It's your first day at a new job, and instead of feeling excited, you're overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information thrown your way. We've all been there. But here's the thing: getting onboarding right is crucial. The best programs make you feel welcomed, understood, and part of the team from day one. Inclusive onboarding isn't just a trend; it's a necessity. This article will guide you through some of the best onboarding programs out there so you can create a welcoming experience that sets your new hires up for success.
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What Are Onboarding Programs?
Onboarding programs are the unsung heroes of the hiring process. They bridge the gap between new hires and the company, ensuring a smooth transition. Think of them as the welcome mat, laying out the organization’s values, goals, and expectations. This isn’t just about pushing papers and signing forms; it's about making new employees feel like they’ve found their second home.
A well-structured onboarding process dives into technical and social aspects, helping newcomers understand their role within the larger team. The best programs go the extra mile, creating unforgettable first-day experiences and offering resources like:
• Introductory videos
• Mentors
• Personalized 90-day success plans
Pre-Boarding: Building Excitement Before Day One
Pre-boarding activities are like sneak peeks before the main event. They start before the official first day, building anticipation and excitement. This phase might introduce team members, provide a workspace tour, or even set up the employee’s desk with personalized items. It’s all about making new hires feel valued and welcomed from the get-go. By the time they step through the door, they’re not just ready to work; they’re prepared to thrive.
Personalization: Making Onboarding Meaningful and Memorable
Personalization is the magic ingredient that turns a generic onboarding experience into a meaningful one. The best programs tailor the process to each new hire’s needs and interests, ensuring a memorable journey. This might include:
• Custom resources
• One-on-one meetings with team members
• Activities that align with the new hire’s personal and professional goals
Personalization shows new employees that the company sees them as individuals, not just another cog in the machine.
Long-Term Benefits: Engagement, Productivity, and Retention
Great onboarding isn’t just about the first few days or weeks; it’s about setting new hires up for long-term success. By the end of a well-executed program, new employees have learned the ropes, connected with their team, and aligned with the company’s goals. They feel a genuine sense of belonging leading to:
• Greater engagement
• Faster productivity
• Long-term retention
Investing in a strong onboarding process helps companies stand out as employers that truly value their team members.
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• Small Business Onboarding • Onboarding Remote Employees • Onboarding Phases • New Team Member Announcement • Onboarding Meeting • New Hire Onboarding Survey Questions • New Hire Orientation Survey • Onboarding and Training • Onboarding Goals
What Are The Elements Of The Best Onboarding Programs?
Workplace culture is your organization's DNA. Every company has its unique history, language, and values. This cultural backdrop is crucial for new employees to understand so they can feel like a part of the team. Without this knowledge, they might feel like outsiders, disconnected from the daily rhythm of the workplace. Therefore, providing insights into the company's culture and background is essential to help them integrate seamlessly.
Exploring Business Mission, Objectives & Projects Underway
New employees need to know where the company is headed and why. They need to understand the mission, objectives, and current projects. This knowledge helps them see the big picture and understand how their role fits into it. By answering questions like "Where are we going?" and "How do we get there?" you can develop their involvement and commitment to the business.
Navigating the People Landscape
Every new hire has to adapt to a new social environment. They'll be part of a new team, meet new colleagues, and interact with managers and stakeholders. It's your job to help them adapt to this diversity. You can ensure they integrate smoothly into the organization by introducing them to key people and helping them understand the hierarchy and communication styles.
Familiarizing with Workspace & Equipment
New employees should be able to figure out the workspace and equipment independently. It's important to create a sense of familiarity and help them identify their new territory. Show them where the tools they need are located and how to use them. This step makes them feel comfortable and confident in their new role.
Establishing Clear Communication
Clear communication is the backbone of a successful onboarding program. New employees need to know what's expected of them, their role, and how their performance will be evaluated. The onboarding program should clearly understand the:
• Company's culture
• Policies
• Procedures
Ensure two-way communication allows new employees to ask questions and provide feedback.
Providing Mentorship and Guidance
Mentorship is a key element of onboarding. Pair new hires with a mentor or buddy who can help them navigate the company culture and offer guidance on job responsibilities. A mentor can also help them build relationships with colleagues and find the necessary resources to succeed.
Delivering Comprehensive Training
Training is a critical component of any onboarding program. New employees need to receive comprehensive training on their job responsibilities, the company's products and services, and any relevant software or tools. The training should be interactive and hands-on, allowing new hires to practice their skills and receive feedback.
