Onboarding for Success
Set new hires up to succeed from day one with a structured onboarding experience.
Onboarding Is Make or Break
You invested weeks finding and closing this hire. Don't let poor onboarding waste that investment. Strong onboarding can cut ramp time in half and dramatically improve retention. Weak onboarding leaves new hires confused, unproductive, and likely to leave.
"You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Onboarding is that first impression."
Preboarding
Before their first day
Preboarding Checklist
The Welcome Email
Send a warm, personal email from the hiring manager a few days before start. Express excitement, share first day logistics, and give them something to read (company docs, relevant articles). Make them feel welcomed before they even start.
Day One
Making a great first impression
Day One Schedule
Coffee, casual intro, set tone for the day
Equipment, accounts, security training
Quick intros with immediate team
Social time with the team
Mission, values, product, customers
Something small they can complete today
Day One Win
Give them one small task they can complete on day one. Could be as simple as updating their profile, making a small fix, or writing a doc. Ending day one with an accomplishment builds confidence and momentum.
First Week
Building context and connections
First Week Goals
Context Building
- • Read key docs (strategy, product, values)
- • Shadow team members
- • Understand the product deeply
- • Learn the tech stack/tools
Relationship Building
- • 1:1s with all team members
- • Meet key cross-functional partners
- • Connect with onboarding buddy daily
- • Founder/CEO chat (if small team)
The Onboarding Buddy
Assign a peer (not their manager) as an onboarding buddy for the first month:
• Daily check-ins: "How's it going? What questions do you have?"
• Answer "dumb" questions they may not ask their manager
• Share unwritten rules and cultural norms
• Help navigate tools and processes
First 30 Days
Getting to first real contributions
30-Day Milestones
Orientation complete
All setup done, context absorbed, team met
First small win
Completed a real task with guidance
Independent work
Taking on tasks with less hand-holding
Meaningful contribution
Shipped something that impacts the team/company
30-Day Check-in Questions
- • "What's been clearer than expected? More confusing?"
- • "Do you have everything you need to be successful?"
- • "Is this role what you expected? Any surprises?"
- • "What feedback do you have for improving onboarding?"
The 90-Day Plan
Setting expectations for the full ramp
30-60-90 Framework
Days 1-30: Learn
Absorb context, build relationships, complete initial projects with guidance.
Days 31-60: Contribute
Work independently, own small initiatives, start to identify improvements.
Days 61-90: Own
Fully own area, drive initiatives, operate at expected level for role.
Example 90-Day Goals (Engineer)
Measuring Onboarding Success
Tracking and improving your process
Key Metrics
Time to Productivity
How long until they're contributing at expected level?
New Hire Retention
% still employed at 90 days, 6 months, 1 year
Onboarding NPS
Survey: "How would you rate your onboarding experience?"
90-Day Performance
Manager assessment at 90 days vs. expectations
Continuous Improvement
After every new hire, ask: "What worked? What didn't?" Update your onboarding docs and process based on feedback. The best companies iterate on onboarding just like they iterate on product.
Practice Exercise
Build your onboarding program:
- 1Create a preboarding checklist for your team
- 2Design a day-one schedule that makes a great impression
- 3Write a 30-60-90 day plan template for your key roles
- 4Set up an onboarding buddy program with clear expectations
- 5Create a new hire feedback survey for continuous improvement