staff onboarding journey

• Employee Onboarding Process
• Knowledge Hub
• Human Resources

After reading this guide you will know what a good onboarding process can bring to your organization and how you can improve your organization’s current process.

Learning more about onboarding process will help you create a better learning path for employees, find potential skill gaps, improve employee development , and will ultimately allow you to create better teams.

What is the employee onboarding?

Benefits of properly set employee onboarding process.

• Pre-onboarding: first impression and recruitment
• Onboarding on the first day
• Onboarding on the first week
• Onboarding during 1 month

Employee onboarding process best practices

Remote onboarding tips, faq about onboarding process.

Employee onboarding is the process by which new employees are introduced to the social and performance aspects of their new job, with the goal of getting new hires adjusted quickly, increasing productivity and job satisfaction, and reducing turnover.

This process includes teaching new hires about the attitudes, competencies, company culture, employee expectations and the behaviours required to function effectively within an organisation.

1. Acclimatise the employee in the briefest period possible

When the employee is brought in, they need to be taught not only where to park and where the best lunch spots are, but they also need to know exactly what is expected from them, where to find support within their peers and management team, and exactly what they can expect from the company.

Setting clear expectations allows your employee to understand their role from day one.

2. Decrease the time it takes for your new employee to become productive

The better the onboarding process, the quicker your new employee will be able to settle down to work and begin being productive.

If you have an inefficient or confusing program, your employee will waste their first few weeks having to ask questions that they should already know the answers to.

Set them up for success with clear onboarding materials that answer all the questions they may ask about their role or the company.

3. Properly engage the employee

Engaged employees increase productivity, profitability, and product quality, among other positive outcomes.

Engagement in this context means that the management team is showing that they value the employee, recognize their talents, and are committed to fostering their professional growth.

53% of HR professionals say that better onboarding creates engaged employees , which then carries over to their career within the company.

An organisation’s onboarding is the first look an employee has at the structure, politics, and support within the company.

You should strive to make sure that it is a positive experience.

4. Good onboarding programs directly improve employee retention

About ⅓ of employee turnover happens during the first 90 days.

This is attributed to poor onboarding and organizations who leave their employees to ‘fend for themselves’ and ‘sink or swim’ mindsets.

Costs associated with replacing an employee can be as much as 150% of their annual salary. This includes hidden costs such as decreased productivity, the loss of special knowledge and a reduction in morale among remaining staff.

Employee retention can save the company thousands of dollars.

5. A good onboarding process will promote a better company culture

By setting the tone from the first day, you build a strong culture within your company of employees being valued, taught, and supported.

New employees immediately understand and feel welcomed by the company, and existing employees see that the workforce is valued.

Specific company values are communicated clearly.

Employee onboarding process

1. pre-onboarding: first impression and recruitment.

The onboarding process starts when a potential candidate reads a job application or when they get the first impression of your company somewhere else.

Your employer branding actions (including job applications) are aimed at supporting your onboarding process.

You should create content that sends signals about a caring, fun, development orientated organization. You should translate your values, culture, and team spirit.

When creating job applications, remember that not only are you trying to attract the best candidates, you are also selling your company as a good place to work. Be clear about the expectations of the role, and the skills of your ideal candidate, but remember to offer enticing insights into why your organization is a good place to work.

During the recruitment process, your organization’s HR team will post about the open role on the relevant websites, collect and review applications, interview the top candidates, and should ultimately end with the most qualified candidate being offered the job. At this point, there may be a period of negotiation with the top candidate before the job offer is accepted.

This is, of course, a simplification of the process. Recruitment is a massive job and should be taken very seriously. Companies without good recruitment practices will often find that they are not attracting or hiring the best people.

Goals for pre-onboarding stage

• Attract relevant candidates. You want to reach people who share the same values, who will be a good fit, and who will bring relevant skills to your organization.
• Clearly communicate what your organization is looking for in each role you are recruiting. Who is the ideal candidate? What skills, knowledge or passions should they have?
• Create a positive impression and leave people with a clear understanding of who you are as a company. It’s the first touchpoint, not all of the people you reach will apply but they should be left with a positive impression about your company.

Best practices

1. Create a company culture page on your website. Use the page to show your working culture, the people of your organization, and their values.

2. Review all your assets that might be first touchpoints for a potential candidate. It can be your website, social media, the company page on a job website, and so on. Update them, and make sure they fit your company brand. Look at clarity, consistency and tone.

3. Review job listings and interview questions using the same criteria as above.

• Are your listings inclusive?
• Do they represent your company well, and will they attract the people you want?
• Is there room for improvement?

4. Have a policy of transparency in regards to policies that impact your employees. Policies around maternal or paternal leave, working remotely, vacation time, bonuses, or expected weekly hours should be clearly communicated and easily accessible.

5. Begin the process of onboarding with an office tour, welcome letter, informational packet and company-wide announcement of the new hire.

6. Send an official offer letter. This should clearly outline the top-level responsibilities of the role, as well as all requirements and expectations. This is where you can make sure that everything about the role is communicated clearly, and there will be no unpleasant surprises. This doesn’t have to be an extra formal letter, though! Let the personality of your organization shine through, include information about the team, their pets and hobbies, or other fun facts about the company.

7. After the job has been offered, set up an office tour, if possible, and begin the onboarding process by giving access to the company training portal, company email account, and all other details.

8. Liaise will all relevant stakeholders about the new hire, their role in the onboarding plan and allocate resources for training. Everyone should know their responsibilities, which include developing the itinerary for the new employee’s first week, setting goals, assigning an onboarding buddy and clearly laying out the path to success for this person.

2. Onboarding on the first day

An HR person should welcome the new employee, showing them to their workstation, and delivering all necessities. This will include office keys, equipment, codes, badges, passwords, introductions to key software programs, providing introductions and an office tour.

If you have a learning environment, introduce it. It is great to have a mandatory learning path for all new employees. This is how you can effectively cover the most important things about the company, including what you do, the products you make, key people, organizational history and anything you think will be valuable.

It’s especially important to include guides and tips on how to use company software, intranet, communication channels and so on.

Employee onboarding learning path inside Valamis learning environment.

On the first day, a meeting with the new hire’s direct manager should be arranged. This is where the onboarding plan should be shared with the new hire, alongside an explanation of the training and short and long-term goals. The new hire should be encouraged to ask questions, and stakeholders should endeavour to help the new hire get settled in quickly.

Goals for the first day

• Make your new employee comfortable and welcomed from the first moment. The first day should be focused on introductions, positive impressions, new colleagues and the first look at what the person will be working on in their new role.
• Establish the expectations for the new role with the employee. As the new employee is introduced to their team, clarify each person’s role and how they will be interacting as a team going forward.

1. Print a Welcome poster with the name and title of the new hire. Attach it to the office main door (outside of course). This is a really simple way to pay attention to the new employee(s) and also an easy way to show other colleagues that they should welcome their new co-worker on their first day.

Valamis welcome poster

2. Create a welcome package. When a new employee starts, put a small package at their table. This gift might include some brand-related material, for example, a mug, beanie, shirt, beer, candies or similar. It’s a great idea to make a personalized mug, with the new employee’s name on it, their starting date and a personalized slogan. Choosing the slogan might be one of the tasks to do in the onboarding process.

Example of welcome package

3. Organize a welcome coffee, and invite all office employees to participate. You can even order a cake or some sweets. This creates a great experience and opens up the team to get to know each other, allowing them to tell something about themselves and learn more about each other. Come up with a list of simple get-to-know-you questions and prompts to help move things along smoothly. If you have a lot of new employees coming in the near future, you can combine their welcome coffees and do them once a week or over several weeks, or you can limit participants to within the new hire’s department.

Welcome coffee at Valamis

4. Set up the new hire’s workstation and organise it. Make sure that their dedicated space is ready for them first thing. This includes a computer with everything installed and a list of all usernames and passwords, printed items, such as employee guides and codes of conduct, and a list of employees. Provide them with the information that they need so they know who to ask if they need something else for their job, for example, Barbara in IT can fix their connection, while Adam in HR can help with login issues.

The new hire’s workstation.

5. Assign an onboarding buddy. This is a person who is assigned to help on the first days. This is their go-to person to turn to when they inevitably have questions throughout their first few weeks. This is ideally someone on their team who has a solid idea of what their role is, can answer questions easily, and can help smooth their transition.

6. Set aside 30 minutes at the beginning of the day and 30 minutes in the end for one-on-one meetings with the new hire. This will give them space to ask questions, make observations and ensure that they are on the right track.

7. If possible, take the new employee out for lunch, create a coffee and cake meet-and-greet or other social function specifically to welcome the new employee. They should feel as though their new job is as excited to have them as they are to start.

8. Ask a new employee to observe the organization and ask them to tell if they find something to improve. A new person always has a fresh view.

3. Onboarding on the first week

It’s really important to involve new employees in work in the first week.

They will, naturally, be feeling a bit lost in this new environment, so using the onboarding buddy system is highly recommended. Find a high performer with a similar role who can show the new hire the ropes, answer questions, and generally function as their go-to support person.

Before the new hire starts, you should have already set first week goals, short-term, achievable actions that can help them feel as though they are already contributing right off the bat.

As they begin to settle in, arrange for them to have meetings with the people they will be working closely with and other important people within the organization. It is recommended to set meetings with the head of their department, and the heads of other departments that they will be working closely with. Schedule one-on-one meetings with key members of their department, if it is a large one, or with all members if it is possible.

Try to organize a meeting with the CEO. Many companies choose to schedule this during lunch, as it is more low-key and sociable, and makes the new employee feel valued.

Ideally, each person can teach them a different aspect of their new role, as well as answering general questions about the company, the technology, the products, or whatever else might come up.

This is also where the new employee will learn the general schedule they will be following: Which meetings happen on which days, who they need to check in with daily, and how long specific tasks might take them.

They will develop and understand their long and short-term goals, their immediate tasks, and what their responsibilities will be.

Goals for the first week

• Throughout the week, introduce the new hire to all of the people they will be working closely with.
• Develop an understanding of the goals for the new employee. This should include goals to achieve before the trial period ends, as well as the goals they are expected to achieve after one year and goals for longer career development. Please note: write these goals down!
• The new hire should undergo training sessions to know and be comfortable with the technology they will be using, understand their team schedule, and begin working on smaller tasks.
• The new hire has a support network that they can turn to for help.

1. Set the support team and start tasks in advance. All of this should be settled before the new hire starts. Being organized will demonstrate to the new hire that your company is stable, thoughtful, and takes the time to do things right. It gives a positive first impression.

2. Anticipate that your new hire will take some time to settle in. Be realistic about what you expect them to do, and communicate that early and often. Discuss the goals and how you will help the new hire reach them.

3. If possible, introduce the new hire to someone who has worked in their role. If that person was promoted out of the role, they will be able to share valuable insights about the growth potential of the company, best practices for fulfilling the role, and in general, will be a key person for the new hire to meet.

4. Set one-on-one sessions with team members, if possible, so they can tell the new hire more about what they are doing and introduce themselves. They can explain how the new employee can help them in their work, and be part of really important work at the very beginning of their journey.

4. Onboarding during 1 month

As your new hire settles in, you should work to provide them with ample opportunities to socialize, learn, develop themselves and integrate into the company. This can be something large, such as company-wide events like ping pong tournaments or BBQs, or smaller get-togethers, like coffee with colleagues or one-on-ones with supervisors.

Check-in with them regularly, follow up with their team and direct supervisor and make sure that they are being offered all of the resources they need. This is especially important at the one month mark. A good tool to use at a 30-day check-in is a survey. Consider the following questions, and think if there are others that you could ask a new hire that are more specific to your organization.

Example survey questions:

• Do you feel like you are a valued part of the company?
• Do you feel like the company is meeting your expectations?
• Are you experiencing any difficulties with our technologies or work-related tools?
• Do you feel like you have the tools and resources you need?
• Have you outlined your goals with your supervisor?
• Do you feel you are making progress towards your outlined goals?
• Do you know the strategic goal of the company for the future?
• Do you have any thoughts on how to make our onboarding process better?

