Employee onboarding is a key part of any organisation. It’s the process that helps new employees to get settled and feel connected to the business they’re joining. Onboarding begins the moment a job offer is accepted and continues until the employee is confident and able to work productively in their role.
What is employee onboarding?
Employee onboarding begins as soon as a new hire accepts a job offer. It helps them understand the business, settle into their role, and become productive quickly.
It also introduces them to the company culture and the people they’ll be working with, helping them to build relationships and feel supported. Strong onboarding creates a smoother, more positive workplace overall.
Depending on the role and the organisation, onboarding can last from a few weeks to a few months. It typically covers:
- Company policies
- Signing contracts
- Providing payment details
- Right to work checks
- Training on key tools and software
- Team introductions
What is the purpose of employee onboarding?
The aim of employee onboarding is to create a structured process that helps new hires understand the company, the tools they’ll use, and the culture they’re joining. Each of these factors is what helps them become productive sooner.
It’s also the ideal stage for new employees to ask questions and gain clarity about their role. At the same time, the employer can ensure all compliance requirements are met, including policy reviews, key regulations, and right to work checks.
Onboarding also helps in confirming whether a new hire is a good fit for the existing culture. This early focus on integration helps prevent potential conflicts and ensures the workplace remains positive, comfortable, and productive for everyone.
Why is employee onboarding so important?
If onboarding is poor, or skipped entirely, then new employees are more likely to feel confused about their role and make avoidable mistakes. Without clear guidance, they can’t fully understand what’s expected of them.
When done well, onboarding gives new hires the clarity they need to:
- Understand their responsibilities
- Ask questions
- Build confidence
It’s also a prime opportunity for employers to gauge how well the employee fits the role.
This period is key for helping new starters feel welcomed and integrated, improving their time to productivity. And, with the right support, they quickly learn who to turn to for help, settle into their role comfortably, and become independent more quickly.
The four phases of employee onboarding
The employee onboarding process typically includes four key phases, covering everything from the moment an offer is made to the point a new hire becomes fully productive.
Preboarding
Preboarding starts as soon as an offer is accepted, and will usually involve:
- Collecting right to work documents (and driving licences, if required)
- Gathering bank details for payroll
- Finalising contracts, paperwork, and SLAs
- Setting expectations around culture and ways of working
- Sharing resources that help the new hire understand the company before they start
Orientation
Orientation takes place on the employee’s first day, and focuses on:
- How the business operates, including key policies and benefits
- An introduction to essential systems and software
- Meeting colleagues and understanding who to report to
- A tour of the workplace so they can grow familiar with the environment
Training & development
This phase often lasts a few months and equips new hires with the skills and knowledge they need to work confidently. It typically includes:
- Role-specific training programmes
- Materials that outline how the business works
- Guides and courses on the tools and software required for the job
Integration
The final phase of the process aims to help the new hire feel as though they’re fully part of the team. Most commonly, it will involve:
- Ongoing feedback to support their growth
- Regular check-ins with managers
- Inclusion in team events and social activities
The goal of this phase is simple: help the new employee feel welcome, and no longer “new”.
How long does employee onboarding typically last?
There’s no set duration for employee onboarding, but it generally lasts anywhere from a few hours to several months.
Most of the timeframe depends on the training and integration stages. Preboarding and orientation usually only take a couple of days, but training can take longer if the role involves complex tools or systems.
Integration is often the longest phase, sometimes lasting one to two months. Making an employee feel genuinely at home in a new company takes time. There’s multiple factors to consider, including helping them settle into the environment, build relationships, and feel comfortable socially and professionally.
What are the best practices for employee onboarding?
Employee onboarding can become long and draining when it’s not done well. Ultimately, that increases the risk of mistakes, poor experiences, and higher turnover rates. To keep your onboarding process efficient and effective, focus on the following:
- Communicate clearly – Be honest and direct about the role. If the job doesn’t match the description, new hires will feel misled. Clear expectations prevent frustration and build trust from day one.
- Reduce manual processes – Where possible, use onboarding software to store documents, automate tasks, and cut down on unnecessary back-and-forth.
- Make new hires feel welcome – A warm environment sets the tone for their experience. Many new employees report feeling isolated early on, so make an effort to include them and give them a positive first impression.
- Create open communication – Provide support where needed and encourage questions. Regular feedback helps new hires feel comfortable and confident, and shows that you’re approachable.
- Keep policies and benefits accessible – Ensure essential information, like procedures, expectations, incident handling, and benefits, is easy to find. This helps new employees understand how the business operates and what’s expected of them.
What is onboarding software?
Employee onboarding software is a popular way for companies to streamline their onboarding process. It gives you the tools to:
- Communicate with applicants and new hires digitally, without chasing for missing documents
- Use e-signatures, removing the need for in-person paperwork
- Store all important documents securely in one central place
- Track onboarding progress in real time, so you know exactly who needs follow-up and who’s nearly ready to start
Wise is onboarding software built for logistics businesses with self-employed drivers, designed to support everyday operations. But with custom roles for onboarding, the Wise software can be used to accommodate employees as well. On average, logistics companies using Wise save up to 17 hours a week on admin.
With digital onboarding, unlimited storage, customisable workflows and more, you can start onboarding employees in as little as 10 minutes.
