30 Professional Development Survey Questions for Employee Growth

360-Degree Feedback Survey

Why & When to Use

Imagine seeing yourself through every lens at work. That’s the magic of 360-degree professional development feedback surveys—a tool that gathers insights from peers, direct reports, and managers alike. This birds-eye view is essential for leadership programs, promotions, and even auditing organizational culture.

Skip the guesswork and uncover meaningful blind spots. Multi-source feedback shines a light on behavior patterns and strengths, but it also flags where someone might be missing the mark. It’s not just for those climbing the ladder; 360-degree surveys can illuminate team dynamics and support continuous improvement.

Consider deploying a 360-degree survey:
- For leadership and management training
- During talent reviews and promotion discussions
- To support companywide culture analyses
- At regular intervals for holistic employee development

5 Sample Questions

1. How consistently does the employee demonstrate effective communication?

2. Describe a recent situation where they excelled at collaboration.

3. On a scale of 1–5, rate their openness to receiving constructive criticism.

4. How well does this individual mentor others?

5. What one change would most enhance their leadership impact?

These questions help organizations fine-tune their talent pipelines and give employees a clear sense of what’s working—and what could work even better.

360-degree feedback enhances self-awareness by providing employees with comprehensive insights into their strengths and areas for improvement, fostering personal and professional growth. (custominsight.com)

Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Survey

Why & When to Use

Ever tried to fix a leaky pipe by painting over it? That's what L&D looks like when training programs don’t match actual skills gaps. A robust skill gap survey, or Training Needs Analysis (TNA), ensures your development dollars hit the mark by pinpointing exactly what teams need—before you budget or launch a major initiative.

A learning needs questionnaire isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-do. This approach aligns surfacing skill gaps with high-impact business goals. It delivers insights on: - Which technical or soft skills demand urgent attention
- How prepared people actually feel for day-to-day challenges
- Which learning formats will truly resonate

Deploy a TNA survey:
- Ahead of annual L&D budget planning
- Before system upgrades or rolling out new tools
- When team performance stalls
- To keep pace with rapid industry change

5 Sample Questions

1. Which technical skills are critical for your role but currently underdeveloped?

2. How often do you encounter tasks you feel unprepared to handle?

3. Select preferred training formats (e-learning, workshops, micro-learning, etc.).

4. Rate the urgency (1–5) for mastering emerging industry tools.

5. Which soft skills would most improve team performance?

Using these questions, companies can create actionable learning roadmaps that close gaps—fast—while boosting employee morale and efficiency.

Career Goals & Growth Path Survey

Why & When to Use

Ask anyone about their dream job—chances are, they’ll light up. Career development survey questions are designed to keep that internal flame burning bright, connecting individual aspirations with organizational possibilities. These questions support both succession planning and talent retention.

A good employee aspiration survey does more than make people feel seen. It offers a glimpse into the ambitions fueling your workforce—helping you shape engagement strategies, retention plans, and advancement tracks tailored to what actually motivates people.

When to use a growth path survey:
- During annual development check-ins
- When launching internal mobility programs
- To support high-potential talent tracks
- After promotions or lateral moves

5 Sample Questions

1. Where do you envision your career in three years within the company?

2. Which lateral or vertical moves interest you most?

3. What certifications or degrees are you pursuing or considering?

4. How satisfied are you with current advancement opportunities?

5. What company resources would accelerate your career progression?

These insights guide investment in learning, stretch assignments, and mentorships—all while showing employees that their big dreams have a home right where they are.

Gallagher's 2024 U.S. Career Wellbeing Report found that career development opportunities significantly influence employee engagement and retention. (prnewswire.com)

Mentorship & Coaching Evaluation Survey

Why & When to Use

Mentorship is like rocket fuel for professional growth—but only when it’s working. Enter the mentor feedback survey: a check-in that reveals what’s really clicking (or not) between coaches and coachees. Run these surveys midway through and after a program to optimize future matches and maximize returns.

A coaching program evaluation tells you if you’re launching careers or just spinning your wheels. Real feedback ensures manager time (and company resources) are going to efforts that actually empower employees to grow.

Use mentorship and coaching evaluation surveys:
- In the middle of mentoring or coaching cohorts
- At the end of a structured program
- To refine future mentor-mentee matching
- To support leadership development initiatives

5 Sample Questions

1. How frequently do you meet with your mentor/coach?

2. Rate the relevance of guidance received to your goals (1–5).

3. What was the most valuable insight gained so far?

4. Which areas need more focus in upcoming sessions?

5. Would you recommend this mentorship program to colleagues? Why or why not?

Organizations gain priceless insight into what’s transforming careers—and what could use a tune-up. This leads to more impactful programs and, ultimately, happier, more capable employees.

Post-Training Effectiveness Survey

Why & When to Use

Completing a training doesn’t guarantee transformation. That’s why a post-training evaluation—sent a month or two after the event—makes all the difference. These Kirkpatrick Level 3 survey questions focus on knowledge retention and real-world application.

Great L&D isn’t about seat time—it’s about skill transfer. Post-training surveys map the distance between “I learned it” and “I live it,” flagging where support is still needed or which parts of the training hit the bullseye.

Roll out post-training effectiveness surveys:
- 30 to 60 days after an employee completes training
- Following leadership or technical upskilling programs
- Before planning refresher sessions or advanced modules
- To benchmark ROI for L&D investment decisions

5 Sample Questions

1. How often have you applied the newly learned skills in your daily work?

2. Rate the overall usefulness of the training content.

3. Which module had the greatest impact on your performance?

4. What challenges hindered you from implementing the new skills?

5. What additional support would improve skill transfer?

With genuine feedback, organizations deliver better, smarter learning—and employees stay invested in continued growth.

Best Practices: Dos & Don’ts for Professional Development Surveys

The best surveys don’t just gather data—they inspire action. By following a few golden rules, you can increase your employee survey response rate and turn feedback into tangible change.

Survey best practices to follow:
- Do align questions with clear, measurable competencies
- Do keep every survey concise—10–15 minutes max
- Do guarantee confidentiality to ensure honest, thoughtful feedback
- Don’t use jargon or HR lingo that may confuse employees
- Don’t ignore the results—communicate next steps to your team
- Do A/B test question wording to improve response rates

Treat feedback as a gift, not a checkbox. The goal is a feedback loop that encourages dialogue, sparks improvement, and builds trust across teams.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Every great professional development survey is a stepping stone toward a stronger, happier workplace. Used together, these surveys provide a holistic L&D strategy that delivers clarity, growth, and genuine opportunity for all. Keep survey cadence regular, analyze results, and never stop improving the experience.

Ready to put these powerful professional development survey questions to work? Download your free template and subscribe for ongoing L&D insights!