Goals for the 1st month

• Make sure that your employee is on the path to success within your company by offering continued support, development opportunities and check-ins with relevant team members.
• Foster a community culture within your organization through team-building and one-on-one exercises.
• See how the organization’s onboarding can be improved.

1. Supervisors should establish a regular schedule for checking in with the new hire. Goals, current and upcoming projects, and concerns should be addressed in these sessions.

2. Use technology like Slack’s Donut integration to assist with connecting random team members for virtual meet and greets.

3. Have one-on-one sessions with the supervisor or department head at the end of each week. This serves to touch base, make sure that things are going smoothly, and all questions or concerns can be quickly addressed.

4. if you have a trial period in your company, set a one-on-one meeting with a supervisor after it has passed. There should also be a survey so that the HR department can learn more about overall results and employee satisfaction.

5. Create a variety of activities, so that all employees can find something for them: yoga, exercise, painting, cooking, or sports. Have a variety of different challenges and invite new employees to participate.

Cooking event: It’s better to become friends with the Head of Design during the first month.

6. Don’t stop onboarding after one month. Continue to monitor your new hire’s journey with your company, develop their talents and invest in them. Consider doing 3 month, 6 month, and 1-year check-ins.

1. Have a comprehensive, written, formal onboarding checklist

Studies have shown that companies with formal onboarding checklist report significantly better rates of retention.

You can download our onboarding checklist in PDF, PNG, Google Sheets, and Excel templates. Use them as they are, or modify them according to your needs.

Use a prepared Trello template to manage the onboarding process in your company. It will help you track each new employee, assign tasks and responsible persons, set due dates, and many other things.

New Employee Onboarding Trello template by Valamis

2. Have a detailed, written explanation of the job description

This should be developed during the hiring process and shared with all applicants, to remove the possibility of hiring a person who cannot perform the main functions of the role.

3. Select a peer to help the new employee get acclimatized in their first few weeks

In selecting this person, make sure they have a positive and helpful attitude. This will set the tone for your new employee and help them feel welcomed into this new space.

4. Involve different departments of the company

When drafting the onboarding plan, include making introductions to all of the different departments. From product development, marketing, human resources and sales, it is important to include departments other than the new hire’s department.

It makes it easier for the new employee to find points of contact inside the company and helps them to understand company structure.

5. Ensure a clean workspace and facilitate incoming paperwork

Coming into a new office and having an unclean workspace will make a person feel unwelcome or as if the company is unprepared for them.

The same goes for paperwork – having everything set up and ready will show that this person has been anticipated and is a valued member of the team already.

6. Organize an enthusiastic welcome for the new employee

Through email or a staff meeting, let everyone know that there is a new employee.

Organize a welcome lunch or another event to introduce the new hire.

The first day will set the tone for their employment, make sure your new hire feels welcomed.

7. Monitor their progress over time

Having regular check-ins at set intervals will allow management to track the onboarding process – which can take up to a year.

Making sure the employee is on track, and solving any issues that have come up, will increase the rate of employee retention.

8. Make short, medium and long-term goals clear

Without clear goals, you are leaving your employee to guess what they should be doing, and it will not end well.

By setting clear, achievable goals, you make your expectations known, you set a path towards achievement and your new hire knows where they stand.

Sit down with your employee and set one week, one month, six month and one-year goals for them, and talk through how these goals might be achieved.

Remember to write it all down!

9. Get feedback from the new employee

We cannot emphasize how important this step is!

Your new employee has got fresh eyes and recent experiences from other companies.

You want to hear their feedback about your business, processes, everything that they have encountered during their onboarding experience.

This is some of the most valuable insight you can receive, so don’t miss out on it.

10. End of probation period discussion

This should be held by the supervisor before the probation time ends.

Don’t forget, there should also be a ‘feelings check’ with HR 45 days into the new hire’s employment.

Both of these discussions open the door for the new hire to ask questions, solve issues, and generally receive company support.

11. Create a friend book

Ask employees to introduce themselves, create a friend book where employees can tell something about themselves, what they do, what they like, what are their hobbies and so on.

This helps employees to know each other better, and find friends for the new employees with similar interests inside the company.

Download book of employees template DOCX .

More and more, organizations are moving towards remote work. As COVID-19 has shown us, we can perform just as well, or in some cases better, when we are not in an office environment.

But one area that suffers is onboarding. Meeting new colleagues, receiving direct training, reaching out with questions – all of these are made much more difficult when everything is online.

However, there is always a solution, it just takes some creativity.

Here are some solutions that your organization can use for onboarding remote employees.

• Make sure that all of the necessary equipment has been delivered to your new hire and that they have been able to set it up. Schedule a session with an IT person a few days before they are due to log in the first time so that any issues can be found and solved before their official first day.
• Keep in mind that endless video meetings will drain a new employee. Break their schedule up with hour-long meetings followed by an hour of tasks. First-day tasks could be getting familiar with new platforms, setting up Slack, Google Drive and email, or logging into the company LMS and taking the first course. Repeat throughout the day. Set longer or more complex tasks as the onboarding continues.
• Introduce the new employee to team members in 1:1 calls, where the team member is tasked with teaching them part of their new role. Each person can offer a unique insight into the company processes and will break up the day a bit.
• Consider recording training sessions, so that the new employee can refer back to it later on. This helps them feel like they don’t have to be laser-focused 100% of the time, and they know that they won’t miss anything important.
• Don’t forget to celebrate accomplishments! Make announcements in the company-wide chat, send little gifts to team members who have gone above and beyond, reach out personally to thank people for their effort. It’s really important to foster a sense of connection in a time when so many people feel disconnected.

How long is the onboarding process?

According to this survey , onboarding programs tend to be from one day to one month long. In fact, more than 50% of onboarding programs last one week or less.

This is not ideal – in a perfect world onboarding would take at least 90 to 100 days, and could even go up to a year.

What do new hires want from onboarding?

New hires want to come in and be able to contribute quickly. They want to learn their role, their closest colleagues and know who they can turn to for help.

They also want to have a clearly defined role, a schedule created for them that they can follow the first week or two, and clear communication.

Is onboarding part of recruitment?

It is! Onboarding starts the minute that someone becomes aware of your organization, especially in relation to a job posting. The impression that you give will stick with the person, so you should strive to make sure it is a good one.

During the recruitment stage, it is especially important to cover some of the first steps of onboarding, so potential employees know what to expect from your organization. If you have a good onboarding program, you will find that it is easier to recruit quality employees.

Is onboarding the same as training?

Onboarding and training often go hand in hand, but they are different things.

Training is about teaching new skills to a person and has to do with the tasks the new hire is expected to perform.

Onboarding is about bringing a new person into the culture of the company, integrating them in with the staff, the management and the overall environment.

Does orientation count as the start date?

It can, depending on when it happens, before the starting day or on the first day.

Some organizations choose to have an orientation session before the official start date, others have the two on the same day.

What is the difference between a new hire orientation and onboarding?

A new hire orientation is a one-time event, usually on the first day, where new employees are formally introduced to the company values, ethos, leaders, policies and administrative procedures.

Onboarding is a much longer process, which does include orientation, and is where the new hire is introduced to all aspects of their new role. This usually includes job training, goal-setting, introduction to company culture, meeting other employees and serves to help the new hire get adjusted quickly and become productive.

Onboarding Checklist Template

The template will help you ensure a smooth onboarding process and make a great first impression of your organization for the new hire.

Inside you will find a printable PDF template and 4 templates for Google Sheets and Excel.

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist

Ivan Andreev is a dedicated marketing professional with a proven track record of driving growth and efficiency in various marketing domains, especially SEO. With a career spanning over a decade, Ivan has developed a deep understanding of marketing strategies, project management, data analysis, and team leadership. His strong commitment to knowledge sharing, passion for process optimization, and turning challenges into opportunities have solidified his reputation as a pivotal player in the marketing team.

Download Template

Onboarding Checklist

Ensure a smooth onboarding process and make a great first impression.

The Ultimate Guide to Employee Onboarding Process [2024]

• November 12, 2023

Are you struggling with employees leaving your company shortly after joining, or taking too long to become productive? The solution might be a well-structured and effective onboarding process. In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the employee onboarding process, explore its key components, discuss the role of HR, and offer practical tips to ensure a successful onboarding experience for your employees.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the employee onboarding process involves creating an efficient experience that leads to better retention and performance.
• An effective onboarding process is comprised of pre-boarding activities, first day essentials, and ongoing support & development.
• HR professionals can use solutions to overcome common challenges in order to create a positive onboarding experience for remote employees.

Understanding the Employee Onboarding Process

A good employee onboarding process is more than just paperwork and basic orientation. It’s an entire process that starts before the employee joins the company and extends throughout their initial months of employment. An effective onboarding process helps new employees assimilate into the company’s culture, understand their roles, and receive on-the-job training, ultimately leading to employee satisfaction and long-term success.

The duration of the onboarding process may differ based on the company and the employee’s role. However, bear in mind that a new employee’s onboarding experience can significantly affect their performance and satisfaction. Both the new employee’s manager and the HR team should be involved in creating an efficient onboarding experience, one that spans from the prospective employee’s initial interaction with the company to their integration into the team and company’s processes.

A poor onboarding experience can lead to confusion, frustration, and even employee turnover, which is expensive and time-consuming for businesses. On the other hand, a good onboarding process sets clear expectations for the new hire, promotes open communication, and fosters a sense of belonging, ultimately leading to better employee retention and performance.

Key Components of an Effective Onboarding Process

A successful employee onboarding process involves three main components: pre-boarding activities, first-day essentials, and ongoing support and development. By following a comprehensive onboarding checklist, these components work together to create a positive onboarding experience that helps new employees feel welcomed and valued, while also ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to become productive members of the team.

Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is a critical process that sets the tone for a new hire’s experience within an organization. It encompasses the structured orientation and integration of a new employee into the company culture, policies, and their role responsibilities. A well-planned onboarding program not only familiarizes the employee with their job duties but also helps them understand the broader organizational goals and values. This process typically includes elements such as orientation sessions, introductions to key team members, training programs, and provision of necessary resources. Effective employee onboarding not only leads to quicker productivity but also fosters a sense of belonging and engagement, ultimately contributing to higher retention rates and overall organizational success. It’s a strategic investment in the long-term success of both the individual and the company.

Pre-Boarding Activities

Pre-boarding is the preparatory phase before a new hire’s first day of employment. It is an essential part of the employee onboarding process, as it helps facilitate a smoother transition for the employee when they join the company. Pre-boarding activities typically include sending welcome emails, providing company policies, and assigning tasks. A pre-boarding email should be accurately structured to include all crucial information related to the activity. Examples of such details may include dates, times, locations, contact info, instructions on what to bring and dress code. This email should be concise and pre-formulated to ensure consistency and clarity.

Beyond emails, there are several measures that can be taken prior to the new hire’s first day to ensure a smooth and welcoming transition. These include:

• Constructing an orientation agenda
• Establishing their salary account
• Furnishing the essential office supplies
• Appointing a mentor to assist the new hire in acclimating
• Allocating IT resources to the employee
• Providing basic training materials and an outline of the tasks to be accomplished via employee onboarding software

Proactive preparation for a new hire’s arrival by HR managers can pave the way for a successful onboarding experience, leaving a lasting, positive impression on the employee.

First-Day Essentials

The first day of work signifies a vital stage in a new employee’s onboarding journey. Crafting a memorable onboarding experience can make them feel welcomed, valued, and ready to excel in their new role. To achieve this, a combination of practical and engagement-focused activities should be planned for the first day.

Practical activities include providing employees with necessary hardware and software, having them sign relevant paperwork, and giving them a tour of the office. On the other hand, engagement-focused activities can involve ensuring clear communication, setting expectations, introducing new hires to the company culture and values, and facilitating their connection with colleagues and integration into the team.

Another key aspect of making a new employee’s first day successful is ensuring they have a clear agenda and know what to expect. Involvement of the new hire’s manager in the process can contribute to a memorable and positive experience on the first day of onboarding, given their significant role in the employee’s success.

