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On a pilot's first day of work, no one lets them go straight to flying a plane — they’ve got to get through orientation and training first!
At a well-managed company, every employee is a sort of pilot within their department, with a set of responsibilities and goals that require an in-depth understanding of their business and how they can contribute to it. Along with introductions, documentation and presentations, the right onboarding tools can help new hires get up to speed quickly.
Leaving new hires drifting alone in an unorganized Google Drive folder is a sure-fire way to diminish their confidence. On the other hand, starting an employee’s journey with an organized structure in place can reinforce they’ve made the right career move.
47% of companies are unsure how to assess their employee onboarding initiatives as successes or failures; yours doesn’t have to be one of them.
This post will cover the top technology tools for new employee onboarding.
Why Top Employee Onboarding Tools Matter
Employee onboarding tools matter because employee onboarding does. Research by Brandon Hall Group found that organizations with strong onboarding improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.
When equipped with all the necessary internal communication tools, new team members can be greeted with a thoughtful onboarding process.
We’ll be walking through some different types of company tools, as well as some of the more popular options. Of course, it’s important to do your own research on what’s best for your business and compare related products. Check out review platforms like G2, Cuspera, Capterra or AppSumo for in-depth reviews.
Tools for Company Organization
The first step to onboarding is to get organized! Most companies have taken to creating digital dictionaries for all business info. A company wiki offers context on their new workplace's culture, values, and expectations. For smaller organizations, Notion, Guro or Happeo are popular options. Other tools for a company intranet include ClickUp, Microsoft Sharepoint, SAP Jam Collaboration, Workvivo, Basecamp Jostle and Simpplr.
Tools for Project Management
Project management tools such as Asana, Smartsheet, ClickUp, Wrike, Trello, Workfront, Jira Core, Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management, Notion, and Monday.com help break down the many different levels of onboarding. You can use these tools to usefully document the onboarding process for the new hire, as well as for your own reference! Onboarding has an average of 54 tasks to complete, therefore treating each step like its own project subtask ensures nothing gets left out and no one gets left behind.
Tools for Internal Communication
Communication is key to new employee onboarding — and thriving after onboarding. Companies tend to opt for internal communication tools or business instant messaging tools that can address the many modes of communication. For example, Google Workspace, Slack or Teams allow users to video call, screen share, audio call, or send written messages. (Other companies settle for just old-fashioned email.) Either way, your team should always be capable of contact.
Tools for Human Resource Management
Get any new hires squared away before Day One with an HR tool that combines payroll, benefits, and paperwork under one roof. Common human resource management go-to's include SAP, Oracle, Rippling, Justworks, Gusto, Zenefits, and ADP Workforce. Then, you can streamline your process with e-signature software like Adobe Sign, DocuSign, Box, or Hellosign. Ta-da!
Tools for Employee Onboarding
It takes new hires 8–12 months to become as efficient as their existing coworkers; why lengthen that process? Train new hires from the beginning, whether it's on a general sales pitch or position-specific education. Popular training software like WorkRamp, Lessonly by Seismic, Rippling, 360Learning, Adobe Learning Manager, Looop, Tovuti, Connecteam, iSpring Learn, and Cloud Academy streamline a new worker’s path to success.
Employee Onboarding Tools Specific to Smaller Organizations
All-in-one software takes a lot of mess out of smaller organizations, and sometimes a single platform is really all you need. Try out free platforms like Boardon, Ease, Freshteam, or paid ones like Linear with flexibility designed for growing, highly-diverse project teams.
Employee Onboarding Tools for Belonging at Work
Offering hires an instant connection with their new teammates requires a special employee onboarding tool: Wisq.
Wisq is a way for colleagues to socialize, share, and show who they really are — outside of the office. It’s a dedicated space for employees to get to know one another with curated feeds, employee resource groups, and drop-in audio rooms.