Hiring a new employee is an exciting milestone for any business. It’s a signal of growth and brings fresh perspectives and skills to your team. However, the key to ensuring new hires become successful, engaged team members lies in an often-overlooked process: onboarding.
A thoughtful and efficient onboarding process lays the groundwork for long-term success. Done right, it fosters a sense of belonging and drives productivity. Get it wrong, and you risk confusion, disengagement, and potentially losing employees within their first few months.
To help set your new hires up for success, we’ve outlined essential onboarding strategies to incorporate into your process.
1. Begin before day one.
Onboarding should begin before the employee’s first official day. Early engagement creates a sense of belonging while building excitement and confidence about their decision to join your team. It also eases first-day jitters, helping the new hire hit the ground running.
“Today, companies see candidates find a better offer and jump ship before they even get started,” noted Melanie Wertzberger, co-founder of employee engagement software company Shaka. That’s why she recommends connecting with new hires through creative touches like a welcome swag box, postcards, or an introductory video.
Other Tips for Pre-Onboarding:
- Share non-confidential materials about your company, such as organizational charts or “day-in-the-life” videos to help them understand their new work environment.
- Send a personalized welcome message — perhaps from their manager or team — to initiate a positive connection.
Not only does this early relationship-building reduce no-shows, but it also ensures your new hire is eager and prepared for their first day.
2. Leverage technology to optimize efficiency.
Manual onboarding processes can bog down the experience with paperwork and back-and-forth emails, which creates inefficiencies and potential frustration for both HR and the new employee. Digital tools can simplify and streamline this process, eliminating unnecessary hassles.
How Technology Enhances Onboarding:
- Use HR platforms like Gusto or BambooHR to digitize forms, offer e-signature options, and automate administrative tasks.
- Opt for tools that integrate seamlessly with your current systems to create a smooth flow of information.
- Implement real-time task management software to ensure all onboarding steps are trackable and easy to reference.
The right tools reduce the likelihood of administrative errors, save time, and enhance the onboarding experience for everyone involved.
3. Create a clear onboarding framework.
New employees should never start their first day without knowing what’s ahead. A structured onboarding roadmap provides clarity, supports new hires in acclimating more effectively, and ensures critical tasks are completed on schedule.
Elements of an Onboarding Roadmap:
- Day One Overview: Outline what the new hire can expect on their first day. Include a schedule of activities such as team introductions, desk setup, or an office tour.
- Training Plan: Include any essential tutorials or skill-building initiatives they’ll need to begin contributing effectively.
- Role-Specific Milestones: Define key objectives for their first week, month, and quarter to give them tangible goals and benchmarks.
- Documentation Resources: Provide access to employee handbooks and IT guides to help them address routine challenges independently.
- Team Connection: Introduce them to key colleagues and outline who they’ll directly collaborate with to create a sense of familiarity and support.
Planning each onboarding stage ensures employees feel comfortable and confident throughout their integration into the company.
4. Assign a mentor or buddy.
Starting a new job can feel overwhelming, especially when navigating workplace culture, systems, and processes. Assigning a mentor or onboarding buddy can ease this transition significantly.
Benefits of Mentors or Buddies:
- Knowledge Sharing: Mentors can answer role-specific questions, share best practices, and provide institutional knowledge that can’t always be found in the handbook.
- Fostering Connections: Buddies help new hires feel less isolated and integrate socially, leading to better workplace satisfaction and retention.
- Support System: Mentors act as a go-to resource for guidance, which keeps new hires engaged and reduces reliance on managers for basic queries.
Select mentors who embody your company’s culture, have strong interpersonal skills, and can commit adequate time to this role. A successful pairing paves the way for smoother onboarding and stronger team relationships.
5. Measure onboarding success.
To optimize your onboarding strategies, gather feedback and track relevant metrics to evaluate how effectively your process meets organizational and employee needs. This enables continuous improvement and ensures your program remains impactful.
Key Onboarding Metrics to Track:
- Completion Rate: Measure how many onboarding tasks the new hire completes to gauge engagement.
- Ramp-Up Time: Track the time it takes for them to become fully operational in their role.
- Employee Satisfaction: Use surveys to assess how welcome and supported new hires feel. Look for satisfaction scores above four out of five to indicate a positive experience.
- Referral Rates: High referral rates from new hires suggest they feel confident recommending your company and its processes to their network.
Regularly assess your onboarding process using data and feedback. Refine areas that need improvement and replicate strategies that yield success.
Final Thoughts
The onboarding phase is your opportunity to set the tone for your new hire’s experience. By starting early, utilizing technology, creating a clear roadmap, assigning mentors, and measuring success, you can build an onboarding strategy that empowers new employees to thrive.
Whether your business is welcoming its first hire or its fiftieth, remember that onboarding isn’t just a checklist. It’s a carefully crafted process that fosters employee confidence, engagement, and productivity, driving the success of both the individual and the organization.
This article was originally published November 2023. It was last updated June 2025.
