Onboarding Best Practices: How to Set New Hires Up for Success

Onboarding is more than just a routine process — it’s the first real step in helping new employees feel welcomed and set up for success. But too often, companies don’t give it the attention it requires to make a lasting positive impact on new employees.

A found that only 12% of employees feel their company excels at onboarding, revealing a widespread gap that affects workforce satisfaction and business performance. Additionally, research from the Brandon Hall Group shows that companies with well-defined onboarding strategies see 82% higher retention and a 70% increase in productivity.

The difference between a strong onboarding program and a weak one is clear. Employees who experience structured onboarding are more likely to integrate quickly, understand their role, and feel connected to the company’s mission. Without essential onboarding best practices, organizations risk higher turnover, disengaged employees, and lost workforce potential.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the best onboarding practices that help enhance retention, accelerate productivity, and improve employee satisfaction.

10 Best Onboarding Practices to Set New Hires Up for Success

Onboarding is more than a one-day orientation — it’s a journey. By shifting focus from short-term onboarding needs to how onboarding can contribute to long-term success, your business can maximize every hire and contribute to a thriving workforce. Below are effective onboarding strategies that help new hires feel welcomed, prepared, and ready to contribute.

1. Start Preboarding Before Day One

A well-planned preboarding process can turn uncertainty into confidence for new hires. Instead of waiting until their first day to introduce them to the company, preboarding helps them feel informed, welcomed, and ready to jump into work. This phase is an opportunity to ease transitions and set the right expectations, ensuring that employees start with a strong foundation rather than feeling overwhelmed. Here are a couple of ways to create an engaging preboarding experience: 

• Send a personalized welcome email with a warm message from the leadership

• Provide early access to onboarding materials like company policies and culture guides

• Assign a mentor who can introduce them to the team and answer initial questions

• Set up new hires with access to digital tools, software, and necessary credentials to prevent first-day technical issues

• Share a schedule of their first week, outlining meetings, training sessions, and social interactions

Related: The Art of Mentoring: Why It’s Important and How It Improves the Employee Experience

2. Make the First Day Engaging, Not Overwhelming

A new hire’s first day sets the tone for their entire employee experience. An engaging first day should help them feel like part of the team, understand their role, and gain clarity on what lies ahead. Striking the right balance between essential onboarding tasks and engaging activities creates a welcoming experience. Simple yet effective activities include:

• Host team introductions and icebreakers to help them feel at ease

• Arrange a welcome lunch or virtual meet-and-greet for remote employees

• Use an interactive onboarding checklist to guide them through key steps

• Give them a small, meaningful task to start contributing immediately and feel included

3. Personalize the Onboarding Journey

A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in onboarding. While the importance of onboarding is multifold, customizing the experience based on role, location, and career level ensures that new hires feel supported and engaged.

• Remote employees: Provide virtual office tours, digital team introductions, and online collaboration tools to create a seamless integration

• Leadership vs. entry-level hires: Senior hires may need strategic vision sessions, while entry-level employees benefit from hands-on training and mentorship

• Technical vs. non-technical roles: Offer role-specific training to bridge skill gaps and ensure job readiness

• Use AI-driven onboarding platforms: Leverage technology to curate personalized learning paths, automate administrative tasks, and deliver a tailored onboarding experience

4. Set Clear Expectations from Day One

Unclear expectations can leave new hires feeling lost and unsure of their contributions. From day one, employees need a clear understanding of what success looks like in their role and within the company. Incorporating onboarding best practices, such as setting defined milestones, assigning meaningful tasks, and facilitating open conversations about performance, helps employees feel guided. Use the following tactics to ensure transparency and align expectations: 

• Share a 30-60-90 day success roadmap, outlining key milestones and objectives

• Assign small, achievable projects in the first few weeks to build confidence and familiarity with workflows

• Align performance expectations with company values, helping employees understand their role in the bigger picture

• Encourage managers to have goal-setting discussions early on, ensuring alignment between employee ambitions and company objectives

5. Use Technology to Automate and Streamline Onboarding

A slow, manual onboarding process can and will delay productivity. Technology powered by AI and automation solves this by transforming the onboarding experience, making it faster, more efficient, personalized, and engaging. AI simplifies complex processes from digital platforms to chatbots while keeping onboarding structured.

• Digital onboarding platforms simplify paperwork, training, and compliance documentation

• AI-driven learning paths accelerate employee development by providing personalized learning modules

• Automated reminders ensure that no step in the process is overlooked, keeping the onboarding timeline on track 

• Chatbots and self-service portals provide on-demand onboarding support, answering common queries instantly

• Learning management systems (LMS) can offer structured, ongoing training that integrates with onboarding programs

6. Encourage Social Integration and Team Bonding

Strong workplace relationships help employees adapt faster and collaborate effectively. Social integration reduces turnover and improves team dynamics. Similarly, a connected workforce leads to better communication, stronger teamwork, and higher overall productivity for employers.

