Company culture refers to the ways your organization operates, both formally and informally. When it comes to cultivating work culture, human resources is the star department. As the “architects” of employee experience, your team designs and enforces policies that directly influence how employees perceive their workplace. Your team also executes the people management processes that play a significant role in company culture — including the employee onboarding process.
Onboarding new employees is your first —and best —opportunity to establish a connection to company culture that sticks with them, fostering engagement and loyalty. However, Gallup research found that just 12% of employees think their company has an effective onboarding program, and only two in ten employees say they feel connected to their company culture. It’s no wonder that 32% of new hires who quit within the first 90 days said it was due to issues with company culture.
With the right onboarding tools, you can prevent your people from becoming part of those statistics. Keep reading to find out how you can use onboarding technology to cultivate and strengthen your company culture from day one.
Did you know that 32% of new hires quit because of issues with company culture? Retain those employees with a tech-powered onboarding program:The Onboarding-Culture Connection
What is employee onboarding? As new hires’ foundational employee experience, onboarding is their first real taste of company culture. It’s your chance to show them the ropes and dive into the “why” behind the culture. This early introduction to the company's values and mission helps new employees understand their role within the organization and makes them feel welcome.
Onboarding sets expectations about workplace norms, communication styles, and teamwork. It serves as a cultural primer for new hires, equipping them with the tools they need to perform their job and instilling a sense of belonging. What they learn during onboarding —from where company values originated and what to expect during performance reviews to how to submit an expense report and which IT team member solves computer problems the fastest —guides their actions, decisions, and interactions with colleagues and clients.
The administrative side of your onboarding process impacts culture, too. Think about it: If new employees’ first days on the job are consumed with manual onboarding tasks, rather than meeting the team and learning about the company’s mission, vision, and values, what are they learning about company culture? On the other hand, strategic employee onboarding utilizes technology to standardize your process and get that new hire paperwork out of the way quickly.
An effective onboarding program helps new hires feel comfortable and engaged, reducing the time it takes for them to become productive members of the team. Create an awesome onboarding experience with software so you can focus on immersing your people in the company culture.
The Tech-Tonic Shift in Onboarding
What is onboarding software? Dive deeper into the ins and outs of the technology and what it can do for your business.
81% of employees say they found onboarding to be “overwhelming.” Part of that is probably due to the fact that new hires complete 54 onboarding tasks, on average, and most are compliance-related and involve some amount of paperwork. If your onboarding process is still dominated by paper-based processes and hands-on work for your HR team, it’s not contributing to a company culture that’s problem-solving, innovative, and forward-thinking.
An onboarding process powered by technology, on the other hand? That’s revolutionary.
81% of employees say they’re overwhelmed by onboarding. Streamline the process with the help of onboarding software:Technology transforms traditional onboarding into a more streamlined and engaging experience for new hires. Gone are the days of paper-based, manual, one-size-fits-all onboarding plans. Today, digital platforms enable personalized online onboarding, making it more interactive and immersive and enhancing the experience for everyone.
Onboarding software automates administrative tasks like building onboarding packets and entering new hires’ personal information. HR teams can complete their onboarding checklists quickly, freeing up their time to focus on strategic activities. With everything digitized, new hires can access a self-service portal where they can complete the necessary paperwork at their convenience —even prior to their start date — for a far more efficient process. The software also acts as a digital library, storing copies of everything from signed offer letters to skills certifications.
Onboarding software allows you to create personalized onboarding journeys with custom content based on their role, department, or location. This approach ensures your new hires receive the information that’s most relevant to their roles. Onboarding platforms often integrate social features that help new hires connect with their colleagues and feel part of the team from day one. Opportunities to connect fosters a sense of community, helping to build strong relationships and promote a collaborative work culture.
Arguably most importantly, digital onboarding tools provide analytics insights that allow HR to track new hire progress and identify any gaps in the process. With that depth of understanding, your team can constantly improve the employee onboarding experience and ensure it’s working as intended and aligned with the company's evolving needs.
Cultural Cohesion With Tech-Enabled Onboarding
A structured onboarding process benefits company culture for any organization, especially when it’s managed with software. HR software platforms for onboarding make it easy to weave your company's unique culture into the fabric of the onboarding experience.
The best employee onboarding software solutions offer many features that make the process more engaging and culturally aligned. Create a virtual tour that introduces them to their new workplace, team members, and even the company's history and traditions. In new hire portals, you can upload video welcome messages from leadership or team members. Personalized messages convey the company's values and mission and help them feel connected to their colleagues immediately.
Social collaboration tools also encourage new hires to connect with their colleagues, fostering a sense of community early on. That includes public Shout Outs and Celebrations, as well as an internal news feed where employees can see their coworkers’ goal progress and give kudos for great work.
We’re also seeing the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in onboarding. Chatbots can answer new hire questions at any hour, and automated workflows can prompt new hires and HR alike to move on to the next step.
With tech-powered onboarding solutions, new hires can share their experiences, ask questions, and give and receive feedback. Two-way communication channels allow for continuous feedback and engagement and ensure that new hires feel heard and valued, helping create a culture of inclusivity and respect.
The Future is Now: Embracing Onboarding Software
Technology both simplifies the onboarding process and enriches it, making it instrumental in establishing a strong company culture right from the start. It provides a platform for a personalized, engaging, and efficient introduction to the company's values, mission, and work environment.
The digitization of the onboarding process has already begun to reshape how companies welcome new employees. Aligned onboarding journeys help you ensure that your new hires are ready for their new roles and feel a strong sense of belonging and connection to your organization's culture.
As we move forward in this digital age, it's clear that embracing technology in onboarding isn't just a smart move — it's a must. It's the key to creating a powerful first impression, fostering a strong company culture, and setting new hires up for success from day one.
How can you harness the power of technology to create a seamless, engaging, and culturally rich onboarding experience? Find out for yourself with a demo of ClearCompany’s robust Recruiting and Onboarding platform —sign up today.