Ongoing Support and Development

Although the initial days of onboarding set the tone for a new employee’s experience, providing ongoing support and development throughout their tenure is equally vital. Sustained support during the onboarding process can lead to enhanced performance, job satisfaction, and employee retention. This support may come in the form of on-the-job training, mentorship, and regular feedback from the employee’s manager.

Training plays an integral role in the onboarding process, helping new employees understand their roles and responsibilities and reducing the need for excessive hire paperwork. The success of training implementation largely depends on the support of the employee’s immediate manager, who should be actively involved in the process.

Additionally, a designated mentor or colleague can provide support and guidance to help the new employee acclimate to their new environment. This ongoing support, combined with a culture of open communication and regular feedback, can foster a sense of belonging and connection among employees, as well as augment employee engagement and productivity.

The Role of HR in Employee Onboarding

The human resources (HR) department is instrumental in the employee onboarding process, with responsibilities including:

• Issuing job offers
• Coordinating with other departments
• Offering training and orientation
• Providing the employee handbook
• Managing the entire onboarding workflow
• Ensuring that all required steps are completed promptly and efficiently.

Collaboration with other departments during the onboarding process is vital, benefiting both the department in which the individual will function and the departments they will coordinate with. This coordination ensures that all necessary information is shared, and resources are allocated effectively. During the onboarding process, HR generalists and the IT team may work together to provide HR orientations and equipment set-up, ensuring that employees have the tools they need to succeed in their new roles.

In addition to coordinating onboarding activities, HR is also responsible for managing the transition of current employees into new roles, a process known as crossboarding. By providing support and guidance during this transition, HR professionals can help ensure a smooth and successful experience for employees moving to new positions within the company.

What is Onboarding

“ What is onboarding ” is a critical process in the realm of human resources and organizational development. It refers to the structured approach taken by companies to integrate and orientate new employees into the workplace environment. This process encompasses a series of activities designed to familiarize newcomers with their roles, team members, and the company’s culture and policies. Effective onboarding not only provides essential information about job responsibilities but also sets the foundation for a positive employee experience. It typically involves a mix of formal training sessions, introductions to key personnel, and the distribution of relevant materials. Additionally, onboarding serves as a platform for establishing clear performance expectations and addressing any initial concerns or questions that new hires may have.

Benefits of a Well-Structured Onboarding Process

A well-structured onboarding process offers numerous benefits, including improved employee retention, faster time to productivity, and increased job satisfaction. By taking the time to create a comprehensive and effective onboarding process, companies can help new employees feel welcomed, supported, and prepared to contribute to the organization’s success.

One of the primary advantages of a well-structured onboarding program is enhanced employee retention. Employees who undergo a positive onboarding experience are more likely to stay with the company for longer periods. This can lead to cost savings for the organization, as hiring and training new employees can be a significant expense.

Another benefit of a well-planned onboarding process is the faster time to productivity. By providing new employees with the necessary tools, resources, and training, companies can help them quickly become productive contributors to the organization. This increased productivity can lead to improved overall performance and success for the company.

Implementing Technology in Onboarding

Leveraging technology in the employee onboarding process can streamline and enrich the experience for both employees and HR professionals. Incorporating technology, such as HR software and chatbots, can reduce the burden on HR personnel while providing new employees with a stimulating and optimized experience.

HR software, such as Hibobs, Boardon, and Freshteam, can be employed to automate tasks, track progress, and provide personalized onboarding experiences for each new hire. By utilizing onboarding software, HR managers can ensure that all required steps are completed promptly and efficiently, allowing them to focus on more strategic aspects of their role.

Chatbots can also play a significant role in the employee onboarding experience. They can be utilized to address employee inquiries and provide guidance during the onboarding process. For example, chatbots can be programmed to answer questions about company policies, helping new employees quickly become familiar with the organization’s processes and expectations.

Best Practices for Successful Employee Onboarding

For a successful employee onboarding process, adherence to best practices and implementation of strategies that welcome, support, and prepare new hires for success is necessary. Some of these best practices include:

• Aligning job descriptions with the actual roles and responsibilities of the position, ensuring clear expectations for new employees.
• Automating workflows and tasks within the onboarding process, reducing the administrative burden on HR personnel and ensuring all required steps are completed efficiently.
• Fostering a strong company culture that promotes open communication, collaboration, and a sense of belonging, helping new employees feel connected and engaged with the organization.

By implementing these best practices, companies can create an effective onboarding process that not only attracts and retains top talent but also helps new employees become productive members of the team.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Onboarding

Even with the best efforts of HR professionals, common challenges can surface during the onboarding process. Some of these challenges include:

• An abundance of paperwork
• A lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities
• An overload of information
• Expectations that may be difficult to meet

However, there are solutions to overcome these obstacles and create a positive onboarding experience.

To address role clarity, it’s crucial to:

• Clearly define and communicate the responsibilities and tasks associated with the role
• Provide a written schedule or timeline that outlines expectations and deadlines
• Encourage open communication and provide opportunities for new hires to ask questions and seek clarification.

To avoid information overload, consider drip-feeding necessary and relevant information gradually instead of overwhelming the employee with all the information at once. Present content in bite-size bits to facilitate easier digestion and retention of the information. Include only essential information during the first day on the job and share additional information over time as needed.

Measuring the Success of Your Onboarding Process

Tracking onboarding metrics is vital to assess and enhance the employee onboarding process. Metrics such as turnover rate, satisfaction, and training completion can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the onboarding process and help identify areas that may need optimization or revision.

By gathering feedback from new employees and analyzing the data, HR professionals can gain a better understanding of the onboarding experience and make necessary adjustments. Feedback scores from both new hires and managers can also be used as a key metric to evaluate the effectiveness of the onboarding process.

By correlating onboarding metrics and constructive 360 feedback, employees can recognize any additional training or support they may require for a successful onboarding experience. This continuous improvement approach ensures that the onboarding process remains effective and relevant, ultimately leading to better employee retention and performance.

Onboarding Employee Experience

The onboarding employee experience plays a pivotal role in setting the tone for a new hire’s journey within an organization. It encompasses the entire process of integrating a new team member, from the moment they accept the job offer to their first few months on the job. A well-structured onboarding program goes beyond administrative tasks; it provides a comprehensive introduction to the company culture, values, and expectations. This experience is designed to acclimate employees to their roles, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure they have the tools and knowledge needed to excel in their positions. Effective onboarding not only boosts productivity but also contributes to higher retention rates and increased job satisfaction. It is a crucial step towards building a motivated and engaged workforce, ultimately leading to organizational success.

Adapting the Onboarding Process for Remote Employees

With the prevalence of remote work, adapting the onboarding process to cater to remote employees becomes a necessity. Leveraging technology, maintaining clear communication, and fostering a sense of belonging and connection are crucial strategies for ensuring a successful onboarding experience for remote workers.

Technology such as:

• Video conferencing software
• Onboarding software
• Learning management systems (LMS)
• Communication tools
• Digital forms and documentation
• Online training platforms
• Virtual tours

can be utilized to provide a streamlined and engaging remote onboarding experience.

Setting clear expectations and communication guidelines, establishing distinct lines of communication, and emphasizing the resources available to the employees are essential for effective communication with remote employees during onboarding. Providing regular feedback and recognition, and ensuring that remote employees are included in team activities can also help foster a sense of belonging and connection.

In conclusion, a well-structured and effective employee onboarding process is essential for ensuring employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity. By understanding the key components of onboarding, leveraging technology, implementing best practices, and adapting the process for remote employees, companies can create a positive onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success. As the workforce continues to evolve, it’s crucial for organizations to continually evaluate and improve their onboarding processes to attract and retain top talent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 4 step onboarding process.

The four-step onboarding process includes pre-boarding, orientation, training and integration, with eloomi providing customizable solutions for each phase to help new employees have a successful transition.

What is the onboarding process in HR?

Onboarding is an important HR process that helps new employees integrate into the organization. It includes activities such as completing administrative tasks, participating in a first-day orientation, learning about the organization’s structure, and understanding its culture, vision, mission, and values.

What are the 5 C’s of onboarding?

The 5 C’s of onboarding are compliance, clarification, confidence, connection, and culture – all essential components to ensure a successful and smooth onboarding experience.

How many days is onboarding?

Onboarding typically should take at least three months, with some HR experts recommending up to six months of onboarding for new hires. Extending the onboarding process throughout the employee’s first year can positively increase employee retention and engagement.

How long should the employee onboarding process last?

The employee onboarding process typically lasts for several months.

Tehsin Bhayani

AirMason was born when Tehsin was trying to create a digital culture book, but couldn’t find any solutions in the market that had all the features he needed. In 2016, AirMason officially launched. In five years, AirMason has created thousands of handbooks for more than 1,000 clients around the world.

Ultimate Onboarding Guide for New Employees in 2024

Employee on boarding: a comprehensive guide for 2024, press esc to close.

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How to Onboard New Hires at Every Level

• Rose Hollister
• Michael D. Watkins

What a company with 120,000 employees learned about doing it well.

Most companies do a good job with the basics of signing up and orienting new employees, but far fewer have processes that address the biggest challenges these hires face. The solution is a company-wide onboarding system that balances the need to deliver consistent, high-quality support and guidance to all employees while still being easy to administer and flexible enough to deal with differences across units. Five elements are key: A commitment that every new hire should be taken on an “onboarding journey”; a manageable number of distinct “personas” representing broad classes of employees to which resources can be customized; technology that facilitates push and pull; a standard transition language and framework; and clarity about the onboarding roles and responsibilities of HR, the hiring manager, teammates, and other stakeholders.

Most large companies do a good job with the basics of signing up and orienting new employees, but far fewer have processes that address the biggest challenges these hires face in fully integrating into their teams and coming up to speed in their roles. For example, in surveys of HR executives , just 29% indicated they provided support for cultural familiarization, even though struggles with culture are a big reason newly arrived leaders fail. This lack of onboarding follow-through has major consequences for time to performance, derailment rates, and talent retention.

• Rose Hollister is a leadership consultant at Genesis Advisers specializing in coaching, onboarding, leadership, and team facilitation. For over a decade, she taught graduate courses in strategic change at Northwestern University. From 2010 to 2017, she led the Leadership Institute for McDonald’s.
• Michael D. Watkins is a professor of leadership and organizational change at IMD , a cofounder of Genesis Advisers , and the author of The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking .

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Employee onboarding process

Table of contents

Employee onboarding process: a quick guide.

Embarking on the employee onboarding process is much like nurturing a sapling in its formative stages; it requires care, strategy, and a keen understanding of the conditions that foster growth. In this content, we delve into the methodologies that transform fresh hires into integral, thriving members of your organizational ecosystem. With a blend of insight and foresight, this guide will lead you through the nuances of a well-crafted onboarding journey, ensuring that your newest team members are not only welcomed but are also set on a path to flourish and contribute meaningfully to your company's vision.

Below is one example of a new employee onboarding process for product teams created by d.labs and available in our Miroverse community.

The Four C's: Compliance, Clarification, Culture, and Connection

To start, a robust onboarding strategy is built on the four C's, each serving as a cornerstone for a successful transition of new hires into productive and engaged employees. Here's how each component plays a crucial role, illustrated with real examples:

Compliance : This is the foundation of the onboarding process, ensuring that all legal and procedural requirements are met. For instance, a healthcare company might use this phase to verify professional licenses, complete HIPAA training, and ensure understanding of patient privacy laws. It's about making sure the new employee is fully aware of and compliant with industry regulations and company policies from day one.

Clarification : This step is about setting clear expectations and understanding of the new role. A tech startup, for example, might provide a detailed job description, a clear outline of project goals for the first quarter, and a roadmap of the product development cycle. This helps the new hire understand exactly what is expected of them, the scope of their role, and how they fit into the larger team and company objectives.