Implementing Feedback and Evaluation
Feedback and evaluation are essential for a successful onboarding program. New employees need to receive regular feedback on their performance and have the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance. The evaluation should be based on clear, measurable goals and provide constructive feedback that helps new hires improve.
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10 Examples Of The Best Onboarding Programs
1. Surprise and Delight with Welcome Gifts
Start the onboarding journey with a thoughtful gift. Send new team members a welcome kit filled with items like a company-branded mug, essential office supplies, and personalized business cards. A handwritten letter can add a personal touch, showing they’re already valued team members. This simple gesture can ease first-day jitters and foster a sense of belonging right from the start.
2. Set Goals Before Day One
Encourage new hires to set personal goals aligning with their job roles and company objectives even before starting. This proactive approach helps them prioritize and allows you to design a personalized development plan. You empower employees to hit the ground running and contribute meaningfully by addressing goals early.
3. Make Policy Training Engaging
Transform compliance training into an engaging experience. Ditch the dull documents and opt for interactive elements like videos, games, and quizzes. Providing a guided learning path ensures new hires fully understand important policies and can confidently navigate their roles without getting bogged down by endless reading material.
4. Announce Their Arrival Loud and Proud
Introduce new employees to the company with a public announcement. Share it across company communication tools so everyone, not just immediate colleagues, knows about the latest addition to the team. This helps break the ice and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere as colleagues send greetings and reactions to the news.
5. Break the Ice with a Warm Welcome
Help newbies feel at ease by arranging a meeting where new hires can chat and connect before diving into the larger organization. This initial interaction builds camaraderie and ensures they’ll recognize familiar faces while navigating their new surroundings.
6. Prepare Their Workspace with Care
Ensure their workspace is ready and tailored to their preferences, whether it’s an ergonomic chair or a particular laptop brand. For remote workers, send necessary tools and resources in advance. A well-prepared environment shows you value their comfort and productivity from day one.
7. Pair Them with an Onboarding Buddy
Assign an onboarding buddy to guide new hires through their first job day. This insider perspective fosters team building and accelerates acclimation. Alternatively, use onboarding software to give employees the freedom and autonomy to explore new roles at their own pace.
8. Share Product Samples for Insight
Provide new hires with samples of your company’s products or services. This hands-on experience helps them understand your offerings inside and out. Ask for feedback—it’s a great way to engage them right from the start and gather fresh perspectives on your products.
9. Host Informative Onboarding Workshops
Conduct workshops to cover essential topics such as policies, HR processes, and safety rules. These sessions are ideal for groups of recruits. Afterward, send follow-up materials via email so they can refer back to them as needed.
10. Foster Connections with Breakroom Chats
Encourage daily coffee chats between new hires and existing employees. These informal meetups help break down barriers and allow newbies to gather tips and advice. Make sure everyone, including management, participates to build camaraderie and introduce new team members to the broader company culture.
12 Companies With The Best Onboarding Programs To Learn From
1. Netflix’s Employee Onboarding
Netflix aims to set employees up for success from day one. The company adopts a “welcome home” approach, ensuring employees feel secure and grounded stepping into a new workplace. There is a general trust between managers and employees, with a big focus on feedback.
Pre-Onboarding Preparation
Following this approach, Netflix prepares all new hire necessities—such as office space, equipment and documents—for a smooth transition. New employee initiations start with an orientation process primarily ongoing for the first quarter of the employee’s first year.
Orientation Process
Orientation covers company culture and vision, with insights spread continuously throughout the employee’s learning process. During the onboarding period, managers schedule periodic introductions with different teams.
Engagement from Day One
Managers also assign mentors to each new employee for additional guidance. To make their roles and the onboarding process feel engaging from day one, new employees are assigned key projects and tasks from the start. This ensures high engagement levels and a positive first impression, which can have lasting effects, as the new employee feels immediately of added value.
2. Square’s employee onboarding
At Square, first impressions are key during the onboarding process. The company took note of the effect first impressions can have on new employees and used them to its advantage. The prevailing opinion from employees about joining Square is the level of preparedness the company demonstrates on the first day of new hires.
Positive Onboarding Experience
In fact, Square employees generally agree that the onboarding experience was positive overall. The company's onboarding process is divided into three stages, each focusing on a unique set of learnings: the company, the team, and the individual.
Company's Vision and Culture
The beginning of a new employee’s journey concentrates on helping new hires understand the company's vision, learn the basic procedures, and learn about the products and services the business offers.
Team Integration and Individual Role Clarity
The second stage of the onboarding process focuses on the team. New hires are introduced to different teams and observe the part each role plays within the team’s ecosystem. The third stage focuses on each individual employee, where managers discuss the details of the role, responsibilities, and expectations.
