Onboarding is the initial process of assimilating new-hires into an organization. In addition to equipping new-hires with the tools necessary to succeed in their new position, a successful Onboarding Program provides new-hires with the resources to become fully engaged and culturally aware members of a productive workforce.


A well managed Onboarding Program begins the moment an offer is extended and ends when the new-hire is classified as a fully functioning employee. Employee retention and satisfaction are influenced before a new-hire even walks into your building. Studies have shown that organizations that provide new-hires with easy access to forms and employment information prior to the first day of work benefit from enhanced employee retention, productivity, and overall satisfaction. A well-managed Onboarding Program uses a comprehensive Onboarding Portal to provide new-hires with online access to company information, tax forms and policies before they even start work.

The length of an Onboarding Program varies from organization to organization and depends heavily on the complexity of the job responsibilities. A standard Onboarding Program is three - six months long; however some organizations classify the first twelve months of a new-hire’s employment as the Onboarding period. It is beneficial to view Onboarding as the first step of a detailoriented employee support and mentorship program.


A well-managed Onboarding Program is both well thought out and coordinated. It is often necessary for organizations to test several different approaches to Onboarding before discovering the method that best matches their company’s culture and employment objectives. Although Onboarding Programs vary greatly from organization to organization, there are several overarching characteristics present in all well-managed Onboarding Programs.

Focus on the experience- Onboarding is all about a positive new-hire experience

Ongoing, clear, concise and consistent channels of communication

Learning occurs at every organizational level

New-hires are aligned to key business strategies

Milestones are set to gauge new-hire success and time-to-productivity

Information is presented in easily-digestible amounts

Reinforces Employment Brand

Organizations of every size and from every industry are investing additional time and financial resources in coordinating an Onboarding Program to ensure the retention of their top talent and decrease new-hire time to productivity. Onboarding has become increasingly important in the past decade as a consequence of a decreasing sense of employment loyalty in today’s Generation Y dominated workforce. Recruiting is expensive and organizations cannot afford to lose the employees that they have successfully recruited. A comprehensive Onboarding Program has emerged as the best way to combat an increasingly expensive turnover rate. Studies have shown that a well-managed Onboarding Program can lead to a 100% increase in retention rates and a 60% improvement in an employee’s overall productivity.


Many organizations make the mistake of using the terms Onboarding and orientation interchangeably. Onboarding is not Orientation! Onboarding is an ongoing process of assimilation and integration, not a one time orientation event. One of the most common Onboarding mistakes is taking a cookie-cutter approach. With Onboarding, one size does not fit all; it is important for every organization to implement an Onboarding Program that is closely aligned to their culture and ongoing business objectives.


Some of the most successful organizations have automated their Onboarding Programs to further streamline their Talent Management initiatives and increase their Return-on-Investment. The Talent Management Software used to automate Onboarding Programs helps to reduce preliminary recruiting costs, while improving employee retention and productivity in the long run. An automated Onboarding Program also eliminates reliance on paper documents and overloading new-hires with too much information, the majority of which they will not use for several months. Automated Onboarding Programs take advantage of an Onboarding Portal or intranet, a comprehensive and easily accessible location to store the documents necessary for the entire Onboarding Process. This gives new-hire the opportunity to access information when they need it- placing critical documents at their fingertips even before their first day of work.


Below is a list highlighting some of the most common information stored in an automated Onboarding Portal:

Welcome message from the CEO and other key stakeholders (new hires need to feel welcomed and to minimize “buyers remorse”)

Summary of company vision, values and mission statements.

Meet your Co-Workers Page

Information on mentorship and leadership development programs

Benefits enrollment, direct deposit, 401K and tax forms

Candidate experience surveys

Organizational policies, vacation calendar, expense and travel guidelines

Internal and external training schedules

Performance Review follow-ups

iCIMS is recognized as the third largest provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Talent Acquisition Solutions in the industry and the leading Talent Platform in the mid-market. Through iCIMS' Talent Platform, HR professionals can coordinate the logistics of a well-managed automated Onboarding Program, including a self-service Onboarding Portal for completion of post-hire iforms, scheduling of employee orientation, internal notification to key parties, and so much more.

Try the free recruiting software demo to discover how iCIMS’ Talent Platform can streamline your end-to-end Talent Management initiatives and provide the necessary tools to facilitate a successful and cost-effective Onboarding Program. Like what you see? Contact an iCIMS specialist at (800) 889-4422 and set up a live Onboarding demo today.