Culture : Immersing new hires in the company ethos is vital for their integration into the workplace. A company like Zappos, renowned for its culture, might include office tours that showcase their unique work environment, storytelling sessions where leaders share company successes and failures, and participation in community service events that reflect the company's core values. This C is about connecting new employees to the heart and soul of the organization, helping them feel a part of something bigger.

Connection : The final C is about building relationships. For example, a multinational corporation might pair new hires with a global mentor, involve them in cross-departmental projects, or host virtual meet-and-greets with team members from around the world. This not only helps new employees build their internal network but also fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork across the organization.

By focusing on each of these C's, companies can create an onboarding process that not only covers the basics but also sets up new hires for long-term engagement and success within the company.

How to create an onboarding process for new employees

After building a robust recruitment process , the next step is to map out the journey a new hire will embark upon. This section lays out a step-by-step guide, ensuring that from pre-boarding to ongoing support, your new employees are met with a structured and supportive transition into your company. Follow these steps to create an amazing employee onboarding process

Step 1: Pre-boarding – Laying the groundwork

Send a Welcome Email : As soon as a new hire accepts the job offer, send a warm welcome email detailing what they can expect next.

Share Company Culture : Provide a glimpse into your company culture through engaging content like videos, company mission statements, and testimonials from current employees. You can build the entire workflow and processes to be followed in a

process mapping tool like Miro.

Prepare for Arrival : Ensure all necessary paperwork is sent out and completed before the first day to streamline the administrative process.

Step 2: First day – Making a memorable entrance

Host an Orientation Session : Begin with a comprehensive orientation session that outlines the company's history, mission, and values.

Introduce the Team : Facilitate introductions with immediate team members and key personnel across the company.

Set Up the Workspace : Have the new hire's workspace fully prepared with all the tools and access they need to start working.

Step 3: Training and development – Investing in growth

Outline the Role : Clearly define the new hire's role, responsibilities, and expectations.

Provide Role-Specific Training : Offer in-depth training sessions tailored to the new hire's specific job functions.

Assign a Mentor : Connect the new employee with a mentor for guidance and support as they navigate their new role.

Step 4: Ongoing support – nurturing long-term success

Schedule Regular Check-Ins : Set up consistent meetings to provide feedback, answer questions, and discuss the new hire's progress.

Solicit Feedback : Encourage new hires to provide their input on the onboarding experience, using their insights to improve the process.

Foster Professional Development : Offer opportunities for further learning and growth, such as workshops, courses, or cross-training in other departments.

By following these steps, you can create a structured and effective onboarding process that supports new employees from the moment they join your company, helping them to become engaged and productive team members.

Tips to build a successful employee onboarding process

Now that you've laid out your entire onboarding process, let's move on to the final tips and best practices for mapping your employee onboarding journey.

Personalize the Onboarding Experience : Customize onboarding to fit individual needs, like a tech firm offering role-specific virtual reality tours for new developers.

Innovate with Engagement : Use gamification and interactive tools to keep the onboarding process fresh, such as a mobile app for scavenger hunts that familiarize new hires with the company.

Proactively Address Challenges : Implement strategies like buddy systems in remote setups to enhance engagement and ease the transition for new employees.

Measure and Refine : Track KPIs such as time-to-productivity to assess and continually improve the onboarding process, ensuring it aligns with long-term success metrics.

Your next step: Implementing excellence

Are you ready to transform your onboarding process? With expert guidance and a strategic approach, you can create an onboarding experience that resonates with new hires and lays the foundation for a thriving workforce.

Try out Miro for free and start designing a complete onboarding process. It also serves as a singular, reliable reference that your employees can consult as an all-encompassing guide as they embark on their new professional journey.

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What is employee onboarding, and how do you approach it properly?

Onboarding is always a hot topic in HR land and for a good reason. Onboarding is critical to employee engagement and the success of new hires. In the current labor market, finding and keeping the right employees for the right vacancy is a top priority, and the onboarding process is essential.

Ruben Wieman

March 27, 2023

Table of contents

Onboarding goes beyond a quick introduction. It’s the red carpet you roll out for your new arrival. Employee onboarding focuses on integrating the new employee into the organization, encompassing orientation, training, and acclimation to the company’s culture and values.

Good onboarding is vital because it fosters employee engagement, accelerates productivity, and boosts retention by creating a positive and supportive introduction to the company.

A genuinely great onboarding typically involves:

• Preboarding preparations.
• Orientation to company policies.
• Job training.
• Introduction to colleagues and company culture.
• Ongoing support and feedback to help new employees succeed.

This guide aims to provide you with essential answers to the fundamental questions surrounding onboarding . Additionally, you’ll learn what a successful onboarding process looks like and how to implement one for your new starters.

Updated on August 7, 2023

What is employee onboarding?

Onboarding is the term used to describe the process in which new employees get introduced and trained during their first weeks at a new job . As a brand new employee, you step on board with an employer you don’t know yet, which can be both exciting and uncomfortable.

A good process consists of a structured program that spans several months to integrate the employee into the organization . The new colleague must speak the same language, breathe the company vision, and know the way around the new working environment.

Onboarding new hires into a company’s culture, vision, mission, and values fosters a sense of belonging, aligns employees with the company’s purpose, and boosts overall engagement, paving the way for collective success.

Above all: recruits should feel welcome and comfortable in the new work environment.

Understanding onboarding, preboarding, and employee orientation

Onboarding: Onboarding, meaning in HR, is often referred to as “staff onboarding” or “onboarding employees” and involves welcoming and integrating new hires into the company. It begins when an offer is accepted and continues through their early days in the role. The literal meaning of onboarding is ‘to get on board’.

Preboarding: Preboarding is the initial onboarding phase between accepting the job offer and the employee’s first day. It involves the basic administrative tasks, paperwork, and setting expectations for the upcoming onboarding process.

Employee Orientation : Employee orientation is a specific component of the onboarding process. It typically occurs on the first day or week and includes the formal introduction to the organization’s policies, procedures, meeting new colleagues, and initial job training.

How long does an onboarding process take?

An onboarding process starts about two weeks before a new employee starts working. It then takes an average of six months before someone is finally trained and knows all the ins and outs of the work and the organization.

What is the difference between employee onboarding and orientation?

The difference between employee onboarding and orientation lies in their scope and duration.

Employee onboarding is a process that begins before the employee’s first day and extends beyond the initial orientation period. It involves integrating new hires into the company’s culture, values, and job responsibilities, fostering a more profound sense of connection and engagement.

On the other hand, employee orientation is a more focused and shorter component of the onboarding process, typically during the initial days or weeks. It covers the formal introduction to company policies, procedures, and initial job training.

While onboarding is a holistic journey that nurtures long-term success, orientation is the starting point, laying the groundwork for the new employee’s integration into the organization.

What is the difference between onboarding and induction?

Induction is the process of introducing a new employee to your organization. Where is the staff entrance? How does the cash register work, and where do you sit during the break?

Onboarding goes beyond these practical matters and continues where the induction stops. During onboarding, the new employee discovers which goals the organization pursues and feels how each department conveys the core values.

Why is onboarding important?

Effective onboarding offers numerous advantages, such as:

Faster integration: New employees quickly become part of the organization and culture, leading to a smoother transition into their roles and helping them to hit the ground running.

Enhanced employee commitment: Exceptional onboarding fosters commitment. This is particularly important for a new generation of workers seeking more than just competitive compensation. Factors like work atmosphere, professional development, and career opportunities significantly influence their decision to stay with an employer.

Higher job satisfaction: Thoughtful onboarding, where employees feel seen and valued, results in better job satisfaction, leading to higher retention rates and reduced employee turnover.

Improved employee retention: Investing in a thorough onboarding program can significantly improve employee retention rates, reducing the costs and disruptions associated with high turnover.

Attractive employer brand: Great onboarding makes an organization an appealing employer, encouraging people to stay longer and reducing the need for frequent recruitment. Retaining experienced employees saves costs and ensures valuable knowledge remains in-house.

Boosted productivity: Employees who experience effective onboarding are more likely to be productive in their roles sooner, contributing to the company’s success and growth.

Heightened engagement: Proper onboarding nurtures a sense of engagement and commitment among new employees, increasing their alignment with the company’s goals and fostering a positive work environment.

According to SHRM , employee turnover can be as much as 50% in the first 18 months. Underscoring the importance of successful onboarding in employee retention. An unsuccessful onboarding period can therefore make or break employee retention .

🎥 Tip: Watch the recorded Oneteam webinar Onboarding Retail Employees . In this concise 30-minute session, we share a step-by-step approach to ensure the success of new hires.

How to onboarding different types of employees

Executives:.

Onboarding executives requires a tailored approach that reflects the significance of their roles within the organization. It involves providing them with a deep understanding of the company’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives.

Executive onboarding should focus on building relationships with key stakeholders, familiarizing them with the leadership team, and establishing clear expectations for their roles.

Additionally, offering executive mentors and a well-structured integration plan can accelerate their assimilation into the company’s culture and facilitate their decision-making process.

Having an onboarding process for managers is necessary for their successful leadership within their teams. Apart from introducing them to company policies and procedures, it should emphasize developing their managerial skills and communication abilities.

Providing insights into the organization’s overall structure, departmental goals, and team dynamics enables them to navigate their new roles effectively. Tailored training on people management, goal setting, and performance evaluation is essential to equip managers with the knowledge they need to lead their teams confidently and achieve business objectives.

Remote Workers

Onboarding remote workers demands a comprehensive virtual approach that promotes a sense of inclusion and connectivity.

Employers should prioritize clear communication channels, virtual coffee introductions to team members, and technology training to ensure remote employees feel supported and equipped to work effectively in their off-site roles.

Deskless Workers/Production

For deskless workers, a hands-on and safety-focused onboarding process is required. Beyond the standard procedures, providing comprehensive training on job-specific tasks, safety protocols, and equipment operation is necessary. Engaging supervisors and mentors to guide new deskless employees during the initial period helps foster a sense of belonging and reinforces the company’s commitment to their well-being.

Freelancers

Onboarding freelancers necessitates a streamlined process that swiftly integrates them into projects and tasks. Clear contractual agreements, project expectations, and communication guidelines are essential. Offering access to relevant company resources and establishing a point of contact for queries ensures smooth collaboration and reinforces a positive working relationship.

Roles and Responsibilities for Effective Onboarding

Onboarding is not, by definition, HR’s duty. Nor is it the manager’s solitary task to properly integrate the new employee into the organization. Effective onboarding concerns a combination of forces.

Each role shapes the new starters’ experience and fosters a positive working relationship from the first day.

The HR department is the backbone of the onboarding process, responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive onboarding program. They handle essential administrative tasks, create training materials, and facilitate smooth coordination between various departments.

Trainers/Specialists

Trainers and specialists deliver job-specific training and orientation to equip new hires with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles. They ensure that employees are well-prepared to handle their responsibilities and contribute to the organization.

Supervisor/Manager

The immediate supervisor or manager provides guidance, sets clear expectations, and offers continuous feedback to new employees. A supportive manager fosters a positive work environment, encouraging new employees to thrive.

Colleagues have a significant impact on the onboarding experience. Welcoming and including co-workers can make new team members feel valued and accepted. A collaborative and friendly work culture enhances the sense of belonging an d boosts the newcomer’s confidence .

Executives / Management Team

Executives and top-level management should participate in onboarding . Their engagement underscores the company’s commitment to its new employees and reinforces values and strategic vision.

Mentor/Buddy

Assigning a mentor or buddy to new starters provides an approachable point of contact for any questions or concerns. Mentors offer guidance, share insights, and help new hires navigate the company culture, accelerating their integration into the team.

By recognizing and fulfilling these roles and responsibilities, organizations can create a positive onboarding experience, setting the stage for long-term employee satisfaction, engagement, and success.

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What are essential onboarding documents?

The precise list of information that must be covered during the onboarding process differs per organization and individual needs of each role and employee.

There are, however, a few elements that should be included in every process:

1. General information about the organization: Helpful background information like the history, business objectives, customer information, and an organizational chart.

2. Contact list: Contact information of each colleague and location. You can easily integrate the contact list into your employee app , so that everyone always has the right information at hand.

