit interviews because employees are more candid in writing, and you get structured data you can aggregate over time.

1. "What is the primary reason for your decision to leave?" (Multiple choice: Better compensation elsewhere / Career growth opportunity / Management concerns / Work-life balance / Relocation / Personal reasons / Company culture / Other)
2. "On a scale of 0–10, how likely would you be to work here again in the future?"
3. "What did you enjoy most about working here?" (open text)
4. "What could this organisation have done differently to retain you?" (open text)
5. "My manager was effective in supporting my success." (1–5)
6. "I had enough opportunities for career growth in my role." (1–5)
7. "I felt recognised and valued for my contributions." (1–5)
8. "My workload was manageable." (1–5)
9. "I felt comfortable raising concerns with HR or my manager." (1–5)
10. "I would recommend this company as a place to work to others." (Yes / No / It depends)
11. "Is there anything else you'd like to share?" (open text)
12. "Would you be willing to speak with HR for 15 minutes to discuss your feedback?" (Yes / No)

Instructions: Send 1–2 weeks before the employee's last day. Keep it anonymous where possible — employees who fear a reference check will not be candid in a named exit survey. Aggregate responses quarterly and look for patterns in primary reason for leaving.

How to deploy these templates

All five templates are pre-loaded in TruePulse — you can launch any of them in under 5 minutes with no setup required. Or copy the questions directly and use them in any survey tool. The questions are yours to use, with or without TruePulse.

If you do use TruePulse, you'll get real-time response tracking, segment analytics (by department, manager, tenure, and employment type), trend charts, PDF reports, and architectural anonymity — all included in the free trial.

Start your free trial and run your first survey today. No credit card required.