# How to Design Employee Onboarding That Scales

By

[Amy Vidor](/content/blog/authors/amy-vidor/index.html)

Learning and Development Evangelist at Synthesia

Create engaging training videos in 160+ languages.

We've all seen the click-bait posts about bad onboarding, like: "80% of new hires who receive poor onboarding plan to quit — especially if they're remote workers".

Yes, those are real.

Workplace research shows structured onboarding is [meaningfully linked](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/01492063241277168) to higher retention. It's no surprise that "onboarding" is often the scapegoat for attrition, and unfortunately, there are no quick fixes for a poor onboarding experience.

## **The 4 phases of onboarding**

Onboarding can be thought of as a new hire's journey with the company, from when they formally accept their offer to when they're performing at the level expected of them in their role. The four phases are:

1. **Preboarding**: everything that happens between offer acceptance and Day 1
2. **Orientation**: the first day or the first few weeks, usually a consistent experience across roles
3. **Role Integration**: the first 90 days when a new hire begins contributing to business goals
4. **Ongoing Development**: the period between a new hire's first contribution and reaching full competency in their role

## **Evaluate your onboarding**

Mapping out the onboarding experience is crucial to understanding what is actually happening:  
- What's happening?
- How do you know that? Is feedback being collected?
- Who is responsible for what? Are there variations in different roles?

### **Inputs to collect**

Look for data across four categories:
- Feedback from new hires
- Feedback from managers
- Learning data
- Business outcomes

## **Define shared ownership**

Separate onboarding into three layers:
1. **Operational setup**: accounts and access
2. **Shared enablement**: company context and knowledge
3. **Role readiness**: outcomes and coaching

## **Set an orientation cadence**

Determine an orientation cadence whether that's weekly, biweekly, or monthly. An orientation schedule ensures consistency, helping IT and HR prepare effectively.

## **Design your orientation**

Consider these best practices:
1. Figure out the ideal orientation length.
2. Maximize time spent on formal and on-the-job learning.
3. Design for inclusivity—ensure everyone can access orientation.
4. Enable hiring managers by providing structured guidance.
5. Formalize a buddy program for support.
6. Pilot new ideas and collect feedback before finalizing.

## **Support role integration and ongoing development**

After orientation, support new hires in their roles and ongoing development.

## **Measure your onboarding program**

Revise measurement tools to reflect the new onboarding experiences, focusing on key metrics to assess retention, engagement, and performance.