What's one piece of advice you would give to someone who is designing or revamping their employee onboarding program? What's the most important thing to focus on?

Question

Effective employee onboarding is crucial for organizational success, and this article brings together top tips from industry experts. From creating structured plans to fostering a sense of belonging, these insights cover a wide range of strategies to enhance the onboarding experience. Discover how to implement product-focused training, automate administrative tasks, and build scalable systems for consistent and personalized onboarding that sets new hires up for success.

Mike Wall · Answer

Based on my experience at EZ Sell Homebuyers, I would advise focusing on creating a structured, step-by-step onboarding plan rather than an ad-hoc approach. When we revamped our onboarding process by implementing welcome packages, ensuring workstations were properly set up, and conducting regular check-ins with new hires, we saw early turnover decrease by 30%. A systematic approach that guides new employees through their first weeks while providing consistent touchpoints for questions and feedback will significantly improve their integration and long-term success.

Niclas Schlopsna · Answer

Based on our experience at Spectup, I would recommend incorporating hands-on, practical work into your onboarding program rather than relying heavily on presentations and theoretical training. We found significant improvements when we started assigning new consultants to actual client projects within their first few days, allowing them to contribute meaningfully while learning our processes in a real-world context. This approach not only accelerates the learning curve but also gives new team members an immediate sense of purpose and belonging. The most important thing to focus on is creating opportunities for genuine contribution rather than passive information consumption.

Joel Butterly · Answer

Apply learning science. People remember their actions better than the information they receive through listening. The content should be divided into small modules which include instant application opportunities and spaced repetition and quick assessment tools that provide immediate feedback. The training program should present a story about how each skill applies to the work activities. The process of teaching back a learned concept to others helps new hires retain their knowledge better. A short list of essential reading materials should be provided to new employees. Each week conclude with an assessment of what worked well and what aspects remain unclear. The process of mastering skills depends on purposeful practice and information retrieval rather than receiving excessive information.

Maddy Nahigyan · Answer

Family-system awareness stands as the top priority during onboarding procedures. The training process at most organizations teaches new employees about their tasks but fails to show them how to handle family emergencies during crises. The training program should teach new staff members how to handle difficult phone calls through established communication methods and instruct them on setting boundaries and when to escalate situations. Staff members should receive a simplified version of the treatment process which they can explain to patients. The training includes three simulated situations with feedback before providing quick-reference materials for shift work. Each new employee should receive a mentor who will observe their first two weeks of work and provide post-observation coaching. Staff members who deliver clear and compassionate messages to families will build faster trust relationships, which leads to more stable care delivery.

Runbo Li · Answer

I always make new hires actually use our Magic Hour platform during their first week. They edit videos, create content, and experience what our users go through daily. This hands-on approach beats any presentation because they understand our product's pain points and strengths firsthand, making them far more effective when talking to customers or building features.

Vasilii Kiselev · Answer

The primary mistake I see in onboarding is treating it as an information dump. New hires won't remember even half of the policies covered on their first day, but they will remember how they felt. Therefore, think less about checklists and more about fostering a sense of belonging, especially when onboarding remotely, where new employees can easily feel invisible.
At Legacy, our team is fully remote and spread across time zones, so we spend additional time on connection during onboarding. Each new hire is assigned a peer "navigator" who checks in with them daily during their first week. It's not about training, but rather ensuring they never feel lost or alone on the other side of the screen; we want to help them feel connected. We also encourage informal touchpoints, opening up opportunities to use Loom for quick introductions or to have a brief coffee chat over Zoom, instead of the hallway moments traditionally lost when working from home.
This minor shift has reduced our early attrition rate by 50% and allowed people to be more trusting from day one. When you get belonging right during onboarding (especially remotely), everything else—processes, compliance, and performance—flows much more easily.

Dr. Mareba Lewis · Answer

The most important aspect is ensuring that new team members feel genuinely supported, not just informed. I schedule informal check-ins at 30 and 60 days because that's when imposter syndrome typically hits hardest for new therapists. Creating psychological safety from day one prevents burnout later and helps people feel comfortable asking questions when they're struggling with cases.

Randy Kunik · Answer

The system needs to deliver patient-grade hospitality standards. Healthcare onboarding should replicate the excellent patient experience through clear expectations, friendly reception, brief waiting times, and expert assistance. Create a detailed 30-day onboarding journey which outlines who will meet new employees, what information they will receive, and how their progress will be monitored.
The use of before-and-after examples helps employees understand the established standards. The development of manual skills for role-specific tasks requires brief, regular practice sessions. The first deliverables from new employees should be evaluated based on their quality and their ability to meet deadlines. The combination of precise methods and compassionate treatment exists in the same space, and onboarding programs should teach both approaches to new employees.