• Implement a buddy system to help new hires navigate their first few weeks

• Schedule team-building activities, both in-person and virtual

• Encourage cross-functional introductions to expand their network within the company

• Celebrate their first milestones, such as completing a project or their first month

7. Prioritize Learning and Development from the Start

When employees see opportunities to learn, they are likely to stay engaged and invested in their work. Upskilling, mentorship, and talent marketplaces are some ways to help them explore new career paths while strengthening their skills. These practices ensure they keep developing, benefiting both their careers and the company.

• Assign career coaches to guide employees in their professional development

• Incorporate microlearning modules, ensuring learning is digestible and engaging

• Encourage participation in gig work to acquire new skills and exposure to departments within the company

Related: Cracking the Code: Explaining the Skills Gap and Its Impact on Careers

8. Gather Feedback and Continuously Improve

The best onboarding programs don’t stay static — they evolve with employee and business needs. Gathering timely insights helps identify gaps and improve experience. Utilizing AI-driven feedback tools, such as AI-powered forms in the feedback practice, can simplify data collection and provide real-time analysis.

• Conduct surveys on Day 7, Day 30, and Day 90 to assess the experience

• Encourage managers to hold regular check-ins to gauge progress

• Analyze feedback data to refine and enhance the onboarding process

9. Extend Onboarding Beyond the First Month

Onboarding shouldn't stop after 30 days. According to research by Chronus, extending onboarding programs over the first year can increase new-hire retention by 25%.To implement this:

• Provide structured learning beyond the first month

• Recognize milestones such as the first project completion or the 90-day mark

• Keep career growth conversations ongoing to maintain engagement

10. Measure Onboarding Success with Key Metrics

Without tracking the right metrics, it’s hard to know if an onboarding program is truly effective. Measuring progress helps identify what’s working, where new hires may struggle, and how to improve. Key indicators like completion rates, time-to-productivity, and engagement surveys provide insights to strengthen onboarding efforts.

• Onboarding completion rates reveal participation levels

• Time-to-productivity metrics measure how quickly employees become effective

• Employee engagement surveys highlight areas for improvement

Pro tip: Measure the effectiveness of your current onboarding process before you implement changes. This ensures you have baseline metrics for comparison to gauge progress. 

Common Onboarding Mistakes to Avoid

Poor onboarding can lead to disengagement, confusion, and higher turnover, making it harder for employees to perform effectively. Without clear expectations, cultural alignment, and structured support, new hires may struggle to find their footing. Avoiding these mistakes creates a smoother transition, fosters engagement, and ensures employees feel valued from day one.

• Overwhelming new hires with too much information too soon. A phased approach helps them absorb key details at a comfortable pace

• Unclear role expectations leave employees unsure of their responsibilities and impact

• Cultural disconnect can make new hires feel disengaged. Introducing company values through team interactions and leadership messaging builds a sense of belonging

• Remote and hybrid employees may struggle to integrate without structured support

• Collect insights through surveys and discussions to help refine the onboarding process

FAQs

How long should onboarding last?

Onboarding can vary in duration depending on the complexity of the role and the organization's processes. Generally, it can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. For example, simple roles require a shorter onboarding period of 2-4 weeks, while more complex roles take 3-6 months or longer.

What are the best tools for digital onboarding?

The best digital onboarding tools streamline paperwork, training, and communication. Identify a vendor that prioritizes AI and automation while providing intelligent, efficient, and engaging experiences to support your onboarding needs. Sign up for this on-demand webinar to find out how Phenom leverages AI-driven tools to personalize training.

How can we improve remote onboarding?

Remote onboarding requires extra engagement strategies to replace in-person interactions. Companies should leverage:

• Virtual meetings and webinars for structured introductions

• Digital mentorship programs to provide continuous support

• Interactive e-learning modules to ensure training remains engaging

What role should leadership play in onboarding?

Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping an employee's experience during onboarding. 

• Set clear expectations by discussing role-specific goals and company vision early on

• Be actively involved in welcome sessions, sharing insights about the company’s mission and values

• Foster a culture of mentorship by assigning executive sponsors or mentors to new hires

Elevate Your Onboarding Strategy Today

An effective onboarding strategy goes beyond orientation — it’s about setting employees up for long-term success. A well-structured process improves retention, engagement, and productivity by focusing on early preparation, clear expectations, social integration, and continuous learning. Leveraging technology and tracking key metrics ensures that onboarding stays effective and adaptable. But success doesn’t stop after the first month — refining the process based on feedback keeps it relevant and impactful. Invest in a thoughtful onboarding strategy today to build a more engaged and high-performing workforce.

Explore to create a standout onboarding experience. Watch our on-demand webinar - "From Preboarding to Peak Productivity," and build strategies to set new hires up for success.