Onboarding is the process by which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become effective organizational members and insiders. Because it is a process and not a discrete event, multiple factors and steps are involved in the onboarding process. Onboarding actually begins at the recruitment and selection stage of the employee–employer relationship. Through realistic recruitment, employees get an honest view of the organization and its values.

Job expectations, values and norms, can be shared up front during the recruitment process. Realistic recruitment practices result in greater employee retention because new employees know what to expect when they enter the organization. A good first impression signals to the job candidate that the company is one in which they should work because they will be respected and treated well. The role of new employee orientation programs is to help new hires adjust to their new job and work environment and instill a positive attitude and motivation from the very beginning of an employee’s relationship with the organization.

Orientation programs are instrumental in making employees more comfortable in the organization, increasing retention rates, and improving productivity. It is also important that the message communicated during recruitment is consistent with the message communicated during the orientation period. Employees will feel good about their decision to join a particular organization if the organization is clearly happy to have them on board. In addition to the organizational culture, new employees need to know how the company functions, and why. Time should be set aside to go over cultural elements, as well as administrative issues essential to employee success.

Once a new employee has a clear vision of how the company functions and why, attention should turn to job-specific expectations. Along with the job description, specific performance expectations need to be established. With the growth of technology, many elements of the orientation program can be delivered online so the information is available for employees to review at their convenience. All employees should participate in orientations to help them understand how to function effectively in the organization.