Why Fostering a Sense of Belonging Is a Necessary First Step in the Onboarding Journey

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If you have ever had to start a new school mid-year, you know the feeling of entering an unfamiliar environment where everyone else seems to know the ropes. Starting a new job can evoke similar emotions. New hires often arrive feeling anxious, stressed, and unsure about their role and the organization. Their experiences in the first days, weeks, and months can significantly influence the success of this new relationship.

If you have ever had to start a new school mid-year, you know the feeling of entering an unfamiliar environment where everyone else seems to know the ropes. Starting a new job can evoke similar emotions. New hires often arrive feeling anxious, stressed, and unsure about their role and the organization. Their experiences in the first days, weeks, and months can significantly influence the success of this new relationship.

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This is why effective onboarding is critical. When done well, early onboarding activities lay the foundation for long-term success for both the employee and the employer. A good onboarding experience can:

This is why effective onboarding is critical. When done well, early onboarding activities lay the foundation for long-term success for both the employee and the employer. A good onboarding experience can:

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  Improve employee productivity

  Improve employee productivity

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  Reduce stress and uncertainty

  Reduce stress and uncertainty

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  Build organizational loyalty

  Build organizational loyalty

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  Increase comfort and competence

  Increase comfort and competence

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  Help employees experience successes early on

  Help employees experience successes early on

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  Demonstrate an organization's commitment to supporting new employees

  Demonstrate an organization's commitment to supporting new employees

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  Help new people begin to form important relationships

  Help new people begin to form important relationships

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All of these things have the potential to increase engagement and help reduce the likelihood of early turnover , which can be costly and disruptive.

All of these things have the potential to increase engagement and help reduce the likelihood of early turnover, which can be costly and disruptive.

Onboarding Is a Period of Learning

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New employees have a lot to learn. Therefore, in an ideal world, the onboarding process would be a period of focused, proactive learning in a real-world context; one in which new employees from a wide range of backgrounds receive the necessary guidance and support to set them up for success. New employees need significant time to experience a variety of situations, master systems and processes, practice, connect with others, and learn how to best work and communicate with people at all levels of the organization.

New employees have a lot to learn. Therefore, in an ideal world, the onboarding process would be a period of focused, proactive learning in a real-world context; one in which new employees from a wide range of backgrounds receive the necessary guidance and support to set them up for success. New employees need significant time to experience a variety of situations, master systems and processes, practice, connect with others, and learn how to best work and communicate with people at all levels of the organization.

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Given the importance of onboarding and the amount of information new employees have to learn, it makes sense to incorporate what we know about creating effective learning environments into our onboarding design and implementation. Learning science principles, such as the nature of expertise, the importance of feedback , goal-setting, multimedia learning, perception, attention, self-efficacy, and motivation, help explain how learning happens and can guide the design of effective training goals and solutions. Learning science principles also provide insight into things that can get in the way of learning. And for onboarding, this is important. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how well-thought-out our onboarding programs are if we haven’t laid the necessary groundwork for effective learning and taken into consideration possible impediments.

Given the importance of onboarding and the amount of information new employees have to learn, it makes sense to incorporate what we know about creating effective learning environments into our onboarding design and implementation. Learning science principles, such as the nature of expertise, the importance of feedback, goal-setting, multimedia learning, perception, attention, self-efficacy, and motivation, help explain how learning happens and can guide the design of effective training goals and solutions. Learning science principles also provide insight into things that can get in the way of learning. And for onboarding, this is important. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how well-thought-out our onboarding programs are if we haven’t laid the necessary groundwork for effective learning and taken into consideration possible impediments.

Sense of Belonging and Inclusion

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A critical component of a good onboarding experience is ensuring new hires feel welcome and have a sense of belonging. If new employees are distracted by worrying about fitting in, finding like-minded people to connect with, or questioning their place in the bigger picture, there is a real risk they won’t be able to learn about their job and your organization. Why? Because learning draws on limited cognitive resources , its demands can be especially overwhelming for novices. We also know learning is hard and requires time and effort. Put these things together, and it makes sense that if employees are worried about belonging, or feeling welcome, or valued, that these nonproductive emotions use up their valuable cognitive resources and impede learning.

A critical component of a good onboarding experience is ensuring new hires feel welcome and have a sense of belonging. If new employees are distracted by worrying about fitting in, finding like-minded people to connect with, or questioning their place in the bigger picture, there is a real risk they won’t be able to learn about their job and your organization. Why? Because learning draws on limited cognitive resources, its demands can be especially overwhelming for novices. We also know learning is hard and requires time and effort. Put these things together, and it makes sense that if employees are worried about belonging, or feeling welcome, or valued, that these nonproductive emotions use up their valuable cognitive resources and impede learning.

