Onboarding: the Process and a Free Checklist

Article by: Lars Weijers

Last update: May 20, 2026

Onboarding: New job, new colleagues, new systems. The first few days in a new organization often determine how someone feels in their new job. If you receive a warm welcome, support, and good guidance when you start at a new organization, you are more likely to become and remain productive quickly. This shows exactly why good onboarding is so important. It is often becoming increasingly important within organizations because it goes far beyond just a tour or setting up a laptop.

But what exactly do we mean by onboarding? What makes the difference between a messy start and a flying start? And what role do the well-known C’s of onboarding play? In this article, you can read all about onboarding.

What is onboarding?

Onboarding is about more than just the first day at work or introducing new employees to their colleagues. It is the entire process of introduction and integration that helps new employees find their place within an organization. This process is often confused with training, but that is only a small part of it. Whereas training often focuses on the practical aspects, onboarding is also about culture, values, and relationships.

Onboarding has become a strategic tool for many HR departments. According to Articulate, effective onboarding can make the difference between employees who stay and grow, and employees who leave after a short time. It is therefore not only an operational process, but also an investment in the long term of the organization.

To make the onboarding process smoother and more consistent, consider using employee onboarding software as an effective solution.

The importance of onboarding

But why is this process so important within an organization? It is important that new employees feel welcome from the moment they arrive, know clearly what is expected of them, and feel supported. According to HiBob, a good onboarding program can reduce turnover in the first year by almost a third and noticeably increase productivity.

If there is no onboarding, the opposite often happens, with a longer training period, a lot of confusion, and the risk that employees will drop out sooner as a result. This not only costs the organization energy, but also money and valuable knowledge.

The importance of a good onboarding process is therefore twofold: it strengthens the employee and protects the organization against unnecessary loss.

The onboarding process step by step

As mentioned earlier, onboarding is not just about the first day at work. This process or procedure can sometimes take weeks or even months. Various sources, such as HiBob, describe the onboarding process in four steps: preboarding, orientation, training, and integration.

Preboarding

The first step is preboarding, which starts immediately after the contract is signed and lasts until the first working day. During this period, your organization can make an immediate difference. Consider giving a small welcome gift, making a phone call, sharing an overview of the first week, or creating an internal profile. This prevents the employee from feeling lost at the start.

Orientation

The orientation phase begins on the new employee’s first day of work and is often considered the most exciting phase. It is important during this phase that employees know who they can turn to, who their teammates are, and how the basics are organized. A clear agenda can provide peace of mind and structure during this phase.

Training

In the weeks that follow, the focus is on training. In this step, new employees learn step by step how systems work, which processes are followed, and what their role entails. You should not do all of this at once. Providing information in small doses prevents employees from becoming overwhelmed and forgetting everything.

Integration

The final step is integration, which usually takes months. This step is mainly about building relationships, understanding the corporate culture, and strengthening trust. Discussions with managers, feedback rounds, and team activities ensure that employees feel at home. When this process goes well, employees feel part of the whole more quickly, and the chances of success increase significantly.

The Cs of onboarding

Of course, a good onboarding process also requires a framework for a fixed structure. A framework that is often used for this process is the Cs of onboarding. The framework is a guideline and starts with four pillars: Compliance (rules and policies), Clarification (clarity about the role), Culture (the values and norms of the organization), and Connection (relationships and social bonds).

Because organizations increasingly value the experience of new employees, the model has recently been expanded to seven Cs. The additions are Confidence (confidence in one’s own abilities), Checkback (regular feedback) and Care (attention to well-being and engagement).

Expanding the 4 Cs to 7 Cs helps organizations make onboarding more holistic and people-oriented. The framework emphasizes that onboarding is more than just an introduction day. By consciously working with this model, you create an onboarding process that not only works in practical terms, but also contributes to long-term loyalty.

Examples of successful onboarding in practice

A strong onboarding process makes an immediate difference in motivation, retention, and productivity. Organizations that take onboarding seriously often see new employees contribute more quickly and stay longer. Below are some inspiring examples from practice.

Coolblue – culture as a compass

At the Dutch company Coolblue (in the Netherlands, Europe), everything revolves around “enjoying what you do.” New employees follow an introduction program that focuses on humor, customer focus, and collaboration. The onboarding is deliberately informal: in small groups, with interactive assignments and real-life cases. This ensures that the culture is immediately tangible — not just talked about.

Rabobank – structured 90-day approach

The Dutch multinational cooperative bank Rabobank uses a standardized onboarding program with a digital learning environment. New employees receive a clear 90-day plan with personal goals, check-ins with their manager, and feedback moments. This ensures clarity, trust, and a smooth learning process.

Start-up example: growth through personal attention

A young tech start-up with fifteen employees noticed that new colleagues often felt overwhelmed by the speed and freedom. They introduced a “buddy system” and an onboarding checklist (such as the Toolshero version). Within three months, turnover fell by 30% and employee satisfaction rose significantly.

💡 Tip:Tip: Use the free Toolshero Onboarding Checklist to translate these examples to your own organization. Adjust the number of steps, responsibilities, and KPIs to your context.

Practical tips for effective onboarding

Effective onboarding requires a combination of structure, guidance, and personal attention. A practical tip is to plan the onboarding process well in advance: from the preboarding phase to the first few months. This way, new employees know what to expect and where to go for support. Other practical tips include:

Mentors or buddies

By appointing a specific person to mentor the new employee, the employee can be better guided.

Regular feedback sessions

Discuss how things are going, what challenges someone is facing, and what support is needed. This not only helps the employee, but also provides valuable insights for improving the onboarding process.

Onboarding software

Using onboarding software can save a lot of time. From registering data to planning training sessions, technology keeps everything organized and ensures that no steps are forgotten.

Dose information

Overloading employees with rules and procedures on day one can lead to stress and confusion. Spread out important information and training sessions so that employees can take it in at their own pace and remember it better.

Social aspect

Finally, the social aspect should not be underestimated. Small gestures such as lunch with the team or virtual coffee breaks make employees feel welcome and involved.

Common mistakes in onboarding

However, onboarding is not as simple as it sounds. Organizations often unknowingly make mistakes during onboarding, which makes it difficult for new employees to get started. A common mistake is not having a clear structure. Without a clear plan, new employees often don’t know what to expect, which in most cases leads to uncertainty and frustration.

Other common mistakes include:

Providing too much information at once – Sharing everything at once makes the process overwhelming.
Forgetting the social aspect – HR cannot do it alone; managers must actively participate.
Lack of follow-up – After the first month, attention often wanes, when in fact more in-depth support is needed.
No evaluation or adjustment – Onboarding is not structurally improved.

Future of onboarding

The future is becoming increasingly digital and flexible. With the rise of remote and hybrid working, the way new employees are supervised is changing. Organizations are increasingly using online onboarding platforms that provide access to information, training, and virtual introductory opportunities.

In addition, the focus is shifting from a short introduction program to an ongoing process. The onboarding process does not stop after the first few weeks; it is about ongoing guidance, engagement, and development. Regular check-ins, feedback, and personal support remain crucial.

The employee experience is also central. Organizations are investing more in making new employees feel welcome, connected, and comfortable. By combining a people-oriented and digital approach to onboarding, a process is created that not only informs employees but also motivates and binds them in the long term.

Measuring and evaluating onboarding

An effective onboarding process does not stop at implementation; it is just as important to measure and evaluate how well it works. By regularly collecting feedback from new employees, you can gain insight into what is going well and where there is room for improvement. Some methods include surveys after the first week, month, or quarter, one-on-one meetings with the manager, or brief evaluations of specific parts of the onboarding program.

Monitoring specific KPIs can also provide a lot of insight. Think of time to full productivity, turnover within the first six months, or the percentage of employees who say they feel connected to the team and the organization. This allows you to see not only how the process is going, but also what effect it has on engagement and performance.

In addition, benchmarking the onboarding process against other departments or organizations helps to identify best practices. By combining evaluations and figures with qualitative feedback, you can continuously improve onboarding. A data-driven approach ensures that the process is not only well-intentioned, but also actually contributes to the success of new employees and the organization.

Free onboarding checklist

A good start determines the success of new employees. With the free Toolshero Onboarding Checklist, you can keep track of everything during the first 90 days—from preparation to evaluation.

Practical, clear, and immediately applicable for HR, managers, and teams. This way, you won’t forget anything and you’ll ensure a flying start.

Download the free onboarding checklist

This free onboarding checklist is available to everyone!

Now it’s your turn

What have you learned from this article about onboarding? Do you feel inspired to improve the onboarding process within your organization? Have you already worked with the C’s of onboarding, or would you like to add more structure to it?

Share your experiences, questions, or success stories in the comments section below.

Recommended books and publications about Onboarding

Armstrong, S., ∓ Mitchell, B. (2019). The Essential HR Handbook (10th ed.). New York, NY: AMACOM. – Dit boek bespreekt algemene HR-praktijken waaronder praktische methodes voor het structureren van onboardingprocessen.
Bradt, G., Vonnegut, M., & Wise, B. (2009). Onboarding: How to get your new employees up to speed in half the time. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
HiBob. (2025). What is employee onboarding? Retrieved October 13, 2025, from https://www.hibob.com/hr-glossary/onboarding/
Johansson, W. (2024, June 21). From 4 C’s to 7 C’s: The essential elements of good onboarding. Appical. Retrieved October 13, 2025, from https://www.appical.com/resources/blog/from-4cs-to-7cs
Klein, H. J., Polin, B., & Sutton, K. L. (2015). Organizational socialization: Review and directions for future research. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 33, 149-214.
Saks, A. M., & Gruman, J. A. (2011). Getting newcomers engaged: The role of socialization tactics. In The SAGE handbook of organizational behavior: Volume I (pp. 561-577). Sage.

How to cite this article:
Weijers, L. (2025). Onboarding. Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/human-resources/onboarding/

Original publication date: October 17, 2025 | Last update: May 20, 2026

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Article by:

Lars Weijers

Lars Weijers is an experienced copywriter with an extensive marketing communications background. His specialisms lie in creative and active writing, combined with good search engine findability. Lars also works as an event and account manager with a commercial focus.