What is Onboarding?

Content

Onboarding is the process through which organizations equip new employees with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at their jobs. Unlike new employee orientation, which is usually an isolated, single-day event, the employee onboarding process should begin with the organization’s first contact with a new hire and continue through the employee’s first year on the job. Onboarding is the very first talent development program that an employee will go through at any organization.

Onboarding is the process through which organizations equip new employees with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at their jobs. Unlike new employee orientation, which is usually an isolated, single-day event, the employee onboarding process should begin with the organization’s first contact with a new hire and continue through the employee’s first year on the job. Onboarding is the very first talent development program that an employee will go through at any organization.

Content

Content

ATD’s 5R Model of Onboarding is a framework for creating a more complete and strategic onboarding experience. The model focuses on helping employees become engaged, productive, and connected over time. The five “Rs” are:

ATD’s 5R Model of Onboarding is a framework for creating a more complete and strategic onboarding experience. The model focuses on helping employees become engaged, productive, and connected over time. The five “Rs” are:

Content

Here’s a breakdown of each one:

Here’s a breakdown of each one:

Content

Organizations should first examine their onboarding process. This includes identifying strengths, weaknesses, and whether onboarding supports organizational goals. The idea is to make onboarding intentional and measurable rather than a disconnected series of presentations.

Organizations should first examine their onboarding process. This includes identifying strengths, weaknesses, and whether onboarding supports organizational goals. The idea is to make onboarding intentional and measurable rather than a disconnected series of presentations.

Content

This phase starts before the employee’s first day. Set realistic expectations, create a positive first impression, and build engagement early. Pre-boarding activities can improve retention and commitment.

This phase starts before the employee’s first day. Set realistic expectations, create a positive first impression, and build engagement early. Pre-boarding activities can improve retention and commitment.

Content

New hires need to understand not just what to do, but how their work contributes to the organization. Managers play a major role here by defining expectations, providing training, and clarifying responsibilities.

New hires need to understand not just what to do, but how their work contributes to the organization. Managers play a major role here by defining expectations, providing training, and clarifying responsibilities.

Content

Socialization is a key onboarding factor. Employees who form strong workplace relationships tend to adapt faster and feel more connected to the organization. Mentors, coaches, and regular manager check-ins are common strategies.

Socialization is a key onboarding factor. Employees who form strong workplace relationships tend to adapt faster and feel more connected to the organization. Mentors, coaches, and regular manager check-ins are common strategies.

Content

The Results stage focuses on measuring whether onboarding is achieving its intended outcomes, including retention, productivity, time-to-proficiency, employee engagement, and satisfaction.

The Results stage focuses on measuring whether onboarding is achieving its intended outcomes, including retention, productivity, time-to-proficiency, employee engagement, and satisfaction.

Content

You can think of the 5Rs as moving from: planning → hiring → clarifying → connecting → performing .

You can think of the 5Rs as moving from: planning → hiring → clarifying → connecting → performing.

Content

Onboarding is more important than ever. A recent study conducted by the Brandon Hall Group found that a “strong onboarding process improved new hire retention by 82 percent and productivity by more than 70 percent.” The cost of a bad onboarding process has never been higher. In fact, most new hires decide whether to stay in an organization within the first six months of their new job.

Onboarding is more important than ever. A recent study conducted by the Brandon Hall Group found that a “strong onboarding process improved new hire retention by 82 percent and productivity by more than 70 percent.” The cost of a bad onboarding process has never been higher. In fact, most new hires decide whether to stay in an organization within the first six months of their new job.

Content

While administrative tasks such as benefits enrollment and paperwork remain important, successful onboarding programs also prioritize relationship-building, engagement, and employee development from day one.

While administrative tasks such as benefits enrollment and paperwork remain important, successful onboarding programs also prioritize relationship-building, engagement, and employee development from day one.

Content

Onboarding typically uses microlearning segments to continuously introduce new concepts, send reminders, and offer checkpoints for employees. Many organizations treat onboarding as an event rather than a process. The most successful programs view onboarding as a strategic experience that extends well beyond the first week. Common questions to think about when facing these challenges:

Onboarding typically uses microlearning segments to continuously introduce new concepts, send reminders, and offer checkpoints for employees. Many organizations treat onboarding as an event rather than a process. The most successful programs view onboarding as a strategic experience that extends well beyond the first week. Common questions to think about when facing these challenges:

Content

Here are some common challenges in onboarding and best practices to overcome them:

Here are some common challenges in onboarding and best practices to overcome them:

Content

Many organizations try to deliver everything a new hire needs to know in the first few days. New employees are often overwhelmed by policies, systems, procedures, and introductions, making it difficult to retain critical information. Learning should be spaced over time rather than compressed into one day.

Many organizations try to deliver everything a new hire needs to know in the first few days. New employees are often overwhelmed by policies, systems, procedures, and introductions, making it difficult to retain critical information. Learning should be spaced over time rather than compressed into one day.

Content

Best Practice: Start before day one. Often called preboarding, this involves engaging employees before their official start date. This helps reduce first-day anxiety and creates early engagement.