3. Digital Information Pack: Think of absenteeism procedures, pension schemes, salary scales, or job descriptions.

4. Relevant learning packages: Offer relevant e-learning or microlearning programs . This gives you an interactive, accessible, and fun way of developing your employees.  

5. Feedback documentation: You can ask your employees one-on-one to give feedback, but the easiest way is to do this by sending out a survey.

6. Standard documents: Think of registration forms for internal training programs, templates for social media posts, or service transfer forms.

What are the components of an employee onboarding process flow?

The basis of a good onboarding process consists of five basic parts, which can be defined as the 5 C’s:

1. Compliance

There is some basic information every employee just needs to know. This contains things like safety instructions, submitting declarations, handling keys and badges, appropriate work clothing, and login details for apps and programs.

2. Clarification

What are the expectations of the organization towards the employee? What does the position entail and whatnot, what are the basic requirements? Clarification is all about understanding mutual expectations.

Include the new colleague from the start in the mission, vision, and values of the organization. What goals are pursued, what is considered important and what are ‘our’ ways? Giving clarity about the ‘Why‘ of the company provides guidance and makes a smooth integration a lot easier.

Tip: Before someone starts at your organization, share a video via the employee onboarding app , in which you share everything about the history, mission, vision, and values.

4. Connection

We all realized it during the lockdown period: a good connection with colleagues is essential. The informal contacts make you genuinely feel part of an organization. With a social and collegial relationship, collaboration is much easier and more effective.

Help the new employee build their network. For example, introduce new recruits to a go-to buddy for all their questions or invite them to team drinks, an activity, or a game.

5. Check back

This fifth C is often forgotten when formulating an onboarding process, but we think it is too important to skip. Don’t let go of your new employee too quickly.

Ask the employee for feedback and evaluate the onboarding program . Are there points of attention, and what did they like or dislike? Asking for feedback is a critical evaluation moment for the HR cycle and personal development plan.

7 tips for successful onboarding of new deskless employees

Once on board, the new employee is up and running, integrated and they are pretty much part of the equation. But how do you get to that point? What steps should you take to successfully onboard a new employee?

1. Pre-boarding before the first working day

It all starts with that signature at the bottom of the contract. From this moment on, it is important to involve the new employee in your organization, even if they’re not starting for another few weeks.

Do you have a staff party or team-building event coming up? Invite the new employee. Is there any news about the organization? Keep them informed. After all, you want to stay in touch and ensure that the employee is looking forward to their first working day.

Prepare a schedule for the first week and send it to the employee together with other relevant documents. It is also advisable to inform colleagues about the arrival of the new colleague and what they can expect from the addition to the team.

Want to step up your game? Then start working with a buddy system and partner up new recruits with current team members. This will give your new recruit a go-to person for any questions during their onboarding period. Furthermore, a buddy system can help make new hires more productive faster.

Read more about pre-boarding of employees .

2. Designing a personal onboarding program

It is advisable to design a personal onboarding program . Which people and programs should someone get to know quickly? What information is important to share?

The more that is written down and put in place, the less messy the first week will be. Make sure the team is informed of someone’s arrival and that immediate colleagues have time to get acquainted.

The more complete your onboarding program is, the more professional you will come across as a company and the sooner the new employee will have settled in.

3. Introduction to the first working week

Naturally, you should give your new employee a warm welcome on the first working day. Not only will they be given the key and company clothing, but a few balloons, flowers or a nice welcome package will make new staff feel very welcome.

Walk the new employee through the onboarding program. What can they expect from the onboarding program in the coming period? Who will they be meeting in the coming days and who should they contact if they have any questions?

Tip: an onboarding app can help you make this phase and subsequent phases of onboarding run smoothly.

4. The induction period

All practical matters for the new employee have been arranged. The introductory round has been completed, they have everything they need to carry out their tasks.

The actual familiarization process can begin. It is important not to throw the new employee in at the deep end, but to guide them where necessary.

Give the new employee the opportunity to ask questions and let them know that they are allowed to make mistakes.

5. On & off the job training

Your new employee learns mostly by doing. Colleagues explain and experience for themselves how things work or don’t work. Off-the-job training can also be part of the onboarding process.

For example; microlearning courses about the cash register system, or a training course in customer service or food safety. Employees who are given the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills are more satisfied, motivated, and loyal.

6. Incorporating feedback loops

The first few weeks of work can make or break someone’s career and job satisfaction.

That’s why it is important to incorporate a feedback moment a few weeks in when the manager discusses the progress with the new employee. You can also use different types of employee surveys for this.

Don’t wait until the first six-monthly meeting, that will take far too long. Give the new employee the opportunity to raise issues or give valuable feedback.

7. Onboarding as a continuous process

Your new employee will be immersed in information in the first few weeks, but of course, they won’t know everything yet. A good onboarding process, therefore, does not end after a few weeks .

To get the employee to perform optimally, you will have to be involved with them more often. Make sure to regularly ask whether everything is going as expected. Do they still enjoy the work?

Do they have any particular wishes? With a little bit of extra attention, especially in the first six months of the employment contract, you will avoid missing signals and prevent the employee from quitting their job after the first few months.

The next step to improve your onboarding process

Are you ready to bring your onboarding program to new heights? Digitizing your onboarding process can not only make onboarding a lot easier but also more attractive.

With Oneteam’s all-in-one employee app, including an onboarding module, you can bring all your onboarding documents together on one user-friendly, interactive platform. Connecting with colleagues, departments, and different locations has never been easier.

Learn how Oneteam can help your organization make new hires successful and engaged, and book a guided demo via the form below.

Request a guided Oneteam demo

Discover how Oneteam can help you make your non-desk workforce successful and engaged. During the demo, we will guide you through our all-in-one employee app and we’ll be happy to answer all your questions.

Fill in the form below and we will contact you within a day.

Ruben Wieman is the founder of Oneteam. He mainly writes about the future of deskless employee experience and key frontline HR trends. Fun fact about Ruben: He started his professional career as a deskless employee at supermarkets and a pizza delivery guy. The frustrations he encountered lead him to build an employee experience app focused on making the deskless workforce successful and engaged.

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Starting a new job can be an exciting yet rather daunting experience. We all know how it feels to be the new face at a job, navigating new processes and striving to fit in within a new professional environment. The onboarding process plays a key role in shaping this journey, setting the tone for the new starters' integration into the workplace. However, what happens when the onboarding process is less than ideal, and what steps can HR managers take to ensure that new employees hit the ground running? In this practical how-to guide, we'll explore the best onboarding process guide for new employees and how to map and implement them in your own organization.

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In this article, we’ll be looking at the different ways in which organizations can measure the success of their onboarding programs and the best practices for continuous improvements.

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6 tips to improve onboarding for new employees

How to improve onboarding? Make it visual

Effective onboarding is crucial for organizations to make sure new employees feel welcomed, supported, and equipped to succeed in their roles. 

In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of a human-centered and holistic onboarding process and provide practical tips to enhance the onboarding experience for new hires.

Why new employee onboarding is important

Before diving into the tips, let's address the question, "What's in it for me?" New employee onboarding offers several benefits.

Increased productivity

Well-structured onboarding programs help new hires become productive faster, reducing the time it takes for them to contribute to the organization's goals.

Improved retention

A positive onboarding experience fosters a sense of belonging and engagement, increasing the likelihood that new employees will stay with the company long-term.

Enhanced job satisfaction

When new hires feel supported and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, they're more likely to experience job satisfaction and perform at their best.

What a good onboarding process looks like

To create an effective onboarding process, it's essential to consider the four Cs of onboarding, as defined by the SHRM Foundation:

• Compliance : Make sure new employees understand and follow legal and regulatory requirements related to their roles.
• Clarification : Provide clear expectations, goals, and performance metrics to help new hires understand their responsibilities and how they contribute to the organization's success.
• Connection : Foster relationships and connections between new employees and their colleagues, managers, and mentors to create a supportive network.
• Culture : Introduce new hires to the organization's values, mission, and culture, helping them align their behaviors and actions accordingly.

6 Tips for improving onboarding for new employees

1. design a plan for each key phase of onboarding.

Create a structured roadmap that outlines the activities and information new employees need to know before their first day, during their first week, first 90 days, and first year. This plan should be comprehensive and tailored to the organization's specific needs.

Designing a plan for each key phase of onboarding involves breaking down the onboarding process into specific stages and outlining the activities, resources, and goals for each phase. 

Here are some concrete ways to design a plan for each key phase of onboarding:

Before the First Day:

• Send a welcome email or package to new hires, including important information such as their start date, dress code, and any pre-employment paperwork.
• Provide access to necessary systems, tools, and resources, such as email accounts, project management software, or training materials.
• Assign pre-reading or pre-training materials to familiarize new hires with the company's culture, values, and policies.
• Schedule a comprehensive orientation session to introduce new hires to the organization's mission, vision, and values.
• Conduct a tour of the office or a virtual office tour, highlighting key areas and introducing new hires to their colleagues.
• Assign a buddy or mentor to guide new hires through their first day, answer questions, and provide support.

First Week:

• Provide an overview of the team's structure, roles, and responsibilities, including introductions to key team members.
• Offer training sessions or workshops on essential tools, processes, and systems used within the organization.
• Assign small projects or tasks to allow new hires to apply their skills and gain hands-on experience.

First 90 Days:

• Set clear goals and expectations for new hires, outlining what they should achieve within the first 90 days.
• Schedule regular check-ins with managers or mentors to provide feedback, address concerns, and offer guidance.
• Offer opportunities for new hires to attend team meetings, cross-functional sessions, or training programs to broaden their understanding of the organization.

First Year:

• Conduct performance reviews or evaluations to assess new hires' progress and provide constructive feedback.
• Offer opportunities for professional development, such as training programs, workshops, or conferences.
• Encourage new hires to set long-term goals and create a career development plan.

When designing the plan for each phase, consider the specific needs and goals of your organization. Tailor the activities and resources to align with your company's culture, values, and industry. Additionally, ensure that the plan is flexible enough to accommodate individual differences and adapt to changing circumstances.

Remember, the key is to provide a structured and comprehensive roadmap that guides new hires through their onboarding journey, ensuring they have the necessary information, support, and resources to succeed in their roles.

2. Build out your onboarding in your team's everyday tools

Use project management tools, HR management systems, or visual work platforms like Mural to centralize and streamline the onboarding process. This makes sure that all relevant information and resources are easily accessible to new hires.

​​When building out an onboarding program with your people operations team, it's important to consider using the right tools to streamline and enhance the onboarding experience. Here are some tools you should consider and why they can be beneficial:

HR management systems 

HR management systems, such as BambooHR, Workday, or Namely, provide a centralized platform to manage employee data, automate administrative tasks, and track onboarding progress. These systems allow you to efficiently handle paperwork, track employee information, and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Project management tools

Project management tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com can be useful for organizing and tracking the various tasks and activities involved in the onboarding process. These tools enable you to create checklists, assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and monitor progress, making sure that nothing falls through the cracks during the onboarding journey.

Visual collaboration platforms

Visual work platforms, such as Mural and Microsoft Teams , provide virtual spaces for teams to collaborate, brainstorm, and share information. These platforms can be used to create interactive onboarding materials, facilitate virtual meet-and-greets, and encourage collaboration among new hires and their colleagues.

Learning management systems (LMS)

LMS platforms can be valuable for delivering and tracking training materials and courses during the onboarding process. These systems allow you to create and distribute interactive training modules, quizzes, and assessments, providing that new hires receive the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in their roles.

Communication and messaging tools

Effective communication is crucial during the onboarding process. Tools like Slack , Microsoft Teams, or Google Chat provide instant messaging, video conferencing, and file-sharing capabilities, enabling seamless communication and collaboration between new hires, their managers, and team members. These tools foster real-time communication, making it easier to address questions, provide feedback, and build connections.

Employee onboarding software

Dedicated employee onboarding software can streamline and automate the onboarding process. These tools offer features like personalized onboarding workflows, automated task assignments, and interactive employee portals, providing a consistent and engaging onboarding experience for new hires.

