Creating a Great Onboarding Experience
This session teaches students how to create positive onboarding experiences that boost new employee confidence, productivity, and belonging from day one.
August
01,
2025
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Duration: 1 Day
Hours: 1 Hour
Training Level: All Levels
About the Course:
Whether you're entering the world of HR or planning to lead teams in the future, understanding how to design a great onboarding experience is key. This instructor-led session will break down what onboarding really is, why it matters, and how to do it right. Through real-world stories, role-based examples, and group discussions, students will learn how to welcome and support new hires, so they feel connected and ready to succeed.
Course Objective:
- Understand what onboarding is and why it matters in the workplace
- Learn the difference between orientation and onboarding
- Identify the key phases of a successful onboarding program
- Explore real-life examples of effective and poor onboarding experiences
- Gain tips to create inclusive and engaging onboarding plans
- Develop a mini onboarding plan using what you've learned
Who is the Target Audience?
- University or college students studying business, HR, or management-related subjects
Basic Knowledge:
- No prior experience is needed. An interest in people management or HR is helpful.
Curriculum
Total Duration: 1 Hour
Introduction & Icebreaker
- Question: 'Have you ever had a first day at school or an internship that made you feel lost or welcomed? Why?'
- The instructor introduces session goals and agenda
What Is Onboarding?
- Simple definition with example: ‘Think of onboarding like showing someone around their new school, explaining the rules, and making sure they feel included.’
- Difference between onboarding vs. orientation
- Video clip or story: A new hire who was ignored on Day 1 vs. one welcomed with a team lunch
Why Onboarding Matters?
- Statistics simplified: '69% of employees are more likely to stay 3+ years if they had a good onboarding experience.'
- Example: Tech company vs. small business onboarding
- Mini discussion: 'If you joined a new job tomorrow, what would make you feel welcome and ready to contribute?'
Phases of Onboarding
- Pre-boarding: Sending the welcome email and intro pack
- First Day: Office tour, meeting the team, setup support
- First 30-90 Days: Training, mentoring, feedback check-ins
- Case study: A company that improved performance after improving onboarding
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
- Examples: No workspace ready, no introductions, poor communication
- Instructor-led group activity: 'Design a better first day for a junior graphic designer.'
Building Inclusive & Fun Onboarding
- Tips: Ask for pronouns, include icebreaker games, assign a buddy
- Real example: How Google’s onboarding includes culture and creativity
Mini Onboarding Plan + Wrap-Up
- Students pick a role (e.g. intern, marketing assistant) and write 3 steps to onboard them
- Quick share-out and feedback
- Q&A + final tips from the instructor