Whether you’re planning for the year ahead, onboarding new team members, or navigating shifts in benefits and policy, ThoughtExchange helps HR leaders gather the insights they need to support staff, strengthen culture, and retain top talent. Here's how you can align your HR strategy with key moments throughout the school year using Exchanges:
Fall: Set the Foundation
Annual Planning Exchange Kick off the year by checking the pulse of your staff. What are their priorities? What support do they need to thrive? A broad Exchange at the start of the year can help you identify themes:Exchange Idea: What support or resource would make the biggest difference in helping you thrive this year?
Onboarding New Staff Start strong by asking recent hires what they need to succeed. What questions remain unanswered? What support would make the biggest difference? Their feedback helps ensure a more seamless and supportive onboarding experience for future cohorts.Survey: Use ThoughtExchange’s Onboarding New Employee Template
New Superintendent Onboarding When a new superintendent steps into leadership, run an Exchange to gather insights from staff, families, and community members. What do they want the new leader to know? What are the district’s greatest strengths and biggest opportunities? This data can guide entry plans and relationship-building from day one.
Exchange Idea: Find several ideas in the new Superintendent Onboarding Guide
Winter: Deepen Engagement
New Staff Cohort Check-Ins (30/90/180 Days) Support retention by running quick Exchanges with new hires at key milestones. Learn what’s working, what gaps exist, and how you can better support them as they acclimate.Survey: Use ThoughtExchange’s Retaining Employees Survey
Culture & Climate Pulse Checks Winter is a great time for a mid-year pulse check. Track trends in staff sentiment and identify any brewing challenges before they escalate. This helps keep your culture healthy and proactive.
Survey: Check out ThoughtExchange’s Culture and Climate Survey
Spring: Support Retention & Planning
Wellness Interviews Rather than waiting until someone leaves, ask what’s keeping your staff engaged—and what might tempt them to leave. Use this feedback to shape retention strategies and enhance your recruitment messaging with real staff testimonials.Interview: Create an interview for staff asking, "What wellness or flexibility-related supports would make the biggest impact on your ability to succeed and feel supported at work?"
Changes to Benefits and Insurance If you're planning any updates to benefits or insurance, run a preemptive Exchange to gather feedback or concerns. This approach increases transparency and buy-in while reducing confusion.Exchange: "What do you need to feel informed and supported when it comes to changes in benefits, insurance, or other HR offerings?”
Late Spring: Reflect and Plan Ahead
Exit Interviews Gather insights from staff who are leaving the district. Learn why they’re moving on, what could have been done differently, and what advice they have for new hires. Aggregated across time, this feedback can reveal powerful trends.
Survey: Use ThoughtExchange’s Employee Exit Survey
Bringing It All Together
When HR teams use ThoughtExchange throughout the year, they build trust, reduce turnover, and ensure strategic decisions are grounded in real feedback. These aren’t one-off surveys—they’re part of a living, breathing cycle of engagement that empowers people and drives meaningful change.
If you're interested in launching any of these HR-focused Exchanges—or want to explore what’s worked in other districts—reach out to your Customer Success Manager. We’re here to help you turn feedback into action, every step of the way.