When selecting tools for your onboarding program, consider factors such as ease of use, integration capabilities with existing systems, scalability, and cost.

3. Visualize important workflows and team processes

Visual representations, such as flowcharts, diagrams, or process maps, provide a clear and concise overview of how workflows and processes function. They break down complex information into easily digestible visual elements, making it easier for team members to understand the steps, dependencies, and interactions involved. Visuals eliminate ambiguity and make sure everyone is on the same page, reducing misunderstandings and errors.

Related: Visual Collaboration: What It Is & How To Get Started

Read on to see why visual collaboration is the key to unlocking outstanding onboarding experiences. 

4. Build company culture into your onboarding

Incorporate activities, such as team-building exercises, virtual meet-and-greets, or storytelling sessions, to introduce new hires to the organization's culture. This helps them feel connected and aligned with the company's values and mission.

Here are some tangible ways to incorporate company culture into your onboarding:

Welcome package

Create a welcome package for new hires that includes items representing your company culture, such as branded merchandise, company values cards, or a welcome letter from the CEO. This sets the tone and introduces new hires to the unique aspects of your culture from the start.

Culture presentation

Dedicate a portion of the onboarding program to a culture presentation. This can be delivered by a senior leader or a representative from the people operations team. The presentation should cover the company's mission, vision, values, and key cultural aspects. Use real-life examples and stories to illustrate how these values are lived within the organization.

Culture handbook

Develop a culture handbook or guide that provides an in-depth overview of your company's culture. Include information about the history, values, rituals, and traditions that shape your organization. This handbook can serve as a reference for new hires to understand and align with the company culture.

Cultural immersion activities

Incorporate interactive activities into the onboarding process that allow new hires to experience and engage with the company culture. This can include team-building exercises, group discussions, or role-playing scenarios that reflect the values and behaviors you want to promote.

Mentorship and buddy programs

Pair new hires with mentors or buddies who embody the company culture. These mentors can guide new hires, answer questions, and provide insights into how the culture is lived day-to-day. Encourage mentors to share personal experiences and stories that highlight the importance of culture within the organization.

Cross-functional introductions

Facilitate introductions and interactions between new hires and employees from different teams or departments. This exposes new hires to a diverse range of perspectives and allows them to witness how the company culture is manifested across various functions.

Culture ambassador sessions

Organize sessions where employees from different levels and roles share their experiences and perspectives on the company culture. These sessions can be in the form of panel discussions, Q&A sessions, or informal coffee chats. This provides new hires with multiple viewpoints and reinforces the importance of culture throughout the organization.

Ongoing culture integration

Ensure that the company culture is consistently reinforced beyond the onboarding process. Incorporate culture-related activities, events, or initiatives into regular team meetings, performance reviews, and company-wide communications. This helps new hires see that culture isn't just a one-time introduction but an integral part of the organization's DNA.

Remember, building company culture into your onboarding process requires a holistic approach that combines both formal and informal methods. It's important to create an environment where new hires feel welcomed, engaged, and empowered to embrace and contribute to the company culture from Day One.

5. Use templates to scale team onboarding

Develop standardized templates for onboarding materials, such as welcome emails, training materials, and checklists. This provides consistency and saves time when onboarding multiple new hires.

With Mural, you can scale your onboarding capacity, and provide the most engaging experience possible for new employees, regardless of their location. 

Here are a few ways (including free templates) to use Mural’s visual work platform to enhance your onboarding process.

Onboarding checklist

Create a checklist template in Mural to outline the key tasks and activities that new hires need to complete during their onboarding journey. This template can include items such as paperwork, training modules, introductions to team members, and setting up necessary tools and systems. New hires can mark off completed tasks, providing a visual representation of their progress.

One fun way to do this is with the Mural road trip onboarding template, which visualizes the onboarding process as a trip across country. 

New hire welcome mural

Design a welcome mural to introduce new hires to the company, team members, and important resources. Include sections for personal introductions, team information, company values, and links to relevant documents or websites. This template encourages new hires to engage with their colleagues and explore the available resources.

Team introduction mural

Create a team introduction template in Mural to facilitate virtual introductions between new hires and their team members. Include sections for team member profiles, roles and responsibilities, and fun facts. This template helps new hires familiarize themselves with their team and encourages interaction and connection.

Onboarding timeline

Design an onboarding timeline template in Mural to visually represent the duration and sequence of onboarding activities. Include milestones, deadlines, and key events. This template provides new hires with a clear overview of what to expect during their onboarding journey and helps them stay organized and on track.

Training and resources hub

Create a training and resources hub template in Mural to centralize all the training materials, resources, and links that new hires need. Include sections for training modules, videos, documents, and FAQs. This template serves as a one-stop-shop for new hires to access the information and materials they need to learn and succeed in their roles.

Virtual meet-and-greet

Design a virtual meet-and-greet template in Mural to facilitate introductions and interactions between new hires and their colleagues. Include sections for icebreaker questions, fun facts, and discussion topics. This template encourages engagement and helps new hires build connections with their teammates.

A great way to structure this for distributed teams is to use the Mural world map template — have everyone put their photo over their location, and share something cool about where they live.

Feedback and reflection mural

Create a feedback and reflection mural to gather feedback from new hires about their onboarding experience. Include sections for feedback on the process, training, and overall experience. This template allows new hires to share their thoughts, suggestions, and concerns, enabling continuous improvement of the onboarding program.

Remember, Mural is a highly customizable ‌platform, and you can adapt these templates to fit your specific onboarding needs. You can also explore the Mural template library for additional templates and inspiration.

6. Check in at key milestones and get feedback on the onboarding process

Regularly assess the effectiveness of your onboarding process by seeking feedback from new employees. Conduct check-ins at key milestones to address any concerns, provide additional support, and make necessary adjustments to improve the onboarding experience.

Why visual work is the secret to a great onboarding experience

Visual work plays a crucial role in enhancing the onboarding experience and facilitating connection between new hires. Here's how.

Simplifies complex information

Onboarding often involves a lot of information, including company policies, procedures, team structures, and workflows. Visualizing this information through diagrams, flowcharts, or infographics helps simplify complex concepts and makes them easier to understand. Visual representations provide a clear and concise overview, allowing new hires to grasp the big picture quickly.

Enhances comprehension and memory retention

Visuals have been proven to enhance comprehension and aid in information retention. When new hires can see the information presented visually, it helps them process and remember it more effectively. Visuals engage different parts of the brain, making the information more memorable and increasing the likelihood of retention.

Promotes active participation

Visual work encourages new hires to actively engage with the onboarding process. By involving them in creating or interacting with visual materials, such as collaborative whiteboards or interactive presentations, new hires become active participants rather than passive recipients of information. This active participation fosters a sense of ownership and investment in their own onboarding journey.

Facilitates collaboration and connection

Visual work provides a platform for new hires to collaborate with their colleagues and build connections. For example, using collaborative whiteboard tools like Mural allows new hires to contribute ideas, share insights, and work together on visualizing team processes or brainstorming sessions. This collaborative environment promotes interaction, encourages teamwork, and helps new hires establish connections with their peers.

Supports multimodal learning

Visual work caters to those who are visual learners. By incorporating visual elements into the onboarding process, organizations can accommodate diverse learning preferences and make sure that new hires receive information in a way that resonates with them. This inclusivity promotes a more effective and personalized onboarding experience.

Creates a lasting impression

Visuals have a lasting impact on individuals. When new hires encounter visually appealing and well-designed materials during their onboarding, it leaves a positive impression and reinforces the organization's commitment to a thoughtful and engaging onboarding process. This positive experience contributes to their overall satisfaction and engagement with the company.

By incorporating visual elements into the onboarding process, organizations can create a more engaging, memorable, and effective onboarding experience for new hires.

Set the stage for your new employees with successful onboarding

By implementing these tips, organizations can create a human-centered and holistic onboarding process that sets new employees up for success. Remember, a well-designed onboarding experience not only benefits the new hires but also contributes to the overall growth and success of the organization.

Investing in a human-centered onboarding process is crucial for organizations to maximize the potential of their new hires. By leveraging tools like Mural, organizations can streamline and enhance the onboarding experience, fostering a sense of belonging for new team members.

About the authors

Bryan Kitch

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Redefining Onboarding

by Dustin Shell

Redefining Employee Onboarding as a Journey

Given that up to 20% of employee turnover happens in the first 45 days and 34% occurs in their first year on the job, it’s not a stretch to say that the current onboarding approach isn’t working for many organizations. Other factors may come into play , but we believe turnover happens when we don’t treat employee onboarding as a journey—one that starts before sending the offer letter and ends when the person is performing the role independently and confidently. Employee onboarding typically has a narrow definition: orienting new hires to the company and their role. In some circles it simply means a new hire’s first day or week on the job. Yet, when you think about the impact onboarding can have on organizations—growth, people development, scalability, quality, customer and employee experience—a much larger picture starts to come into focus. It’s not enough to think of it as a single day or week; depending on the role, the onboarding journey could take months or even years. It’s also an emotional journey. People leave organizations when they feel disconnected, overwhelmed, frustrated, or undervalued. Onboarding should help people feel confident in their new role as well as competent. Yet, the typical onboarding approach fills people up with everything they need to know or do before being sent to do their job without supporting that emotional journey.

How employee onboarding transforms organizations.

Onboarding has applications that organizations may not typically recognize—like ensuring knowledge is retained and passed on. Baby boomers will continue to retire over the coming years (whether it’s in a burst or it happens in gradual waves ). How can we capture and share their knowledge across generations? By building an employee onboarding experience that systematically trains people on the roles, mindsets, and processes that currently live in the heads of your most experienced employees. Onboarding isn’t just for new hires. Your people are always in a state of mastering their current role and taking on new ones, which is why onboarding can apply to role transitions and advancement, too. (Depending on the organization, it can be called inboarding, role transition, or even promotion.) It’s incredible how agile an organization can be when people have the control and autonomy in their career development to navigate and explore new roles. Another onboarding application is scalability. Many organizations wrestle with how to scale their business, especially if there aren’t enough good managers or their managers are overworked. Onboarding enables us to capture and share the “best of the best” of a role to empower others to own their development, which eases the burden on overworked managers and puts more emphasis on the individual. Onboarding is also a great organizational alignment tool. The rise of complex HR systems has reduced the need for HR staff; learning and development roles are shifting to be content curators and consultants. Onboarding unlocks the real value of these functions by allowing us to systematize the people side of business. It becomes a thriving system that multiple people own, buy into, and impact instead of relying on one person to work. Let’s take a look at three factors that can help redefine employee onboarding at your organization:

1. Consistent brand experience.

When organizations are small, they focus on getting their product or service right (and they should!). Business success is directly tied to creating a consistent brand experience for customers. That brand experience builds customer loyalty and trust, which generates demand and growth. The same is true about the employee experience. As an organization grows, their ability to deliver an incredible customer experience is directly tied to investment made in creating and upholding an equally powerful employee experience. The result? Engaged and loyal employees that you can trust to uphold your brand experience, because they believe in what they’re doing and feel like a valued part of it. Here’s an example: I love taking my kids to Chick-fil-A for many reasons, but one stands out consistently: everyone—including the person in the cow suit—gives me and my girls 100% every time. I can count on them to be fun, friendly, and extra attentive (especially if I’m there as a solo parent). They don’t just do the job; they create an incredible brand experience because they have an incredible employee experience. (Would that person in the cow suit be half as friendly to my kids if they felt like Chick-fil-A wasn’t living up to their end of the bargain? I doubt it.) Want to move the needle on your employee experience and create a more consistent brand experience for your customers? Onboarding isn’t just a place to start, it’s the place to start.