Best Practice: Start before day one. Often called preboarding, this involves engaging employees before their official start date. This helps reduce first-day anxiety and creates early engagement.

Content

Examples:

Examples:

Content

HR frequently owns onboarding logistics, but managers sometimes assume their role ends after making the hire. This can leave new employees without clear guidance or support. Managers have the greatest influence on a new hire's engagement, productivity, and understanding of expectations, so their involvement in onboarding is critical.

HR frequently owns onboarding logistics, but managers sometimes assume their role ends after making the hire. This can leave new employees without clear guidance or support. Managers have the greatest influence on a new hire's engagement, productivity, and understanding of expectations, so their involvement in onboarding is critical.

Content

Best Practice: Make managers active participants. Onboarding should be a partnership between HR, learning professionals, and managers.

Best Practice: Make managers active participants. Onboarding should be a partnership between HR, learning professionals, and managers.

Content

Managers should:

Managers should:

Content

New hires may not fully understand what success looks like, how performance will be measured, what priorities they should focus on first, or how their work contributes to organizational goals. Without clear expectations, employees may feel overwhelmed or unsupported, creating frustration for both the individual and the team.

New hires may not fully understand what success looks like, how performance will be measured, what priorities they should focus on first, or how their work contributes to organizational goals. Without clear expectations, employees may feel overwhelmed or unsupported, creating frustration for both the individual and the team.

Content

Best Practice: Focus on role clarity early. Many organizations use 30-, 60-, and 90-day plans to provide structure and transparency.

Best Practice: Focus on role clarity early. Many organizations use 30-, 60-, and 90-day plans to provide structure and transparency.

Content

Remote and hybrid work environments can make it especially difficult for new employees to build relationships. Without strong connections, employees may feel isolated, less engaged, and less likely to stay with the organization. Creating social connections can be as simple as reserving a few minutes to check in with an employee in a new role, but it goes a long way in creating a psychologically safe workplace.

Remote and hybrid work environments can make it especially difficult for new employees to build relationships. Without strong connections, employees may feel isolated, less engaged, and less likely to stay with the organization. Creating social connections can be as simple as reserving a few minutes to check in with an employee in a new role, but it goes a long way in creating a psychologically safe workplace.

Content

Best Practice: Intentionally build relationships. Strong onboarding programs don't leave networking to chance.

Best Practice: Intentionally build relationships. Strong onboarding programs don't leave networking to chance.

Content

Try these methods:

Try these methods:

Content

Organizations often focus heavily on paperwork, compliance training, and administrative tasks while neglecting long-term integration and development. Treating onboarding as a one-day event limits its impact on employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Organizations often focus heavily on paperwork, compliance training, and administrative tasks while neglecting long-term integration and development. Treating onboarding as a one-day event limits its impact on employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Content

Best Practice: Build onboarding journeys that can last several months, or even up to a year for complex roles. Then measure what matters and connect onboarding activities to organizational outcomes:

Best Practice: Build onboarding journeys that can last several months, or even up to a year for complex roles. Then measure what matters and connect onboarding activities to organizational outcomes:

Content

Some onboarding activity suggestions are:

Some onboarding activity suggestions are:

Content

Effective onboarding is a shared responsibility. While human resources professionals typically design and coordinate the onboarding strategy, successful onboarding requires support from managers, learning and development teams, IT, finance, and other stakeholders across the organization. If you work in any scope of talent management , onboarding may fall into your responsibility.

Effective onboarding is a shared responsibility. While human resources professionals typically design and coordinate the onboarding strategy, successful onboarding requires support from managers, learning and development teams, IT, finance, and other stakeholders across the organization. If you work in any scope of talent management, onboarding may fall into your responsibility.

Content

The direct manager and team are responsible for welcoming the new employee, helping them acclimate to the new role and organization, and answering the new hire’s questions about institutional knowledge.

The direct manager and team are responsible for welcoming the new employee, helping them acclimate to the new role and organization, and answering the new hire’s questions about institutional knowledge.

Content

When the entire organization welcomes a new hire, the new hire will feel more engaged and part of the community . By offering a warm welcome to the new employee, your organization is setting them up for a more productive experience within the role.

When the entire organization welcomes a new hire, the new hire will feel more engaged and part of the community. By offering a warm welcome to the new employee, your organization is setting them up for a more productive experience within the role.

Content

The most popular timeframe for an onboarding program is between 30 and 60 days, according to the Aberdeen group . However, about 25 percent of companies still offer a one-day orientation process. Anything less than a month can harm an organization’s retention rates.

The most popular timeframe for an onboarding program is between 30 and 60 days, according to the Aberdeen group. However, about 25 percent of companies still offer a one-day orientation process. Anything less than a month can harm an organization’s retention rates.

Content

Some organizations are extending their onboarding process from three months to the entire first year. By creating a yearlong program, you help ensure the new hire has a positive and productive experience with all their performance, social, and organizational needs being addressed.

Some organizations are extending their onboarding process from three months to the entire first year. By creating a yearlong program, you help ensure the new hire has a positive and productive experience with all their performance, social, and organizational needs being addressed.

