Author: Jen Clark
Onboarding has evolved from a transactional process to a strategic, personalized activity that engages and retains talent, while driving productivity. Done well, onboarding sets the tone for employee journeys and reassures new hires that they made the right decision to join the organization.
Effective onboarding begins the moment a candidate accepts your offer. The process follows a structured roadmap outlining key milestones and expectations. Clear communication is essential to ensure new hires know what to expect on their first day, from dress code to HR and IT support. These details help new employees feel at ease and signal that the organization values them.
Create a strategic onboarding roadmap
Onboarding your remote employee
The onboarding period typically lasts 30 to 90 days, incorporating learning and career development. The first week should include meetings and conversations to help new hires build relationships across the team, with leadership and key colleagues. Assign meaningful work early to build momentum and purpose but pace the introduction of information to avoid overwhelming new hires. Make managers available to provide guidance and answer questions.
Designating a "buddy" or mentor who can help answer informal questions accelerates cultural integration, reduces anxiety and fosters a sense of belonging. Conversely, a poor onboarding experience can lead to disengagement, low productivity and increased turnover. Common complaints include feeling lost or unsupported.
Human resource information system (HRIS) platforms can streamline onboarding with built-in timelines and checklists. Employers should explore integrating onboarding platforms, communication tools and learning systems to create consistent touchpoints and simplify access to information.
Take onboarding to the next level
We see many organizations expand their onboarding programs to increase retention. Personalized welcome kits, digital onboarding platforms and tailored onboarding experiences are becoming common. Some companies offer financial incentives for employees to voluntarily resign if they feel the position is a poor fit, reducing long-term costs.
New hires assess their decision to join during onboarding, making it critical for organizations to invest in the process. Poor onboarding wastes recruitment and training expenses.
Know if your onboarding process is working
A 2025 survey revealed that 48% of employees with poor onboarding experiences planned to leave their job within six months — twice the rate of those with positive experiences.1 Common frustrations included unclear expectations and a lack of training.
Organizations should measure onboarding success using key performance indicators like retention rates at 30, 60 and 90 days, new hire satisfaction scores, employee Net Promoter Scores and task completion rates. Feedback from pulse surveys, anonymous forms, one-on-one check-ins and focus groups can help refine onboarding processes.
Trends in onboarding: More personalized, better data
Modern onboarding is becoming more intelligent, ongoing and human-centric. AI-powered tools offer chatbots for FAQs and personalized learning paths, while gamification uses interactive modules and rewards to boost engagement. Onboarding analytics provides predictive insights into turnover, informing talent strategies and improving retention. When integrated with performance, learning and engagement data, these analytics demonstrate the value of robust onboarding programs.
First impressions matter — Gallagher can help
The onboarding experience offers your new hires a first impression of your organization, creating the opportunity to drive engagement, productivity and retention. A human-centric onboarding program, combined with analytics to measure and refine the process, leads to better business outcomes.
Gallagher supports organizations throughout the employee life cycle, from recruiting top talent to delivering effective onboarding experiences.
Learn more about expert onboarding support.