Tzvi Heber · Answer

The program should establish dignity as its central focus. The essential goal of new hire training focuses on developing behaviors that align with organizational values, which staff members can start using immediately. The program demonstrates compassionate care practices through specific scripts and role-playing activities during intake, handoffs, and documentation processes. The organization must establish three essential non-negotiables, which include privacy protection, respectful communication, and prompt response times. The program should pair new employees with team members who work across different departments to help them understand all operational, clinical, and administrative standards. The program includes brief daily assessments to help learners retain information and identify knowledge gaps. The adoption of humility and consistency during onboarding creates a default behavior in staff members who deliver these qualities to every client interaction.

Saralyn Cohen · Answer

The training should focus on ethical conduct and professional boundaries. By the end of their first day, new employees should understand how to act in ambiguous situations. Instead of reading through policies, the training should present brief real-world workplace scenarios. The training should teach three basic practices, which include:
1. Stopping for protection when privacy or safety risks appear2. Seeking help through designated contacts3. Recording all incidents with their explanations
Employees should receive a single-page reference guide for dangerous situations, along with two brief dialogue examples that state, "I want to assist, yet I need written authorization to protect privacy." The training session concludes with a five-minute role-playing exercise followed by immediate feedback. People develop trust when they can perform ethical actions during challenging situations rather than simply recalling rules.

Jasper Cool · Answer

Based on my experience, I would recommend incorporating direct access to leadership through brief, structured conversations early in the onboarding process. When we implemented 20-minute "Ask Me Anything" sessions with new hires during their first week, we saw team members integrate into the company twice as fast while also contributing valuable fresh perspectives. The most important thing to focus on is creating opportunities for authentic dialogue that helps new employees understand company culture while making them feel their questions and ideas are truly valued from day one.

Chris Rowland · Answer

Early on, I rushed new hires into the field, thinking billable hours were a priority. I've since learned that building confidence is more important. Now, we slow down and invest in hands-on training. New hires shadow experienced technicians, practice customer conversations, and learn our process before going solo. This approach has reduced turnover and helped employees feel supported from the very beginning.
One moment really made this clear. A new technician froze during his first solo job. He understood the technical steps but wasn't prepared for talking with customers. We regrouped, coached him, and let him try again with support. A year later, he had become a trusted team member. That experience showed me that onboarding is more than just completing tasks. It's about helping new hires feel capable and confident. When you focus on this, the rest of the training sticks and your culture grows stronger.

Cyrus Partow · Answer

I've onboarded dozens of remote team members at ShipTheDeal, and setting up clear performance dashboards from day one makes everything click faster. When new hires can actually see their impact on real projects and client metrics right away, they stop feeling lost and start contributing within weeks instead of months.

Yan Courtois · Answer

Based on my experience implementing onboarding programs, I strongly recommend automating administrative tasks through data integration across your HR and payroll systems. Automation eliminates manual setup processes that typically consume valuable time during a new hire's first days. The real value of onboarding comes from creating meaningful human connections, introducing team members, and helping new employees feel genuinely welcome and valued from day one. When you remove administrative burdens from your onboarding team, they can focus on these personal interactions that truly matter for new employee success and retention.

Pavel Sher · Answer

Lately, I've watched new hires at FuseBase struggle with information overload during their first week, so we shifted to outcome-based milestones instead of cramming everything into day one. The real game-changer was breaking onboarding into small wins - like successfully automating their first workflow or completing a client demo - because it builds confidence while proving they actually understand our platform.

Karl Threadgold · Answer

After managing teams across the UK and Singapore for years, I've learned that building personal connections early makes all the difference. I always pair new hires with someone from a different department - not just their direct team - because it breaks down silos and helps them understand how their role fits into the bigger picture. When someone joins our NetSuite consulting team, having that cross-functional buddy helps them grasp client needs faster than any training manual ever could.

Aja Chavez · Answer

The moment we started tracking first positive patient interactions as our success metric, our onboarding program completely shifted from checkbox activities to meaningful preparation. I always focus on creating clear pathways for new clinical staff to understand not just policies, but how those policies protect the vulnerable teens we serve. Day-to-day, the most important thing is ensuring new hires feel confident in their first real patient encounter, because that moment sets the tone for their entire career with us.