Content

For some organizations, virtual onboarding is not new, but for most companies, the COVID-19 pandemic increased remote work and has changed how onboarding is delivered.

For some organizations, virtual onboarding is not new, but for most companies, the COVID-19 pandemic increased remote work and has changed how onboarding is delivered.

Content

Along with ensuring that new hires have the technology for a smooth remote work experience, it is vital that new-employee virtual onboarding creates a successful experience for both the employer and employee.

Along with ensuring that new hires have the technology for a smooth remote work experience, it is vital that new-employee virtual onboarding creates a successful experience for both the employer and employee.

Content

Virtual onboarding should follow the same long-term principles as in-person onboarding, beginning before day one and continuing throughout the employee's first year.

Virtual onboarding should follow the same long-term principles as in-person onboarding, beginning before day one and continuing throughout the employee's first year.

Content

Although the new employee may not be physically in the office, there is a strong need for human connection, which can be difficult for employers to provide. Face-to-face video calls and other personal touches can help. One way many organizations do this is to provide a buddy system so employees outside of a new hire’s department can connect with the new hire early and often help them understand the workplace culture and norms.

Although the new employee may not be physically in the office, there is a strong need for human connection, which can be difficult for employers to provide. Face-to-face video calls and other personal touches can help. One way many organizations do this is to provide a buddy system so employees outside of a new hire’s department can connect with the new hire early and often help them understand the workplace culture and norms.

Content

An employee’s first day can be overwhelming, so the virtual onboarding process should include some downtime for the new employee to reflect on the new information they have received.

An employee’s first day can be overwhelming, so the virtual onboarding process should include some downtime for the new employee to reflect on the new information they have received.

Content

Onboarding is the process through which organizations equip new employees with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at their jobs.

Onboarding is the process through which organizations equip new employees with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at their jobs.

Content

Orientation is usually an isolated, single-day event to introduce the employee to the company, team, and role. The onboarding process is longer and starts with the first contact an organization has with a new hire and will continue through the employee’s first year on the job.

Orientation is usually an isolated, single-day event to introduce the employee to the company, team, and role. The onboarding process is longer and starts with the first contact an organization has with a new hire and will continue through the employee’s first year on the job.

Content

According to ATD's 5R Model of Onboarding, organizations should focus on Review, Recruit for Retention, Role Clarity, Relationships, and Results. These elements help guide a comprehensive onboarding strategy that supports employee success over time.

According to ATD's 5R Model of Onboarding, organizations should focus on Review, Recruit for Retention, Role Clarity, Relationships, and Results. These elements help guide a comprehensive onboarding strategy that supports employee success over time.

Content

Most new hires decide whether to stay with an organization within the first six months of their new job. In addition, a study conducted by the Brandon Hall Group found that a “strong onboarding process improved new hire retention by 82 percent and productivity by more than 70 percent.” An organization can’t grow if they’re too focused on filling roles and improving retention.

Most new hires decide whether to stay with an organization within the first six months of their new job. In addition, a study conducted by the Brandon Hall Group found that a “strong onboarding process improved new hire retention by 82 percent and productivity by more than 70 percent.” An organization can’t grow if they’re too focused on filling roles and improving retention.

Content

A good, dedicated onboarding process will begin with the first communication an organization has with a new employee and continue until that employee completes their first year with the company. Most onboarding processes follow a 30-60-90 rule with dedicated check-ins during the first 30, 60, and 90 days of employment. After this time, the frequency of onboarding activities may be reduced.

A good, dedicated onboarding process will begin with the first communication an organization has with a new employee and continue until that employee completes their first year with the company. Most onboarding processes follow a 30-60-90 rule with dedicated check-ins during the first 30, 60, and 90 days of employment. After this time, the frequency of onboarding activities may be reduced.

Content

ATD’s mission is to empower professionals to develop talent in the workplace, and developing talent starts with the onboarding process. Designing effective onboarding programs involves instructional design, training, evaluation, and other aspects of workplace learning. ATD curates the best content from the world’s leading experts in the field, providing resources to help HR/OD professionals improve their organization’s onboarding practices.

ATD’s mission is to empower professionals to develop talent in the workplace, and developing talent starts with the onboarding process. Designing effective onboarding programs involves instructional design, training, evaluation, and other aspects of workplace learning. ATD curates the best content from the world’s leading experts in the field, providing resources to help HR/OD professionals improve their organization’s onboarding practices.

Content

We look at talent development holistically and understand how onboarding fits into the entire employee life cycle, starting with recruiting and hiring to employee engagement and culture. Check out various ATD education courses and start your learning journey today.

We look at talent development holistically and understand how onboarding fits into the entire employee life cycle, starting with recruiting and hiring to employee engagement and culture. Check out various ATD education courses and start your learning journey today.

Content

For access to even more resources, including practical tools and templates, research, and insights, you’re invited to become an ATD member. Learn more .

For access to even more resources, including practical tools and templates, research, and insights, you’re invited to become an ATD member. Learn more.

Content

For more information on onboarding, visit the following:

For more information on onboarding, visit the following: