How to design an onboarding experience that sticks

Phase 1: INSPIRE 

Create belonging and the motivation to contribute.

Why it matters:

Hiring is a two-way street, and it’s critical that your new starter feels that they’ve made the right decision about where to work. Connecting with them early can reduce their nerves, boost engagement, and give them a taste of your culture before work begins. 

What to deliver:

• Welcome kit (digital + physical): Create anticipation with branded swag, a personal note from the manager-to-be, and a function/business-unit-specific welcome video.
• Welcome event: Formalise inclusion into the ‘group’ with a live session to share your company’s story, values, and impact. Is cross-team collaboration important to your culture? Bring new starters together to facilitate connection and collaboration early on.
• Buddy system: Pre-assigned peer contact with intro message and scheduled check-ins.
• Team norms canvas: A structured activity to co-create working expectations. Share the non-negotiables (e.g. rules around meetings, deadlines) and discuss their preferences (e.g. preferred communication styles, decision-making norms). Is accountability a desired behaviour? Balancing clarity with autonomy builds accountability early.
• Self-led exploration: We retain more when we piece things together ourselves versus being told. So give your new starter a series of questions to find the answers to across various systems, helping them build a map of company knowledge.

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Phase 2: TRAIN

Build confidence and role-readiness.

Why it matters:

In this phase, clarity and capability are everything. New hires need to understand their role, master key tools, and see a path to success. Without structure, ambiguity and overwhelm can undermine early performance.

What to deliver:

• Skill self-assessments: Build self-awareness with a diagnostic tool that assesses where a new starter is against the critical skills for their role, revealing strengths and areas for development to tailor their onboarding plan.
• Role-specific learning pathways: Curate and create the necessary content and job tools that new starters need to succeed, using self-serve digital methods wherever possible to unlock onboarding at scale. Personalisation is critical - there’s nothing more confusing in the first month of a new role than training that isn’t relevant to your role.
• Simulated practice challenges: Realistic tasks with feedback so new starters can practice in a safe space. 
• 30/60/90-day success plan: Co-create specific goals and milestones with their manager, with coaching sessions built in along the way. 
• Live Q&A sessions: Regular ‘drop in’ spaces where all questions are welcome - whether they’re about the feedback culture, the specifics of a particular task, or how the canteen works. 

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Phase 3: SUSTAIN

Reinforce culture, habits and high performance over time.

Why it matters:

By day 45, the initial glow fades and real work (and friction) begins. Without reinforcement, good intentions can slip. Frequent learning moments and ongoing support will sustain desired behaviours for the long-term.

What to deliver:

• Micro nudges: Bi-weekly messages reinforcing key cultural behaviours (e.g. “Our feedback habit: Ask before you give”)
• Manager check-in toolkit: Templates and discussion prompts for both managers and new starters, to facilitate reflective, growth-focused 1:1s at 30, 60, and 90 days.
• AI chat-bot: A first port of call for questions about the company culture and ways of working as they come up.
• 90-Day reflection and recognition session: Digital badge, public praise, or shared lessons to close the loop.

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Great onboarding doesn’t just welcome people, it transforms them.

When you Inspire, Train, and Sustain your new hires, you’re not just delivering information. You’re shaping belonging, building confidence, and embedding culture, setting new starters up for success.