Describe the decision HR needs to make. Makeform creates a company holiday survey for celebrations, employee preferences, staffing, or time-off planning.
Route survey responses to Google Sheets, Slack, and Zapier.
Sample prompts for the survey builder
Choose a prompt, tailor it, or send it to the builder. Each example shows a practical survey structure, not a live AI result.
Audience
Employees choosing an end-of-year celebration
Format
Short preference poll with ranked dates
Prompt size
252 chars
Example survey structure
Short preference poll with ranked dates
Rank the proposed party dates
Which event format do you prefer?
Are you likely to attend?
Dietary or accessibility needs
Choose your favorite activities
Suggested routing tags
Party planning
Time-off requests
Coverage review
Ranked dates give HR alternatives when the most popular option conflicts with staffing needs.
Step 1
Define
separate party, preference, and staffing decisions
Step 2
Ask
use ranked dates, clear scales, and optional comments
Step 3
Segment
compare teams, locations, or attendance paths
Step 4
Plan
turn the response pattern into dates and next steps
Useful holiday input
Connect every question to a decision about timing, inclusion, or seasonal coverage.
Ranking preserves alternatives when the top date creates a conflict.
Show relevant sections to attendees, non-attendees, or people considering time off.
Use one labeled scale across venue, timing, food, and activities.
Four common surveys
Start with the closest use case and remove fields HR will not use.
Ranked dates, event format, attendance intent, activities, dietary requirements, and accessibility needs.
Regions, meaningful dates, floating-holiday interest, and a write-in option without requiring sensitive personal explanation.
Tentative dates, availability, team, manager, and handoff needs, clearly separated from the formal approval workflow.
Attendance branching, comparable ratings, open feedback, and a future-format question for next year's planning.
Survey workflow
Give the builder the decision, audience, choices, and privacy approach, then review the result.
Name the decision and include the real options employees should compare.
Remove unused questions, label optional fields, and explain how HR will use answers.
Use conditional sections for attendees, non-attendees, different offices, or employees considering leave, so each person sees relevant questions.
Group answers by date, format, location, or team where appropriate, document the decision, and tell employees what happens next.
Choose the right collection method
Holiday planning becomes difficult when preferences arrive as replies, chat reactions, and separate spreadsheets. One survey gives everyone the same choices and keeps comments beside the answers they explain.
Field guide
Use only the field groups that support your party, preference, or staffing decision.
Purpose & context
State the decision, deadline, and whether responses are anonymous. Distinguish a coverage forecast from a formal time-off request.
Dates & timing
Use ranking for event options, date ranges for leave forecasts, and a separate timing question.
Audience & segmentation
Party polls may not need names. Coverage planning usually needs employee, team, location, or manager.
Event experience
Offer realistic format, venue, food, and activity options, including no preference and cannot attend.
Needs & accommodations
Ask only for information organizers can use. Keep dietary and accessibility fields optional and private.
Comments & follow-up
A focused comment field can surface missing constraints or ideas. Say when HR will share the outcome.
Related tools
Use a focused survey for preferences, then send formal requests, RSVPs, or broader employee listening through a tool designed for that next step.
Ask broader questions about communication, connection, workload, and the employee experience.
Open toolMeasure satisfaction themes separately from a seasonal event or scheduling poll.
Open toolCollect employee priorities for benefits, including leave and flexible-work programs.
Open toolTurn a chosen celebration plan into an attendance and guest-count form.
Open toolMove from preliminary preferences to an identified leave request workflow.
Open toolCollect dates, request type, coverage notes, and manager review for formal time off.
Open toolFAQ
Practical answers for HR teams planning celebrations, holiday calendars, and seasonal coverage.
It collects employee holiday preferences or availability. HR can compare party dates, event formats, calendar options, seasonal coverage, or post-event feedback. State which decision the answers will inform.
For parties, ask about ranked dates, timing, format, attendance, and optional dietary or accessibility needs. For coverage, ask about tentative dates, availability, team, and handoffs. Include one focused comment field.
Anonymous responses suit party ideas or feedback. Coverage planning usually needs a name, team, or manager. State the format clearly, and do not call a survey anonymous when it collects identifying information.
Explain the scheduling purpose, allow multiple or write-in dates, and never require a personal explanation. Make sensitive questions optional and add no preference, not applicable, or prefer not to answer where useful.
Keep forecasting separate from formal approval. Say that answers estimate coverage but do not submit or approve leave. Direct employees to the normal request form after reviewing the survey.
Ask employees to rank dates or select every workable date. Include cannot attend and show the time zone. Compare availability and rankings, then consider staffing and venue constraints.
Yes. Makeform offers unlimited free forms and responses. The paid tier removes the Makeform badge. Replace sample dates with real options and test conditional paths before sharing.
Check incomplete responses, compare the relevant choices, and read comments for missed constraints. Review coverage conflicts through the established process, then communicate the decision and next step.
Turn holiday questions into a workable plan.