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Creating a welcoming environment and nurturing a sense of belonging correlate with increased motivation, productivity, and engagement . Ignoring this component can lead to overwhelm and poor performance.

Creating a welcoming environment and nurturing a sense of belonging correlate with increased motivation, productivity, and engagement. Ignoring this component can lead to overwhelm and poor performance.

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So, what can we do, as learning and development professionals, to help nurture an environment in which new employees can devote their cognitive resources to learning what they need to succeed in their first days, weeks, and months on the job?

So, what can we do, as learning and development professionals, to help nurture an environment in which new employees can devote their cognitive resources to learning what they need to succeed in their first days, weeks, and months on the job?

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The key is to consider elements of the workplace that could have an impact on whether or not someone feels they are welcome and belong in that environment. And remember, belonging and inclusion are in the eye of the beholder. Helping new people “fit in” shouldn’t require them to assimilate into your environment; rather, it’s about making sure they feel comfortable and have opportunities to build relationships and contribute in meaningful ways. This can sometimes feel challenging, but it’s worth getting right. When an employee has a positive and productive first year, they are more likely to stay in their job and contribute to the organization’s success.

The key is to consider elements of the workplace that could have an impact on whether or not someone feels they are welcome and belong in that environment. And remember, belonging and inclusion are in the eye of the beholder. Helping new people “fit in” shouldn’t require them to assimilate into your environment; rather, it’s about making sure they feel comfortable and have opportunities to build relationships and contribute in meaningful ways. This can sometimes feel challenging, but it’s worth getting right. When an employee has a positive and productive first year, they are more likely to stay in their job and contribute to the organization’s success.

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Here are ten strategies to help organizations structure their onboarding period ( which can and should last up to a year ) to ensure new employees feel supported, connected, and included:

Here are ten strategies to help organizations structure their onboarding period (which can and should last up to a year) to ensure new employees feel supported, connected, and included:

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1. Create a clear, welcoming first‑day arrival so new hires feel expected and supported from the moment they arrive. No later than the day before the new employee is to report for work, send a message to current employees introducing the new employee. A new hire can be particularly unsettled if, upon their arrival, no one seems to know who they are or why they are there.

1. Create a clear, welcoming first‑day arrival so new hires feel expected and supported from the moment they arrive. No later than the day before the new employee is to report for work, send a message to current employees introducing the new employee. A new hire can be particularly unsettled if, upon their arrival, no one seems to know who they are or why they are there.

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2. Ensure all systems, equipment, and support are ready on day one to remove barriers and enable learning. Let them know where to go for technical support, if necessary. If employees are required to complete paperwork, orient themselves to a new computer, and set up various login credentials, they will have fewer cognitive resources available for the critical tasks of learning about the expectations for their new role and the organization's vision, values, and mission.

2. Ensure all systems, equipment, and support are ready on day one to remove barriers and enable learning. Let them know where to go for technical support, if necessary. If employees are required to complete paperwork, orient themselves to a new computer, and set up various login credentials, they will have fewer cognitive resources available for the critical tasks of learning about the expectations for their new role and the organization's vision, values, and mission.

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3. Provide new hires with a structured “First Month” checklist . Include specific tasks, deliverables, and deadlines, and social touchpoints, such as scheduling one-on-one meetings with coworkers.

3. Provide new hires with a structured “First Month” checklist. Include specific tasks, deliverables, and deadlines, and social touchpoints, such as scheduling one-on-one meetings with coworkers.

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4. Highlight culture and values. Onboarding is one of the first chances an organization gets to demonstrate its culture and values. Benefits, time off, and other policies, for example, can provide an important window into an organization’s core values and beliefs. If an organization purports to value diversity, for example, having accessible office spaces and onboarding materials offered in a variety of formats has more impact than any mission statement.

4. Highlight culture and values. Onboarding is one of the first chances an organization gets to demonstrate its culture and values. Benefits, time off, and other policies, for example, can provide an important window into an organization’s core values and beliefs. If an organization purports to value diversity, for example, having accessible office spaces and onboarding materials offered in a variety of formats has more impact than any mission statement.

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5. Encourage new employees to share their perspectives on organizational norms and values. Providing information on norms should not come in the form of asking employees to “fit in.” Rather, it should entail giving new people specific opportunities to ask questions and encouraging suggestions and new ideas that can help influence and shape organizational culture and processes.

5. Encourage new employees to share their perspectives on organizational norms and values. Providing information on norms should not come in the form of asking employees to “fit in.” Rather, it should entail giving new people specific opportunities to ask questions and encouraging suggestions and new ideas that can help influence and shape organizational culture and processes.

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6. Don’t leave social connections to chance . Highlighting available support systems and actively assisting new employees in building relationships early on increases engagement and guides them in navigating the organizational culture effectively. In addition, social connections help people recognize that they are not alone in their confusion, feel more comfortable asking for help, consider different perspectives, build empathy, and create opportunities for collaboration. Socialization initiatives include assigning buddies , facilitating introductions , pairing new-hires with mentors, and creating opportunities for informal connections.

6. Don’t leave social connections to chance. Highlighting available support systems and actively assisting new employees in building relationships early on increases engagement and guides them in navigating the organizational culture effectively. In addition, social connections help people recognize that they are not alone in their confusion, feel more comfortable asking for help, consider different perspectives, build empathy, and create opportunities for collaboration. Socialization initiatives include assigning buddies, facilitating introductions, pairing new-hires with mentors, and creating opportunities for informal connections.

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7. Establish employee resource groups (ERGs) or affinity groups. ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups with shared identities and interests, created to nurture a sense of community, support, equity, and inclusivity in the workplace. These groups can provide platforms for growth and development, mentoring, professional development, and social interaction. Members also have the chance to provide input and feedback and point out potential weaknesses in organizational initiatives, which can support a sense of belonging and purpose.

7. Establish employee resource groups (ERGs) or affinity groups. ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups with shared identities and interests, created to nurture a sense of community, support, equity, and inclusivity in the workplace. These groups can provide platforms for growth and development, mentoring, professional development, and social interaction. Members also have the chance to provide input and feedback and point out potential weaknesses in organizational initiatives, which can support a sense of belonging and purpose.

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8. Involve managers in the onboarding process in meaningful ways. Managers should be “present, involved, available, and engaged with the onboarding process.” Manager involvement in onboarding reduces anxiety and helps employees master new tasks and processes more quickly. Managers can encourage questions, listen to them, and stress the importance of progress and improvement over time—all of which can help build trust.

8. Involve managers in the onboarding process in meaningful ways. Managers should be “present, involved, available, and engaged with the onboarding process.” Manager involvement in onboarding reduces anxiety and helps employees master new tasks and processes more quickly. Managers can encourage questions, listen to them, and stress the importance of progress and improvement over time—all of which can help build trust.

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9. Avoid assumptions about background knowledge. Don’t, for example, assume everybody has experience with “Slack channels”, or knows how to schedule a Zoom call or create a Doodle poll. Err on the side of over-sharing to make sure you’re not overlooking anything. One way to approach this is to provide a simple glossary of industry- or organization-specific terms and acronyms to help bridge knowledge gaps.

9. Avoid assumptions about background knowledge. Don’t, for example, assume everybody has experience with “Slack channels”, or knows how to schedule a Zoom call or create a Doodle poll. Err on the side of over-sharing to make sure you’re not overlooking anything. One way to approach this is to provide a simple glossary of industry- or organization-specific terms and acronyms to help bridge knowledge gaps.

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10. Normalize mistakes as part of the learning process. Encourage questions, listening, and emphasizing the importance of learning over time. These actions help normalize mistakes while nurturing trust and belonging. This, in turn, helps new employees feel comfortable speaking their mind, seeking clarity when unsure about a task or deadline, and asking for help. We can do this by not suppressing innovation or creative ideas. When we allow employees to experiment and explore “ out of the box” thinking , we encourage innovation and authenticity .

10. Normalize mistakes as part of the learning process. Encourage questions, listening, and emphasizing the importance of learning over time. These actions help normalize mistakes while nurturing trust and belonging. This, in turn, helps new employees feel comfortable speaking their mind, seeking clarity when unsure about a task or deadline, and asking for help. We can do this by not suppressing innovation or creative ideas. When we allow employees to experiment and explore “out of the box” thinking, we encourage innovation and authenticity.

Learning Begins With Belonging

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For your onboarding program to have any chance of succeeding, new employees need to have the cognitive capacity to pay attention to and learn the necessary new information. By implementing strategies that mitigate cognitive overload related to belonging and inclusion, organizations can ensure employees have space, time, and mental resources available to learn and thrive in their new job.

For your onboarding program to have any chance of succeeding, new employees need to have the cognitive capacity to pay attention to and learn the necessary new information. By implementing strategies that mitigate cognitive overload related to belonging and inclusion, organizations can ensure employees have space, time, and mental resources available to learn and thrive in their new job.

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