In this session, Amy Davies shared insights on effective onboarding, stressing that while many companies admit to doing it poorly, few take steps to improve. She highlighted the power of first impressions through imprinting and suggested presenting a financial case to leadership to drive change. Practical ideas included swag, flexible first-day schedules, and clear benefits communication, along with an emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Trionne added that wellness should start at the pre-hire stage and be woven into culture, not treated as a checkbox. Both speakers underscored the vital role of managers in onboarding, recommending tools like email sequences, checklists, and ongoing feedback. Roger concluded by reinforcing the value of listening to new employees and adapting onboarding through continuous support and improvement.
Chapters
The Business Case for Onboarding
Amy Davies noted that many businesses acknowledge onboarding is done poorly, yet are often reluctant to make improvements. She explained the concept of imprinting—the cognitive process where first experiences shape long-term beliefs and expectations. Amy emphasized the need to present onboarding as a financial business case, especially when engaging CFOs. She highlighted the real costs of ineffective onboarding, including high turnover, reduced engagement, and lower productivity.
Low-Cost Onboarding Ideas
Amy suggested providing swag to help new hires feel a sense of belonging. She recommended offering flexibility on the first day, such as starting late and leaving early. Creating an acronym list was advised to help new employees quickly understand internal terminology. Amy stressed the importance of ensuring employees fully understand their benefits from day one. She also emphasized asking multiple times about accommodations for disabilities, to ensure inclusivity and support.
Integrating Wellness into Onboarding
Trionne discussed embedding wellness messaging from the pre-hire stage, including job postings and social media. She drew a strong connection between wellness and leadership development. Trionne noted that communication, management, and emotional intelligence (EQ) training can strengthen both wellness and leadership capacity. She emphasized setting the tone early—showing new employees that the organization supports them and their families.
HRIS and Technology in Onboarding
Amy critiqued many HRIS systems for offering only basic checklist functionality during onboarding. She shared that work is being done to develop an AI-powered onboarding buddy. Email sequencing was suggested as a way to automate and personalize communications. Amy recommended breaking down onboarding content into digestible chunks. She stressed the importance of the manager’s role in onboarding and advocated for their active participation in designing programs and utilizing a dedicated manager guide.
The Role of Managers in Delivering Onboarding Programs
Trionne emphasized that wellness initiatives must go beyond being just a checklist item. She encouraged companies to integrate wellness into their culture. She recommended demonstrating the value of wellness to managers using tangible data—such as turnover rates and sick days. Trionne supported Amy’s suggestion of providing managers with checklists and messaging frameworks. This ensures consistent, effective communication and support for new hires.
Sequencing and Timelines for Onboarding Communication
Amy advised using the first 30 days as a key window for intensive onboarding activities. Depending on the individual’s learning pace, she suggested extending the program to 90 days. She underscored the need for HR to understand and accommodate different learning curves. Amy recommended coaching managers to guide employees through these early stages. She advocated incorporating stay interview-style questions into early check-ins to assess needs and ensure timely support.
Measuring Success in Onboarding
Trionne advised aligning onboarding, wellness, and L&D efforts with measurable organizational outcomes. She suggested breaking large goals into smaller, more achievable metrics like employee engagement and reduced sick days. Being data-driven, she noted, is essential for credibility and improvement. She encouraged capturing both quantitative and qualitative feedback to validate the onboarding program’s effectiveness and secure buy-in from leadership.
Data and Research in Onboarding Measurement
Amy encouraged leveraging existing engagement surveys to monitor impact. She proposed comparing engagement levels of new hires before and after onboarding enhancements. Amy also recommended calculating turnover costs, noting they range from 30% to 50% of an employee’s salary. She cited research showing that high-quality onboarding can boost productivity by 70% and significantly reduce new hire turnover.
Continuous Improvement and Feedback
Roger emphasized the importance of seeking candid feedback from new hires to identify improvement areas. He reinforced the value of ongoing check-ins to reassure employees that support and resources are readily available and encouraged.