A guide to best-in-class onboarding

How to create onboarding experiences that improve employee retention, engagement and performance

Hiring the right person is only the beginning. The experience employees have after accepting an offer can have a lasting impact on how long they stay with a business, their productivity, engagement and long-term success.

Yet many organisations continue to treat onboarding as an administrative process focused on compliance, paperwork and system access. A successful onboarding programme is one of the most powerful tools employers have to improve the employee experience, accelerate productivity and strengthen retention.

Whether employees are joining in-person, remotely or in a hybrid environment, onboarding plays a critical role in helping them build confidence, understand expectations and connect with colleagues.

Our complete guide to onboarding explores what effective onboarding looks like today, drawing on research, best practice principles and real-world examples from leading employers.

So, whether you are a HR professional, people leader or hiring manager there is advice and insights within the guide for you and your involvement within an onboarding programme to help you create a more effective onboarding experience for your team.

Why onboarding matters

Research consistently shows that employees form lasting impressions about their manager, team and organisation during their first few weeks and months in a role.

A poorly designed onboarding programme can lead to confusion, disengagement and a new employee deciding to leave an organisation quickly.

In contrast, an effective employee onboarding experience helps new hires feel connected, supported and equipped to succeed from day one.

As competition for talent continues and employee expectations evolve, organisations that invest in onboarding are seeing benefits across:

• Employee retention
• Employee engagement
• Productivity and performance
• Employer brand and candidate experience
• Culture and belonging
• New hire satisfaction
   

What you'll learn in this guide

Download the guide to explore:

• The business case for investing in onboarding and the cost of getting it wrong
• Best practice onboarding principles that support engagement, retention and performance
• A practical first 90 days framework to help new hires succeed
• How organisations are using AI and technology to improve onboarding programmes
   

Whether you're reviewing an existing onboarding programme or designing a new employee onboarding strategy, this guide offers practical insights and real-world examples to help you improve onboarding programme outcomes.