3. Indeed’s Employee Onboarding
Indeed’s onboarding program is more unique than most businesses. Instead of onboarding new hires within designated departments, the company groups new hires across different departments together. The objective is to build cross-functional relationships during the beginning stages of the employment journey. The system was set this way to allow new employees to learn about the company culture through different perspectives while creating strategic relationships.
The idea is for new employees to develop positive relationships to stem collaborations across different departments. Indeed has developed many onboarding tools to support managers, such as tailored step-by-step guides and onboarding checklists. These tools allow managers to utilize and tailor resources to individual needs. The company believes in the power of community and the strength of networking from within.
4. LinkedIn — [In]troduction
For a social media company who has built a niche around career, HR management, and business networking, one would expect they would excel in this aspect of onboarding. And they have. Through their new employee orientation program: [In]troduction.
LinkedIn’s [In]troduction includes seven key components of education and integration exercises, such as:
• Lectures on company policies
• Chat sessions with senior leadership
• A campus tour
• Even lunch
It gives a practical onboarding experience on the employee's first day. [In]troduction is so successful that 2014 it was given a bronze Brandon Hall award for best onboarding program. Its success rate is also reflected in LinkedIn’s year-after-year revenue growth of 27%.
5. Google — Just-in-Time Nudges
The first on our list is the second-highest-valued company in the world with over 130,000 employees as of 2021. In a company like Google, where expectations are high, the responsibilities of the new employees are to:
• Develop vital relationships with co-workers
• Work with team members
• Prove their worth can be overwhelming
The Google HR team understands this predicament and has implemented a simple interactive onboarding program that prepares employees for their new roles.
Google’s Approach
Google employs what is known as “just-in-time nudges” to acclimate new team members with company policies and boost employee engagement. Nudges are a set of reminders given to inform the recipient of the next course(s) of action. These nudges have four characteristics: gentle, timely, relevant, and easy to execute. They are also used as check-ins to monitor the employee's progress in the company. These gentle reminders are given to both the handlers of the new employees as well as the Nooglers (new Google hires) themselves.
Timely Nudges on Employee Productivity
“Nudging” Nooglers exposes them to relevant information fast. The timely nature of these nudges makes it easier for new hires to execute tasks efficiently because the information is delivered right when the task is to be executed. Ultimately, Google’s effective new hire onboarding process improved employee experience and led to a 25% increase in new employee productivity.
6. Microsoft – Implement a buddy program to help build connections
Who doesn’t appreciate having a familiar face to connect with at work? Providing new hires with a buddy or mentor can significantly impact their productivity and retention in the workplace. There is no arguing the critical role managers play in shaping a new hire’s adjustment period. A more comprehensive team approach can help build a broader support network.
Buddy Programs
While a buddy program may seem obvious to some, it is still often missing from a new hire’s introduction to the company. One-on-one meetings with managers are the only form of relationship-building during their first week on the job. These days, it’s becoming increasingly common for employees to work collaboratively with other departments or office locations.
Strong Workplace Relationships
So, having strong workplace relationships and connections is the key to success. Getting your team members involved in onboarding programs is as simple as reaching out for volunteers. Your employees likely remember what it felt like to be the new kid on the block. In this case, they will be more than happy to extend a helping hand.
7. Pinterest – Make them feel a part of something important
On a more centralized level, onboarding should cover your company’s mission, vision, and goals. While each business's functions are relatively similar at the core, what sets each apart is its unique company culture. It’s critical to infuse your organisational culture into onboarding processes. That way, recruits have a clear picture of:
• Who you are
• What you do
• Most importantly, why.
One of the most successful onboarding programs is Pinterest’s ‘Knit SF’ strategy. Here, the term ‘knitting’ is a core part of Pinterest’s culture, focusing on collaboration and unification. New hires at Pinterest engage in activities like peer-to-peer icebreakers and meetings with cross-disciplinary team leaders.
Pinterest encourages new hires to engage with their colleagues both within and outside their immediate team. This strategy shows how it takes a village to build a thriving organization.
8. Twitter – Ensure your new starter feels welcome
What better way to make a new staff member feel right at home than a welcome pack? Onboarding programs are often considered essential to welcoming recruits to the team. A starter pack doesn’t have to cost your business millions, and in the case of a hiring rush, you may need a budget. It can be as simple as providing them with some company merch and a welcome letter signed by their hiring manager.
