51+ Post Training Survey Questions (Find Out What Your Employees Really Think)

Determining the effectiveness of an employee training program can be incredibly difficult. But understanding the effectiveness of your training is essential because you want to help employees take on new work quickly, efficiently, and confidently.

So let’s go straight to the source. 

Asking new employees informative post-training survey questions is a great way to get honest feedback about the training stage of your program.

This article includes a comprehensive list of insightful post-training survey questions, three mistakes to avoid, and a handy tool to help you get started. 

Let’s dive in.

What Is a Post-Training Survey?  

A post-training survey is a tool that learning and development teams use to gather employee feedback after they complete a training session. 

It usually consists of a list of questions aimed at collecting data on how well training information was conveyed. Based on the questions, it should also be able to give you insight into areas of the training course materials that need improvement, and provide an objective understanding of each trainee’s personal experience. 

By gathering data on an employee’s experience of training modules, organizations can identify their training programs’ strengths and weaknesses and improve their employees’ overall learning experience.

The 4 Benefits of Asking After-Training Survey Questions 

Asking post-training survey questions can benefit employees and employers in multiple ways.

Here’s a list of our top four benefits of post-training survey questions:

When an organization hires an employee, it’s essentially making a financial investment in that individual. Learning and development courses that help employees acquire new skills and knowledge enhance this investment. 

In 2021, employers worldwide spent an average of $1,267 per employee on training programs, highlighting the importance of such initiatives. Companies can increase their profits and overall productivity by providing employees with in-demand skills.

Only 68% of employees believe that training is sufficient for their role and career development. A post-training survey can help you evaluate the effectiveness of your company’s training program and determine whether it’s a worthwhile investment for the organization. 

According to a 2021 SHRM report, more than two-thirds of workers want to develop new skills for roles that provide more opportunity and job security. Post-training surveys play a critical role in improving the quality of these training programs. 

Organizations can determine the effectiveness of — and adjust, if necessary — their training programs by collecting feedback from employees who have undergone the training.

For instance, if employees report that the training was too long or too short, the organization can adjust the training duration in response. 

Similarly, if employees report that the training lacked practical applications or was too theoretical, the organization can change the content of the training program to include more hands-on material. 

According to Indeed, one of the best ways to promote two-sided accountability in the workplace is to encourage training and development. 

Post-training surveys hold the organization and employees accountable for the training program’s success. This encourages open communication from all team members. 

The organization is held accountable for providing valuable and effective training methods, while the employees are held accountable for their engagement and participation in that training.

In 2022, it was reported that only 40% of employees are emotionally engaged at work.

Post-training surveys allow employees to provide feedback and be heard, which in turn can help them feel valued and engaged during the training process. 

Post-training surveys can also help employees feel that their employer cares about their development and is invested in their success, which can boost employee morale and overall job satisfaction.

What Are the Best Post-Training Survey Questions for Employees?

No two post-training surveys should look alike. Keeping the questions unique and varied helps give each survey an individual and personalized feel so employees will be more forthcoming. 

That’s why we’ve created a list of some of the best examples you can use to create a customized survey based on your employees’ specific needs.

We suggest using a few questions from each category to get valuable employee feedback. 

Structure 

• Did you feel engaged throughout the course? 
• Were you, at any point, confused by what steps you needed to take to complete a task?
• Were the lessons organized clearly and understandably?
• Was each module an appropriate length? 
• Did you feel that one lesson built on the next? 
• What section of the course was most effective in your learning?
• Did you ever fall behind on course content?
• Did you feel that you made steady progress from one session to another?
• On a scale of 1–10, how would you rate the course structure overall?
• If you had to change one thing about the structure of the course, what would it be?

Content  

• Was the training content relevant to your job responsibilities? 
• Did the training content meet your expectations? 
• Was the training content informative and engaging? 
• Did the training content include enough hands-on activities and practical applications? 
• Was the training content up-to-date and relevant to current industry trends? 
• Did the training content cover all the necessary topics? 

Pre-training 

• Did you receive enough information about the training program before it started? 
• Did you have enough time to prepare for the training program? 
• Was the pre-training support clear and informative? 
• Did you receive adequate pre-training feedback or guidance? 
• Did the pre-training assessment accurately reflect your knowledge and skills? 

Trainers  

• Was the trainer engaging and approachable? 
• Did the trainer answer all your questions? 
• Did the trainer use appropriate teaching methods at all times?
• Did the trainer provide enough examples and case studies? 
• Did the trainer use appropriate technology and tools? 
• Did the trainer provide adequate support and feedback? 

Presentation 

• Was the training presentation visually appealing? 
• Did the training presentation use appropriate multimedia tools? 
• Was the training presentation too technical or too simplistic? 
• Was the training presentation up-to-date and relevant to current industry trends? 

Timing 

• Did the training program start and end on time? 
• Was the training program scheduled at a convenient time for you? 
• Did the training program interfere with your work schedule? 
• Was there enough time for breaks during the training program?
• Would you prefer a different time or duration for future training programs? 

Effectiveness 

• Did the training program meet your learning objectives?
• Did the training program help you improve your job performance? 
• Did the program address your specific training needs?
• Did the training program provide you with new skills and knowledge? Can you provide a specific example? 
• Did the training program align with your career goals?
• Did the training program provide enough opportunities for practice and application?
• Did the training program meet your expectations in terms of effectiveness? 

Learning experience  

• Was the training program too intensive or too relaxed?
• Did you enjoy the training program?
• Did the training program provide a positive learning experience?
• Did the training program cater to different learning styles?
• Did the training program provide enough opportunities for reflection and feedback? 
• Did the training program encourage collaboration and discussion?
• Did the learning experience meet your expectations?
• What’s one thing you’d improve about the overall learning experience of the program?

Accessibility 

• Was the training program inclusive and diverse?
• Was the training program available in multiple formats?
• Was the training program culturally sensitive and appropriate? 
• Did the training program provide enough resources and materials?
• Did the training program provide adequate support for learners with disabilities? 
• Did the training program use appropriate language and terminology? 

How Different Question and Response Types Can Impact Your Survey 

Including a range of question and response types in your survey is important, as each has a specific function that encourages different responses from your employees. 

Types of questions

1. Open-ended: the respondent can provide a free-form answer without limitations or pre-defined options. Open-ended questions are beneficial, as they allow for detailed answers to be given. 

 Example: What did you like most about the training program?  

2. Close-ended: provides a set of pre-defined answer options for the respondent. Including close-ended questions is important, as they provide a structured format, making it easier to analyze and compare responses. 

Example: On a scale of 1–10, how satisfied were you with the training program?

3. Subjective: based on opinions, feelings, and experiences and is open to interpretation. Subjective questions can help organizations understand each employee’s personal experience. 

Example: Did you find the training program engaging? 

Types of responses 

1. Multiple choice: employees choose an option that best aligns with their opinion from a predetermined set of answers. This type of response is handy if you want to compare or test a particular aspect of your training. 

Example: Which of the following do you find most helpful to improve on during training? 

1. Communication skills 
2. Time management 
3. Teamwork 
4. Leadership skills

2. Rating scale: participants are asked to rate the training numerically. This kind of response allows you to collect quantitative data and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the training. 

Example: On a scale of 1–5, how would you rate your overall enjoyment of the training? 

3. Likert scale: employees are required to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a statement. This can help identify areas in which most people agree and those in which opinions differ. 

Example: Please indicate your agreement with the following statement: “The training materials were well-organized and easy to understand” (1 = strongly disagree, and 5 = strongly agree).

The 3 Worst Questions to Include (and What to Ask Instead)

Now that we’ve discussed some of the best questions to ask in a post-training survey questionnaire, it’s time to address the types of questions you should avoid at all costs. 

Loaded questions are those that already imply an answer to a question. 

Including loaded questions in your survey is not a good idea because these questions can force an employee to answer in a way that doesn’t truly reflect their feelings or opinions. 

Example: “What problems do you have with working late hours?” 

What to do instead: It’s important to avoid making assumptions about how the learner feels or reflect any bias toward an answer. Instead, ask, “Do you have any problem working late hours?” 

An ambitious question is vague or unclear, making it hard for a respondent to understand how to answer accurately. 

Example: “How satisfied were you with the training?”

What to do instead: The best way to overcome this issue is to be as specific and targeted with your questions as possible. For example, you could say, “Please rate the quality of the training materials on a scale of 1–5.” This question clearly defines the part of the training that is being evaluated. 

Double-barreled questions ask a respondent to address two different topics in a question but only allow them to answer one. This makes it difficult for the respondent to answer the question accurately, as they may have a different opinion about each question topic.

Example: “Did you find the training materials easy to understand and relevant to your job?”

What to do instead: If you have two separate topics, it’s best to ask two different questions instead of combining them. This will reduce confusion and improve the quality of the data collected in the post-training survey.

It’s Time to Create Your Own Post-Training Survey 

Post-training evaluation questions can provide insights into your employees’ minds, promote open communication, and improve the quality of your training programs. 

That’s why it’s important to use the right types of questions to get the most accurate responses.

You can choose from the wide selection of post-training survey questions we mentioned here for your post-training evaluation survey. And don’t be afraid to throw in a few of your own! 

Just make sure you avoid using ambiguous, loaded, or double-barreled questions and always be as clear and specific as possible. You got this!

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