Employee feedback template

Don’t limit employee feedback to mere job satisfaction ratings. Design an assessment that sparks continuous action and interaction.

For any company or department, this type of progress starts with a well-thought employee feedback template.

Pointerpro is the 2-in-1 software that combines assessment building with personalized PDF report generation.

7 tips to get honest employee feedback with a digital assessment

As you surely known, gathering honest employee feedback via a digital assessment is not a simple matter of publishing an employee feedback form, verifying if nothing alarming pops up in the responses and then “getting on with it.”

It requires thoughtful planning, clear objectives, and a supportive environment. Here are a few guidelines to help ensure the feedback you retrieve is as honest and valuable as possible:

Create a safe and anonymous context by ensuring that the assessment is either anonymous or at least highly confidential. Employees are more likely to provide honest feedback when they feel secure and know their responses won’t be traced back to them. Clear communication is essential; explain that the feedback's purpose is to improve processes, culture, and leadership rather than punish anyone. This approach helps alleviate any fears of repercussions.
Craft thoughtful and clear questions by avoiding leading questions and maintaining neutrality. Rather than framing questions with implied bias, such as asking how "amazing" management is, rephrase to neutrally ask how employees would describe management's effectiveness. Use a combination of closed-ended questions, such as multiple-choice or Likert scales, along with open-ended questions. This allows for both easy-to-quantify data and opportunities for employees to provide more detailed, nuanced feedback.
Do your employee surveys regularly, rather than relying solely on annual reviews. This real-time approach provides a more accurate view of employee sentiment. Over time, pulse surveys can help you identify trends and recurring themes. This will help you establish more impactful action steps and improvements.
Assure employees that action is taken based on the feedback you gather from them. Share examples of past feedback that led to positive changes. This builds trust and encourages honest responses in the future. It can also be effective to involve employees in creating action plans based on their feedback so they feel more invested in the process and its outcomes.
Incorporate peer assessments to introduce a 360-degree feedback system where employees provide feedback on both their leaders, colleagues and their work environment in general. This multi-directional approach often uncovers insights that top-down assessments might miss. Of course, make sure that peer assessments are fair and follow clear guidelines to avoid bias or misuse.
Analyze, visualize and share the results through transparent reports to the whole team or organization. Focus on presenting the findings as opportunities for growth and improvement rather than concentrating solely on negative aspects. Assessment tools like Pointepro allow you to not only regroup feedback into aggregate reports, but to automate the process via a report template building functionality.
Incentivize participation by offering small rewards for employees who take part in the assessment. This could be in the form of a raffle, gift card, or recognition for teams with high participation rates. Of course, if you use an assessment tool with automated report generation, you can offer each employee a personalized report to summarize their feedback, how it compares to the entire organizatio and even to provide some tips on how to feel more satisfied in their work (in case the assessment results point out the need for this). Also, always keep the questionnaires brief to prevent survey fatigue. Balance depth with respect for employees’ time and energy.

3 reasons to use Pointerpro as an employee feedback tool

Interactive user experience

With the Questionnaire Builder, you get to create an engaging feedback form. How? With numerous design and layout options, useful widgets, and countless question types.

Refined, score-based analysis

Our custom scoring engine helps you quantify and categorize diverse answers. The result? An objective and nuanced assessment of your respondents’ feedback.

Automated feedback in PDF

Thanks to your setup in the Report Builder, respondents instantly get a detailed and personalized PDF report. Stakeholders get a complete aggregate report, when the responses are in.

Interactive user experience

Numerous design options, useful widgets, and countless question types.

Refined, score-based analysis

The custom scoring engine helps you quantify and categorize answers and respondents.

Automated feedback in PDF

For each respondent! With personalized responses, useful information, and your brand design.

1.500+ businesses worldwide build assessments with Pointerpro

Performance review vs employer review: Find the right balance.

Striking the right balance between “performance review” (asking your respondent to self-assess their performance) and “employer review” (gauging your employee’s satisfaction about working in your organization) in your questionnaire is crucial to get well-rounded insights.

What the right balance is tends to depend on the exact situation. Below we’ve listed some approaches to striking the right balance and engaging employees in the process:

1. Equal emphasis on performance and satisfaction (50/50 split)

The most balanced approach is to give equal weight to both self-assessment and employer review.

This ensures that you gain insight not only into how employees perceive their own performance but also how they feel about their work environment, leadership, and overall job satisfaction. When employees are asked to evaluate both their performance and satisfaction, you get a more holistic view of their experience in the company.

Tip: Don’t just group the questionnaire into two sections. Rather mix up self-reflection and satisfaction questions intelligently but use custom scoring to categorize the results. In the video below, Pointerpro Product Director briefly explains the principle of custom scoring.

2. Dynamic weighting based on employee tenure

For newer employees, a focus on employer review may be more beneficial (e.g., 30% self-assessment, 70% satisfaction). New employees may not have a comprehensive understanding of their role or the company’s expectations, but their feedback on onboarding, management support, and team dynamics can be extremely valuable.

For long-tenured employees, the balance can shift towards performance review (e.g., 60% self-assessment, 40% satisfaction), as they may have more insight into their roles and contributions to the company’s success.

Tip: Personalize your questionnaire based on tenure. The way to do so is by using branching or “survey logic” in your assessment tool. In other words, you’d design the first set of questions to establish the respondents seniority in the company. In function of that, you can trigger diverse sets of follow-up questions. In the video below, Pointepro’s Stacy Demes briefly introduces the concept of “survey logic.”

3. Holistic feedback with a performance-satisfaction link (40/60 split)

Another option is to have a slight tilt towards employer review (60%) and 40% on self-assessment. The rationale here is that satisfied, engaged employees are more likely to perform better. By placing a bit more focus on employee satisfaction, you can identify areas where the work environment, leadership, and company culture may be affecting their ability to perform at their best.

Tip: Incorporate a questionnaire section that explicitly links performance with satisfaction. For example, ask employees to rate how much certain factors (e.g., management support, work-life balance, access to resources) affect their ability to perform well in their role. This allows you to connect the dots between how employees feel and how they perform.

4. Self-reflection focus with regular pulse surveys on satisfaction (70/30 split)

In cases where performance is crucial for the business (e.g., sales teams, fast-paced environments), the feedback form might focus more heavily on self-assessment (70%) with a smaller, ongoing focus on employer review (30%).

The rationale here is that detailed performance self-assessment can help identify gaps in skills or productivity while short, regular pulse surveys are used to monitor employee satisfaction on a more continuous basis.

Tip: Create a performance self-reflection section with both qualitative and quantitative questions. Include open-ended prompts like, “What skills do you think you need to develop to improve your performance?” and add objective metrics such as, “How often did you meet your performance targets this quarter?”

For employer review, incorporate quarterly pulse surveys with quick questions like, “On a scale of 1-10, how valued do you feel at work?” This keeps satisfaction tracking consistent without overwhelming employees.

5. Incorporating future-oriented questions (50/50 split)

Balance the feedback by focusing equally on past performance and future expectations. Employees can assess both their past performance and how the company can better support their growth.

This forward-looking approach helps align employee development with the company’s goals while also addressing satisfaction.

Tip: In the self-assessment section, add a future-oriented prompt like, “What are your key goals for the next quarter?” or “What skills would you like to develop?” In the employer review section, you could ask, “What resources or support could the company provide to help you achieve your goals?”

6. Customizing feedback for different roles (variable split)

Not all roles in the organization have the same needs for performance review or employer review. For roles with direct performance metrics (e.g., sales or production), more weight could be placed on self-assessment. For roles that are more collaborative or creative (e.g., marketing, R&D), satisfaction and work environment might play a bigger role in how well the employee performs.

Tip: Tailor the balance of questions based on the department or role. For example, ask team-specific questions in the employer review section like, “How satisfied are you with the collaboration tools provided?” for tech roles, or “How creative do you feel in your current work environment?” for more creative roles.

Why you should always include self-appraisal in your employee feedback template

Whatever balance you choose to incorporate between “performance review” and “employer review,” don’t ever exclude self-appraisal from your employee feedback template.

Why? Self-appraisal in an employee feedback questionnaire gives people a chance to reflect on their own growth, skills, and achievements. It helps them take ownership of their performance and recognize their strengths. Of course, it also gets them to inpoint areas for improvement.

But most of all: It opens up the conversation with your manager about your goals and how they can support you in leveling up. It’s a powerful way to be actively involved in their personal and career development.

30 example questions for employee feedback

Here are 30 example questions for an employee feedback template, divided into 3 categories:

10 example questions for employee feedback about managers

How effectively does your manager communicate with you?
How approachable is your manager when you have concerns or need support?
How well does your manager provide clear goals and expectations?
How often does your manager give you constructive feedback?
How supportive is your manager in helping you achieve your professional development goals?
How well does your manager recognize and reward your achievements?
How fairly does your manager handle conflicts within the team?
How well does your manager foster a positive and inclusive team environment?
How effectively does your manager manage their time and priorities?
How likely are you to recommend your manager as a leader to others?

The approach to these employee feedback template questions combines Likert scales, multiple-choice, and frequency-based options to capture both qualitative and quantitative feedback. The Likert scale questions provide a nuanced view of perceptions and experiences, while multiple-choice questions with varied frequencies or levels of support offer straightforward, actionable insights. This mix helps gather comprehensive feedback on different aspects of managerial effectiveness and employee satisfaction.

10 example questions for employee feedback about peers

How effectively does your peer communicate with you and the team?
How reliable is your peer in meeting deadlines and fulfilling commitments?
How supportive is your peer when you need assistance or guidance?
How well does your peer collaborate with others on team projects?
How open is your peer to giving and receiving constructive feedback?
How well does your peer contribute to creating a positive and inclusive team environment?
How effectively does your peer manage conflicts or disagreements within the team?
How approachable is your peer when you have concerns or need support?
How well does your peer demonstrate professionalism and respect in the workplace?
How likely are you to recommend your peer for a leadership role or promotion?

This employee feedback template question set employs a combination of Likert scales, multiple-choice, and frequency-based options to capture both qualitative and quantitative insights.

10 example questions for employee feedback to self-assess

How well do you think you’ve met your goals and objectives over the past review period?
How effectively have you managed your time and prioritized tasks?
How would you rate your problem-solving skills in handling work challenges?
How well have you collaborated with your team and contributed to group projects?
How proactive have you been in seeking feedback and making improvements?
How satisfied are you with your overall performance and achievements?
How effectively have you communicated with colleagues and stakeholders?
How well have you adapted to changes or new responsibilities in your role?
How successful have you been in balancing work responsibilities with personal development?
How confident are you in your ability to achieve your professional goals in the coming period?

These self-assessment questions allow employees to reflect on their performance from various angles. It helps them identify strengths and areas for growth.

What Pointerpro clients are saying

"We use Pointerpro for all types of surveys and assessments across our global business, and employees love its ease of use and flexible reporting."

“It’s a great advantage to have formulas. There could be hundreds of formulas, but the customer only sees the easy-to-read report. If you’re looking for something like that, it’s really nice to work with Pointerpro.”

"You guys have done a great job making this as easy to use as possible and still robust in functionality."

"I give the new report builder 5 stars for its easy of use. Anyone without coding experience can start creating automated personalized reports quickly."

5 ways to use employee feedback: DEI assessments and more

Of course, you don’t have to stick to one employee feedback template. The advantage of an assessment platform like Pointerpro is you get to build as many questionnaires as you like. Here are a few examples of assessments that gather employee feedback, each with a different focus:

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) assessments* use feedback to evaluate and enhance the inclusivity of the work environment. By gathering insights on employees' experiences and perceptions regarding diversity and equity, organizations can address biases, promote fair treatment, and ensure that all employees feel valued and included. This helps create a more welcoming and equitable workplace culture.
Risk assessments involve collecting feedback to identify potential areas of concern within the organization. This includes assessing compliance issues, operational vulnerabilities, or other risks that could impact the business. By understanding employees' perspectives on these areas, organizations can take proactive measures to mitigate risks and strengthen their overall risk management strategies.
Training feedback assessments gather input on the effectiveness of training programs. This feedback helps organizations evaluate how well training initiatives are meeting their goals, identify any gaps or areas for improvement, and ensure that employees are gaining the skills and knowledge they need. Continuous feedback allows for the refinement of training programs to better support employee development.
Employee onboarding feedback assessments focus on the experiences of new hires during their initial period with the company. By collecting feedback on the onboarding process, organizations can make improvements to help new employees integrate smoothly into their roles and the company culture. This enhances the overall onboarding experience and helps new hires become productive more quickly.
Employee offboarding feedback assessments provide valuable insights from employees who are leaving the organization (similar to employee exit interviews). This feedback reveals their reasons for departing, their experiences while working at the company, and their suggestions for improvement. Understanding these perspectives helps organizations address potential issues, improve retention strategies, and enhance workplace practices.
Peer feedback assessments involve collecting input from colleagues about each other’s performance and collaboration. This feedback provides a well-rounded view of an individual’s contributions and teamwork skills, helping to identify strengths and areas for growth. Peer feedback can be instrumental in fostering a collaborative work environment and supporting professional development.

*The rise of DEI assessments reflects a growing recognition of the importance of fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces. Organizations are increasingly aware that a strong DEI framework not only promotes fairness and respect but also drives innovation, enhances employee satisfaction, and attracts top talent.

As societal expectations continue to evolve and businesses face increasing scrutiny from both employees and consumers, DEI assessments will remain crucial for evaluating and improving organizational practices.

Regularly assessing DEI helps identify and address gaps in inclusivity, uncovering biases and systemic barriers that might hinder employee engagement and performance.

For organizations, the benefits are substantial: improved employee morale, a more cohesive and creative team, and a stronger reputation as a socially responsible employer. By committing to ongoing DEI evaluations, companies can ensure they are meeting the needs of a diverse workforce, creating a more equitable environment, and positioning themselves as leaders in corporate responsibility.

Create your employee feedback template today