Small Gestures, Big Impact
If you want to get a little fancier, perhaps some office snacks or a bottle of wine (to be consumed after work). If the budget allows, suggest the hiring manager take them to a team lunch or grab a takeaway coffee.
Welcome Package
A welcome package is a simple yet sure-fire way to excite new hires and calm their nerves before they walk through the office doors. It’s also an excellent way to reassure them of their decision to join your company.
9. Hubspot: Comprehensive product training
Hubspot, a marketing and customer service software leader, highlights product training in its onboarding process. This familiarizes new starters with Hubspot’s complex suite of products, regardless of their experience.
Hubspot’s onboarding process emphasizes:
• Structured onboarding: Hubspot uses a structured and comprehensive onboarding process called “Foundations.” This includes all the essential information for new starters, from company culture to role expectations.
• Product training: In-depth training on Hubspot’s products is a central feature of its onboarding process. Video tutorials and training modules provide new starters with the resources and knowledge to navigate Hubspot’s products and support them effectively, particularly for those who are unfamiliar with them.
• Remote adaptation: Hubspot’s onboarding process functions effectively in a remote environment, with specific onboarding content and product training to make the transition to remote work seamless for new hires.
Hubspot’s onboarding process goes beyond basic orientation, fostering long-lasting relationships and equipping new employees with the tools they need for success.
10. Quora
Quora knows the value of investing in an onboarding program. For a quick ramp-up time, Quora concentrates on mentorship by allocating a personal mentor to each new hire. Understanding the benefit of prioritizing new hires, Quora respects that mentors lose around 25% of their personal output during the first weeks of training.
In a fast-paced start-up environment, Quora values productivity. They encourage new hires to make meaningful contributions and tackle a manageable project by the end of week 1.
• Simplifying first-day activities and focusing on tasks communicates their startup culture and values.
• Organizing 10 onboarding talks over the first few weeks, Quora invests in teaching new hires the fundamentals for success. They also provide new hires with detailed documents on the key concepts and tools they need.
• Quora values its employee onboarding program as a chance to “steer new hires toward what the team believes matters most.”
11. Zappos
Zappos is well known for its distinct and immersive onboarding experience. New hires undergo a detailed training program covering Zappos' exceptional customer service philosophy. They also work in different departments to better understand the organization. Zappos fosters a supportive and inclusive environment, encouraging open communication and collaboration.
Zappos' onboarding experience is characterized by its emphasis on creating a positive work environment and customer-centric culture. The company works exceptionally hard to instill its core values in new hires, ensuring they embody the Zappos spirit in every internal and customer interaction.
12. Adobe
Similar to Microsoft, Adobe offers new employees a structured and personalized onboarding experience. Its comprehensive orientation program familiarizes new hires with the company's products, services, and culture.
Mentorship and Continuous Learning
Like most companies on this list, Adobe assigns mentors to guide new employees through their initial weeks, providing support and answering questions. The company encourages ongoing learning through training resources and development opportunities.
Creativity and Innovation in Onboarding
Adobe's onboarding process stands out for its focus on creativity and innovation. The company fosters a culture that celebrates individuality and encourages employees to bring their unique perspectives and ideas to the table, ultimately driving innovation within the organization.
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Why Does The Onboarding Experience Matter?
Onboarding Isn't Just Paperwork
Onboarding often resembles a whirlwind of paperwork and rushed introductions. But what if it could be more? A well-executed onboarding process transforms confusion into clarity It empowers new employees to understand their roles and how they fit into the team. Effective onboarding is an investment that pays dividends. It fosters long-term success, enhances productivity, and cultivates a sense of belonging.
The Impact of Effective Onboarding
Quality onboarding resonates beyond the initial days. According to Gallup, employees who perceive their onboarding as excellent are nearly three times more likely to feel they have the best job possible. Yet, only 12 percent of employees believe their company does onboarding well. This gap highlights the opportunity to elevate onboarding practices and set new hires up for success from day one.
The Ripple Effect on Engagement
Engaged employees are more productive, loyal, and less likely to leave. The ripple effect of engagement extends to:
• Profitability
• Turnover rates
• Safety
• Customer satisfaction
Onboarding sets the stage for engagement by connecting new hires with supportive managers and peers. It reinforces the organization’s commitment to employee growth and recognizes each individual's unique talents.
Onboarding as a First Impression of Your Culture
Onboarding is often the first real taste new hires get of your company culture. It’s the moment your employee value proposition (EVP) comes to life. Does your organization deliver on the promises made during recruitment? An authentic EVP builds trust and lays the foundation for a strong employer-employee relationship. Onboarding provides the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that your culture isn’t just lip service.
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