Carmen Jordan Fernandez · Answer

I always tell people to focus on creating clear learning milestones that new hires can actually track and celebrate. When I redesigned our teacher onboarding at The Spanish Council, I borrowed from language certification levels - each week had specific goals like mastering our curriculum platform or completing cultural orientation modules. This approach helped new educators feel accomplished rather than overwhelmed, and I could easily spot who needed extra support along the way.

Alvin Poh · Answer

Focus on building systems that can grow with your company rather than quick fixes that break when you scale. I made this mistake early at Vodien - our onboarding worked fine for five people but fell apart when we hit twenty. Now with CLDY, I invest in cloud-based platforms that automatically track progress and deliver consistent experiences whether someone joins in Singapore or remotely, because nothing kills momentum like inconsistent first impressions.

Rakesh Kalra · Answer

From my experience building UrbanPro, I've learned that personalized onboarding creates the strongest foundation for new hires. Just as we match students with tutors based on their specific learning styles and goals, I design onboarding paths that adapt to each person's role, experience level, and preferred learning approach. When we started customizing our new hire experience this way, we saw people become productive much faster and stay engaged longer term.

Beth Worthy · Answer

Based on my experience, I would recommend implementing a structured mentorship program as the cornerstone of your employee onboarding process. Pairing new hires with experienced team members provides personalized guidance that helps newcomers navigate company culture, understand performance expectations, and build important relationships from day one. This approach significantly accelerates the integration process and gives new employees a trusted resource for questions they might hesitate to ask managers directly. The most important aspect to focus on is creating these meaningful connections that transform onboarding from a procedural checklist into a relationship-building opportunity.

Mateusz Mucha · Answer

Focus on clarity, not wow-factor.
The most important aspect of onboarding is ensuring new hires understand exactly what's expected of them. This includes:
1. Who they report to2. How success is measured3. Where to get help
A smooth, honest first week is more valuable than any branded swag box or onboarding video.

Carl Dugan · Answer

The foundation of quality education requires students to receive basic instruction first. The organization needs to establish physical standards as its main operational priority. The training program should use real examples, checklists, and side-by-side comparisons to show new employees what excellent performance looks like. The training process for new hires starts with observation time, followed by practice sessions before they perform tasks under supervision. The organization places high importance on customer and team communication because small communication errors can lead to major financial losses. The daily routine ends with a two-minute evaluation of work accomplishments and solution implementation. The development of craftsmanship and trust requires both continuous practice and authentic feedback.

Marc Bromhall · Answer

Don't overload new hires with paperwork and policies. Focus on cultural immersion — help them understand the 'why' of your business from day one. When people feel connected to purpose early, performance follows.

Dr. Jonathan Spages · Answer

When designing an onboarding program, focus on teaching only a few key concepts and reinforce them multiple times rather than overwhelming new employees with too much information at once. I also strongly recommend having new hires complete administrative paperwork and tasks before their first day on the job. This approach preserves the excitement and enthusiasm that new employees bring to their roles, allowing them to engage with meaningful work from day one instead of getting bogged down in paperwork.

Employee Onboarding: 25 Top Tips From the Leaders

Employee Onboarding: 25 Top Tips From the Leaders

Create a Structured Step-by-Step Onboarding Plan

Incorporate Hands-On Work for Meaningful Contributions

Apply Learning Science for Effective Knowledge Retention

Prioritize Family-System Awareness in Training Programs

Implement Product-Focused Onboarding for Better Understanding

Foster a Sense of Belonging for Remote Teams

Schedule Regular Check-Ins to Prevent Burnout

Deliver Patient-Grade Hospitality Standards in Healthcare

Establish Dignity as the Central Focus

Emphasize Ethical Conduct and Professional Boundaries

Facilitate Direct Access to Leadership Early On

Invest in Confidence-Building Through Hands-On Training

Set Up Clear Performance Dashboards from Day One

Automate Administrative Tasks to Focus on Connections

Break Onboarding into Small, Achievable Milestones

Build Cross-Functional Connections for Broader Understanding

Track First Positive Patient Interactions as Success Metric

Create Clear, Trackable Learning Milestones for Progress

Build Scalable Systems for Consistent Onboarding Experiences

Personalize Onboarding Paths for Individual Needs

Implement Structured Mentorship Program for New Hires

Ensure Clarity on Expectations and Support Channels

Establish Physical Standards as Operational Priority

Focus on Cultural Immersion and Purpose Connection

Teach Key Concepts and Complete Paperwork Early

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