2. Speed to competency.

Too often, organizations approach employee onboarding as a vehicle for delivering training content. They develop 3-4 weeks of training and hope that, by the end of Week 4, the new hire is ready to work. But it’s misleading to think that time in training actually leads to competence. As a metric for onboarding, speed to competency is commonly used to show the value of onboarding. It’s hard to measure, but it’s one of the biggest business cases for investing in more effective onboarding. What does it actually take to perform competently in a role? Here’s how we approach it: No one learns everything about the role at once, so we recommend spreading out role development over a period of time (based on the complexity of the role). Ideally, we give the new hire time to practice, talk about the experience with someone, and reflect. Going through these intentional steps helps people build competence. It’s not about adding more time or content; it’s about designing an experience that helps someone develop and grow within a role. It includes providing strong performance support tools and creating personal networks early on. That approach takes more time, but it also leads to the desired business results that you’re looking for. Be sure to partner with operations, technology, and managers to understand what it takes to be successful in the role. HR and learning functions should act as experiential learning consultants for the business units to help them document the keys to be successful in a role. Defining preferred practices will help the organization scale what the best performers are doing already.

3. Employee engagement.

When an organization starts wrestling with their employee onboarding, it quickly turns into a conversation about the ultimate goal of onboarding. They start asking questions like:

• What’s the desired state for this new person?
• Are we giving them opportunities to grow into their careers and personally?
• What do our employees need to be successful?
• How do we get this person thriving at this company?

In other words, a conversation about redesigning the onboarding experience becomes a launching pad to solve organizational challenges related to retention and employee experience across the board. When we engage key stakeholders in the process of reimagining the desired state and addressing the challenges of getting there, they not only create more effective solutions, they also feel ownership and energy around the change. Individual team members feel more engaged as they reap the benefits of an experience that better connects them to people, their work, and the organization they work for. Teams feel more involved and valued as they’re invited to solve organizational challenges and align on the preferred practices of what they do every day. Managers feel more engaged as the organization invests in their development or empowers them to prioritize the time to develop their team. Executive leaders become more engaged in the process as they see the benefits of replicating what has worked to get them to where they are today. As a result, the organization begins to see right turnover (that is, the employees who are a great fit for the company stay, and the ones who aren’t, don’t) because the ecosystem is designed with the end in mind.

The new definition of employee onboarding.

• It’s not just for new hires because people are always taking on new roles and responsibilities. We’re never done onboarding!
• Onboarding is a challenging emotional journey that requires us to advocate for the employee experience.
• It’s an organizational alignment tool, impacting the whole enterprise.
• It has the power to create loyal employees who create loyal customers.

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Employee experience journey mapping - A complete guide

Employee experience journey mapping might sound like a mouthful, but it's basically just a fancy way of saying, "Let's figure out what our employees are going through and how we can make it better."

It's like a treasure map, but instead of gold, we're searching for how to make employees happy throughout. But why??

As the entrepreneur and businessman J. Willard Marriott once said, ”Take good care of your employees, and they'll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back.”

So sit back, relax, put on your adventure hats and grab a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage of choice) because we are about to explore the employee experience journey, dream up ways to make it better, and discover the secrets of mapping out this process.

Table of contents:-

What is the employee journey?

What is employee journey mapping, what are the benefits of employee journey mapping, how an employee journey map can help you, employee onboarding journey map, how to leverage employee journey mapping to create value, the dos and don'ts of employee journey mapping, what are the stages of the employee journey, what is employee experience, what is an employee experience journey, four steps for mapping the employee experience, how do you create an employee experience journey map, personas for employee journey mapping, the employee journey from the employee’s perspective, employee journey mapping touchpoints, common mistakes that companies make while mapping employee journey, how culturemonkey can improve the employee experience.

Every employee goes through a unique journey in your company, from their first day of onboarding to the last day they walk out the door. But have you ever thought about what that journey looks like? And more importantly, have you thought about how you can improve it?

An employee journey can make all the difference in retaining top talent , boosting employee engagement , and improving productivity. In fact, studies have shown that companies with a strong focus on employee experience outperform their competitors by 122% . So, why aren't all companies putting more focus on the employee journey?

Employee journey mapping is a process of identifying all the touchpoints and interactions an employee has with your company, from the moment they apply for a job to their last day in the office.

A positive employee journey can lead to more engaged and productive employees . When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to go above and beyond in their work. And that's a win-win for everyone.

Employee journey mapping is the process of mapping out all the touchpoints an employee has with your company, from their first day of onboarding to their last day in the office.

It's a way of understanding and improving the employee experience by mapping out their interactions with the company from the moment they first hear about the organization as a potential employer to their eventual departure.

But why should you care about employee journey maps? For one, it helps you identify pain points in the employee experience that could be driving employees away. Maybe your onboarding process is too lengthy, or your employees aren't getting enough feedback or recognition for their hard work.

It helps organizations develop a comprehensive and holistic view of the employee experience, which is critical for improving employee engagement and retention.

Employee journey mapping is like a treasure map, leading you to a trove of benefits. It's a strategic tool that enhances every aspect of your organization, from employee satisfaction and productivity to attracting and retaining top talent.

With a well-crafted journey map, you're on the path to creating a workplace where everyone thrives, and success is just around the corner.

• Enhanced productivity: A well-designed Employee Journey Map helps streamline processes and remove obstacles that can hinder productivity. When employees encounter fewer roadblocks and can navigate their roles more efficiently, they become more productive. This not only benefits your employees but also positively impacts the bottom line.
• Increased retention rates: High employee turnover can be a significant drain on resources. Employee journey mapping helps create a supportive and fulfilling work environment. When employees feel well-integrated and valued, they're more likely to stay with your organization. Lower turnover rates mean cost savings in recruitment and training.
• Talent attraction: A positive Employee Experience Journey becomes a magnet for top talent. Word-of-mouth recommendations from your content employees can be a powerful recruitment tool. A great reputation for employee experience can draw in the best and brightest in the industry.
• Clearer communication: Mapping out the journey helps identify communication gaps. Effective internal communication is key to a successful organization. By understanding where the challenges lie, you can implement strategies to improve communication , ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Enhanced employee development: Through journey mapping, you can pinpoint opportunities for skill development and growth at every stage of the employee experience . This encourages continuous learning and personal development , which can lead to higher job satisfaction and career advancement.
• Better decision-making: Employee journey maps provide valuable data and insights. With this information, you can make informed decisions about the employee experience. Whether it's resource allocation, policy changes, or organizational improvements, you have a clear path to follow.
• Strengthened company culture: Mapping the employee journey allows you to align every stage with your company's values and culture. It's an opportunity to ensure that your culture is not just a buzzword but a real, living experience for your employees.

By gaining a deeper understanding of the employee journey and identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement, organizations can increase employee engagement and retention rate , which can lead to a more productive and successful workforce.

Here are some other key reasons why you should be focusing on mapping out the employee journey in your company:

Improves employee experience:

By mapping out the employee journey, you can identify pain points and areas where improvements can be made. This helps create a more positive, supportive work environment that retains top talent.

Increases employee engagement:

When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to go above and beyond in their work. Mapping out the employee journey and addressing pain points can help increase employee engagement and motivation.

Boosts productivity:

A positive employee journey can lead to more engaged and productive employees. By addressing pain points and creating a more positive work environment , you can improve productivity and drive success .

Improves retention:

Retaining top talent is crucial for the success of any company. By creating a positive and supportive work environment through employee journey map, you can reduce turnover and retain top performers .

Enhances employer branding:

A positive employee journey can also enhance your employer branding. When employees feel supported and valued, they're more likely to share their positive employee experiences with others, both online and offline. This can help attract top talent and improve your company's reputation.

Provides valuable insights:

Employee journey mapping provides valuable insights into the employee experience. By understanding employees' touchpoints and interactions with your company, you can identify patterns and trends that can inform future decisions and improvements .

Fosters a culture of continuous improvement:

Employee journey mapping is an ongoing effort to identify pain points and make improvements. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement , you can create a workplace that's always striving to be better.

Expedites onboarding:

When you map the employee journey, it significantly accelerates the onboarding process. New hires can seamlessly navigate through their initial days, feeling more integrated and confident from the get-go.

Promotes inclusivity:

Employee journey mapping also fosters inclusivity . It ensures that the employee experience is uniform and supportive across various departments and roles, creating a workplace where everyone feels equally valued and respected.

Strengthens leadership development:

Your journey map can become a powerful tool for leadership development. By recognizing the stages where leadership plays a vital role, you can tailor training and support to nurture the next generation of leaders within your organization.

Enhances well-being initiatives:

A well-crafted employee journey map integrates well-being initiatives. This ensures that employees are not only professionally fulfilled but also mentally and emotionally supported, resulting in a healthier and happier workforce.

Picture this: You've just welcomed a talented recruit to your team. What's next? The employee onboarding journey map is your treasure map, guiding you through the intricate process of making them feel right at home.

So, what exactly is an employee onboarding journey map? It's like a step-by-step guide, detailing the entire onboarding process, from pre-hire to post-orientation. It's a strategic approach that ensures your new team members embark on a voyage of learning, growth, and engagement.

The journey begins with pre-boarding, where you start connecting with your new hires before their first day. Then, there's the orientation – the grand "Welcome Aboard" moment. After that, it's all about training, skill development, and team assimilation. Finally, the journey continues with regular check-ins and performance evaluations.

Creating a tailored journey map is the key to employee retention and productivity. It ensures everyone's on the same page, expectations are clear, and the road to success is well-paved.

Understanding how to make the most of employee journey mapping is essential for modern HR professionals and business leaders. In this guide, we'll explore not only the fundamental steps in leveraging this tool but also delve into additional ways to extract maximum value from it.

Here are some key ways to leverage employee journey mapping to create value!

Identify key touchpoints

The first step in leveraging the employee journey map is to identify the key touchpoints in the employee experience. This includes everything from recruitment to onboarding , training, performance review/management, and offboarding.

Collect data

Once you've identified the key touchpoints, it's time to collect data on the employee experience. This can include employee feedback , employee surveys, and data on employee turnover, productivity, and employee engagement .

Analyze the data

After collecting data, it's important to analyze it to identify pain points and areas where improvements can be made. Look for patterns and trends that can inform future decisions.

Map out the journey

Once you clearly understand the employee experience, it's time to map out the journey. This can be done using a variety of tools, such as journey maps, employee personas, and empathy maps.

Identify opportunities for improvement

With the employee journey mapped out, it's easier to identify areas where improvements can be made. Look for pain points and areas where the employee experience could be improved and prioritize the most critical ones.

Implement changes

Once you've identified areas for improvement, it's time to implement changes. This can include everything from streamlining the recruitment process to improving communication and recognition programs .

Continuously monitor and improve

Employee journey mapping is not a one-time process. It's important to continuously monitor the employee experience and make improvements as needed. This can include collecting ongoing feedback from employees, analyzing data, and making changes to improve the employee experience.

Enhance training and development

The employee journey map can highlight specific points where training and development play a crucial role. Use this information to revamp training programs, offer skill-building opportunities, and ensure that employees have the resources they need to succeed.

Facilitate cross-department collaboration

Employee journey mapping can uncover areas where different departments need to collaborate more effectively . Foster a culture of cross-departmental teamwork to eliminate silos, improve communication, and enhance the overall employee experience.

Customize employee experiences

Tailor the employee experience based on individual preferences and needs. Use data from the employee journey map to offer personalized career paths, flexible work arrangements, or unique benefits, providing employees with more customized experiences.

Implement recognition and rewards

Recognize and reward employees for their contributions at key touchpoints in the employee journey. Acknowledging their achievements can boost motivation and job satisfaction , leading to a more positive overall experience.

Employee journey mapping is a potent tool for creating a fulfilling, engaging workplace. If you follow the dos and avoid the don'ts, you're on the right path to crafting an experience that keeps your employees happy, productive, and loyal.

