Onboarding Best Practices That Actually Work

Employee engagement and satisfaction are a serious concern for business leaders and HR professionals when it comes to employee retention. But what is often overlooked in that pursuit is that the initial onboarding experience at a company can be crucial in whether an employee decides to stay at a company for the long-term. In order to foster company loyalty and retention, the onboarding process should build confidence, clarity and connection. But most of all, it should validate the employee’s decision to accept the position and not leave them feeling regretful. Research shows that employees who experience effective onboarding are significantly more likely to stay with a company and perform better in their roles.

The good news is that it doesn’t take much to design and implement a positive onboarding experience for new hires. Some of the most effective strategies are also the simplest like assigning a peer buddy for social connection, setting clear 30-60-90 day goals, involving leadership early, and building in regular feedback touchpoints. Practices like these help new hires feel welcomed, supported, and set up for success—right from the start.

Why Onboarding Matters

First impressions are often lasting ones, which is why it’s crucial that new hires have a positive experience when starting out at a company. These critical first impressions at work can shape how they perceive the culture, their role, and their future at the company. In order to optimize long-term employee retention, new hires should feel welcomed, prepared and connected from the very beginning.

According to Gallup, employees who report a positive onboarding experience are 2.6 times more likely to feel extremely satisfied in their roles. And Glassdoor states that companies with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

But the benefits of positive new hire experiences is probably best illustrated by the negative onboarding impact of getting it wrong: higher turnover, low team morale, and lost time and productivity. It drains resources whenever employees have to be replaced and the cost of losing talent before they have a chance to shine is probably immeasurable.

What Good Onboarding Looks Like

An effective onboarding process involves clarity, support, connection, and pacing. New hires should feel confident that they know what their role entails, what’s expected of them and what the initial onboarding steps are. They should also have access to approachable managers or mentors who can provide consistent support where needed. The employee onboarding experience should also start building meaningful relationships with teammates. And the pace should allow new hires to absorb information without feeling overwhelmed. Incorporating virtual activities, like team-building games or virtual coffee chats, or seasonal celebrations that highlight the benefits of virtual parties, can be especially helpful for remote or hybrid teams to foster early engagement and connection.

Employee onboarding should not be confused with orientation. Orientation is usually a one-time experience that covers things like logistics, policies, badges, IT setup, etc. Onboarding is a long-term new hire journey that can take weeks, even months and involve ongoing learning, social integration, and structured milestones that reinforce growth and engagement.

What is important to remember is that onboarding isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about building momentum and confidence through repeated and consistent practices. It’s about giving employees the tools, relationships, and mindset they need to contribute meaningfully and feel excited about the journey they’re undertaking at their new company.

What Works

Here are some proven onboarding practices that will help set new hires up for success and longevity at their company.

Step 1: Prep Early

The onboarding process should start well before the new hire first walks in the door—or logs in. This preboarding is a process of onboarding preparation that involves things like sending welcome emails, shipping out laptops or gear, and preparing a thoughtful welcome kit. This process is important because it signals to new-hire that the company is organized, thoughtful, and genuinely excited for their arrival.

The most vital components of the preboarding process involve sharing a schedule and sending intro materials ahead of time. This includes things like providing an agenda for the first week, a team org chart, a brief team introduction, or even a quick video intro from their manager.

These initial steps afford the new-hire a sense of security that they know what to expect. This reduces anxiety and creates a sense of first day readiness where they feel informed, supported, and ready to dive in.

Step 2: Make It Personal

While a generic onboarding process—involving canned presentations, impersonal checklists, and minimal interaction—may get through the essential steps, it can often feel cold and forgettable. But more crucially, it can make the new-hire feel like just another name on a spreadsheet and leave them feeling disengaged at the very beginning of their journey.

That’s why personalized onboarding is so important. It doesn’t have to be complicated or require a significant investment. Simple touches like a personalized welcome message from leadership, a team-wide intro email, or assigning a peer buddy can foster employee connection from the start and make the new hire feel seen and supported.

A personalized new hire welcome process builds early trust and belonging. And when new-hires feel comfortable and trust their new team, they’re more likely to ask questions and take initiative, setting them on a path for productivity and success.

Step 3: Simplify Learning

Starting at a new company can be an overwhelming process. There’s paperwork to fill out, new systems to set up and learn, new people to meet (and names to learn), a new cultural landscape to figure out, and so much more. That’s why it’s important to not overload new hires during the onboarding process. Delivering onboarding content all at once can backfire and make it harder for new hires to absorb, retain, or apply what they’ve learned.

A better approach to training new hires is to break materials into small, digestible pieces across days or weeks. This makes the employee learning process far more effective because it gives new team members time to process and apply what they’re learning in real time.

Tools like onboarding checklists, short video explainers, or peer-led walkthroughs are great ways to break up the training process and make the material more accessible.

Step 4: Stay Involved

Remember that employee onboarding should be a process that takes weeks or months—it shouldn’t end after the first week. It’s about providing an extended runway where new hires feel supported, connected and secure in their new environment well beyond their first few days.

This long-term onboarding process might include scheduled onboarding follow-up check-ins at key intervals—like week 2, week 4, and month 3. These provide managers with opportunities to address questions, provide feedback and celebrate wins while also offering a pathway to track progress and make any necessary adjustments.

The ultimate goal (and benefit) of this type of ongoing employee support is that it increases retention and confidence. When employees feel secure in their roles and that they have avenues for guidance and support when needed, they’re more likely to stay—and thrive.

Start Strong to Build Long-Term Success

A strong onboarding process doesn’t just ease a new hire’s transition—it lays the foundation for long-term success, confidence, and loyalty. When onboarding is done right, it validates the employee’s decision to join, builds lasting employee connection, and reinforces a culture of clarity and support. From early preparation to ongoing check-ins, each touchpoint along the new hire journey matters—and it all adds up to better performance, engagement, and retention.

Looking to level up your team’s onboarding experience or create meaningful employee moments beyond day one? BreakoutIQ offers interactive team-building experiences that can be integrated into onboarding or used to support long-term engagement. Explore BreakoutIQ’s activities here.