The Dos: Crafting a stellar employee journey map

• DO understand your employees: Before you even put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, take the time to truly understand your employees. Gather insights through employee engagement surveys, interviews, and feedback. Recognize their needs, desires, and pain points, and ensure these insights drive your map.
• DO define clear stages: Your map should be divided into clear, distinct stages. Start with the recruitment phase and then move through onboarding, professional development, and everyday work experiences. Clearly define the key milestones in each stage.
• DO include employee input: Employee involvement is paramount. Encourage your employees to participate in the mapping process. They can provide invaluable insights into their experiences and suggest improvements that can make the journey more engaging and fulfilling.
• DO align with company culture: Each stage of the journey should be intricately woven into your company's culture and values. It's crucial that employees feel connected to your organization's mission and vision throughout their journey.
• DO keep it dynamic: Employee journey mapping isn't a one-and-done exercise. It's a living, breathing document that should evolve with time. Regularly assess the effectiveness of each stage and make adjustments based on employee feedback and changing needs.
• DO measure outcomes: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge the success of your employee journey map. Are employees more engaged? Is turnover decreasing? Are you attracting top talent? Use measurable outcomes to evaluate the map's effectiveness.

The don'ts: Pitfalls to avoid

• DON'T make it too complex: Simplicity is your best friend. Avoid overcomplicating the mapping process. Keep it clear and easy to understand so that everyone in your organization can follow and benefit from it.
• DON'T neglect employee feedback: If you're not actively seeking employee input, you're missing out on a goldmine of insights. Neglecting their feedback can lead to an inaccurate representation of their experiences and needs.
• DON'T stick to the status quo: An employee journey map isn't effective if it merely replicates current processes. Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo and make necessary changes for a better employee experience.
• DON'T forget continuity: The journey shouldn't end with onboarding. It's a continuous process, and all stages should seamlessly connect. Don't isolate the onboarding process from daily work experiences; instead, ensure a smooth transition.
• DON'T set it in stone: An inflexible map can become a hindrance. Don't treat your employee journey map as a final, unchangeable document. Embrace adaptability and be open to refining and adjusting the journey as your organization grows.
• DON'T ignore data: Ignoring data is one of the gravest mistakes you can make. Employee journey mapping relies on insights and measurable outcomes. Neglecting the data you gather can lead to a skewed perception of your employees' experiences.

Here are the stages of the employee's journey, in brief:

• Application: If potential employees decide your organization is the right fit, they will typically apply for a position. This involves submitting a resume or application and potentially going through pre-employment screening and assessments.
• Interview: After submitting an application, the potential employee may be invited to interview for the position. This stage involves assessing the candidate's fit for the role and evaluating their skills and experience.
• Onboarding: If the candidate is selected for the position, they will move into the onboarding stage. This involves training and orientation to the company culture , policies, and procedures for the new employee.
• Development: Once an employee is onboarded, they will move into the development stage. This involves ongoing training and development to improve their skills and advance their career.
• Performance: The performance stage involves ongoing performance management, including setting goals, providing feedback , and evaluating performance.
• Recognition: Employees thrive on recognition , and it's important to make it a key stage in the employee journey. This includes both formal recognition programs and informal feedback and praise from managers and colleagues.
• Retention: The retention stage is where employees decide whether they want to stay with the organization or leave. During this stage, it's important to provide a positive workplace culture that values and respects employees.
• Career advancement: In the career advancement stage, employees seek opportunities for growth within the organization . This may involve taking on more responsibilities, pursuing promotions, or exploring lateral moves to develop new skills and expand their career horizons.
• Wellness and well-being: As employee well-being becomes a focal point for many organizations, a dedicated stage for wellness initiatives is crucial. This stage involves supporting employees' physical and mental health, providing resources for work-life balance, and promoting a culture of well-being.
• Separation: Finally, the separation stage involves an employee leaving the organization, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. This can involve offboarding, exit interviews , and evaluation of the employee's tenure with the company.

By understanding the stages of the employee journey, people leaders can better identify pain points and opportunities for improvement and create a positive and productive workplace culture that drives success.

Whether you're just starting or have been in the game for years, taking a strategic approach to the employee journey is key to achieving your HR goals . So, get out there and prioritise the employee journey in your organization.

So, what exactly is employee experience (EX)? In a nutshell, it's the collective impression your employees have of their time at your company. It's the sum of every interaction, from the first "You're hired!" to the farewell handshake. It's the vibe, the culture, the perks, and the way you support their growth.

Think about it. Imagine two companies side by side. One treats its employees like cherished family members, nurtures their talents, and offers a fantastic work environment. The other is all about squeezing every drop of productivity, ignoring well-being.

The first one? That's the kind of employee experience that leaves employees excited to show up each day. It fosters loyalty, sparks innovation, and boosts performance. The second one? Well, let's just say it might struggle with high turnover and disengaged employees .

Creating a positive employee experience isn't just a "nice-to-have" anymore; it's a strategic imperative. It involves understanding your team's needs, fostering a vibrant company culture, and investing in their development and well-being.

The key takeaway here is that employee experience goes way beyond the paycheck. It's about nurturing a work environment that makes people thrive, fosters their happiness, and, in return, drives your organization to greater heights.

The journey typically kicks off with the very first encounter, the recruitment phase. From there, it's a thrilling ride through onboarding, professional development, and everyday work experiences. It's the highs and lows, the laughter and challenges, all rolled into one grand story.

Creating an exceptional employee experience Journey isn't just a buzzword. It's a strategic move that can set your company apart. When your employees feel valued, engaged, and appreciated, they become your best brand advocates, boosting your reputation and attracting top talent.

Imagine your workplace as a theme park – you're the designer, and the employees are your guests. You get to create the rides, attractions, and overall ambiance. The more memorable and enjoyable the journey, the longer they'll stay on this thrilling ride with your company.

In a nutshell, the employee experience Journey is all about crafting a remarkable, fulfilling adventure for your employees. So, let's embark on this journey of creating a workplace where everyone feels like they're in the heart of an exhilarating adventure!

Mapping the employee experience is your secret recipe for a workplace where employees thrive and businesses flourish. So, get ready to set sail on this transformative journey to create an exceptional workplace experience.

Step 1: Define the stages

Begin by breaking down the employee journey into stages. Start with the recruitment and onboarding phase, move on to professional development, and finally, the ongoing work experience. Each stage has its unique challenges, goals, and opportunities to shape the employee's experience.

Step 2: Employee insights

Next, gather insights directly from your employees. Conduct surveys, interviews, and feedback sessions. Ask about their aspirations, and pain points on moments that matter to them. This not only helps you understand their perspective but also makes them feel heard and valued.

Step 3: Design the experience

With a deep understanding of each stage and employee insights, it's time to design the experience. This involves creating a clear path with defined touchpoints. For example, in the onboarding phase, ensure a warm welcome, comprehensive training, and a buddy system for support. Tailor each stage to align with your company's culture and values.

Step 4: Continuous improvement

The employee experience Journey isn't set in stone. It's a dynamic process that requires continuous improvement. Regularly assess the effectiveness of each stage, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments. This keeps your experience fresh, relevant, and aligned with your employees' evolving needs.

Creating an employee experience journey map can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With a little bit of planning and organization, you can create an effective employee journey map that will help you improve the overall employee experience in your organization.

Here are 5 pointers on how to create an employee experience journey map:

• Define your employee personas: To create an employee journey map, you need to understand your employees. Start by defining your employee personas. These are fictional representations of your employees based on characteristics such as their job title, department, age, gender, and experience.
• Visualize the journey: Create a visual representation once you've mapped out the employee journey. This can be a flowchart, a timeline, or any other visual that helps you understand the journey.
• Set goals: Set specific, measurable goals for improving the employee experience. This could include reducing turnover, increasing employee engagement , or improving the employee onboarding process.
• Develop a plan: Once you've identified areas for improvement and set goals, develop a plan to achieve them. This may involve making changes to processes, implementing new technologies, or providing additional training to employees.
• Test: Implement your plan and test the changes you've made to the employee experience. Collect feedback from employees to ensure that the changes are having a positive impact.

By following these 5 pointers, you can create an effective employee journey map that will help you identify areas for improvement and set goals to achieve them. Remember to continuously monitor and improve the employee experience to ensure that your organization is providing the best possible environment for its employees.

But what are the personas of employees?

Personas play a crucial role in employee journey mapping as they help create a clear picture of the employees going through different journey stages. A persona is a fictional character that represents a group of employees with similar goals, needs, and behavior patterns.

Creating personas for employee journey maps is crucial in ensuring you accurately map the employee experience.

Here are some pointers to create personas for employee journey mapping:

• Research: Start by researching your employees and gathering data on their needs, behaviors, and pain points. You can collect this data from surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Segment your employees: Based on the data collected, segment your employees into different groups with similar needs, behaviors, and pain points.
• Give them a name: Once you have segmented your employees, give each group a name that represents them.
• Create a backstory: Create a backstory for each persona that outlines their journey, starting from their first interaction with the company to their current stage.
• Identify their goals: Identify the goals and motivations of each persona. This will help you map out the touchpoints that can help them achieve their goals.
• Understand their pain points: Identify the pain points for each persona. This will help you map out the touchpoints that can alleviate their pain points.
• Add a face: Add a visual representation to each persona to make them feel more real.
• Use personas to create empathy: Use personas to create empathy among the team and to help them understand the needs and pain points of different employees.
• Continuously update personas: The needs and behaviors of employees change over time, so it’s important to continuously update your personas to ensure they accurately represent your employees.
• Use personas to guide decision-making: Use personas to guide decision-making throughout the employee journey mapping process. This ensures that decisions are made considering the employee’s needs and pain points.

By using personas, you can create a more accurate and empathetic employee journey map that will help you improve the overall employee experience.

Have you ever thought about the employee journey from the employee's perspective?

As people leaders, it's important for us to put ourselves in our employees' shoes and understand how they experience their journey within the company.

From the day they first apply for a job to their last day of work, every touchpoint an employee has with the organization can impact their overall experience. This includes the hiring process, onboarding, performance evaluations, and even their exit interview.

As employees, they want to feel valued, respected and appreciated for the work they do. They want to feel like they're part of a team that is working together to achieve common goals. They want to have the resources and support they need to perform their job to the best of their abilities.

However, there are also challenges that employees face, such as navigating complex processes, dealing with office politics, and managing work-life balance. These challenges can impact employee engagement , motivation, and overall employee satisfaction with their job.

By listening to our employees' feedback and concerns, we can identify areas of improvement and make changes to enhance their journey within the organization. This benefits the employees and leads to increased productivity , retention , and a better company culture overall.

"It's not the destination, it's the journey"? Well, in the world of employee experience , that journey is known as the employee journey map. And just like any journey, it's made up of various touchpoints that shape an employee's experience.

What are these touchpoints, you may ask? They're every interaction an employee has with the company, from the moment they first hear about the job opportunity to the day they leave the company. These touchpoints can be divided into three categories:

• Pre-hire touchpoints: This includes any interaction the employee has with the company before being hired, such as the application process, interviews, and pre-employment testing.
• Core touchpoints: These are the primary interactions employees have during their employment, including onboarding, training, performance reviews, and development opportunities.
• Post-employment touchpoints: Even after an employee leaves the company, there may still be interactions to consider, such as exit interviews, alumni networks, or opportunities for rehiring.
• Culture integration touchpoints: Culture integration touchpoints involve the ways employees become acclimated to the organization's culture. For example, this could include participation in company-wide events, team-building activities, or orientation sessions that emphasize the company's values and mission.
• Employee wellness program touchpoints: Employee wellness programs are a crucial touchpoint for promoting the well-being of your workforce. This includes initiatives like offering fitness classes, mental health resources, or wellness challenges that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Some examples of specific touchpoints to consider at each stage include:

• Pre-hire: Job postings, career fairs, recruiter emails, initial phone screens, skills assessments, and reference checks.
• Core: Onboarding materials, orientation sessions, team introductions, benefits enrollment, regular check-ins with managers, skills training, and company events.
• Post-employment: Exit surveys, alumni networks, rehiring programs, referrals, and employee retention programs to keep former employees engaged and connected to the company.
• Culture integration: As part of culture integration touchpoints, you could organize regular team-building events, such as off-site retreats or virtual team-building activities, to help employees connect with their colleagues and foster a sense of camaraderie. 
• Employee wellness programs: Wellness challenges, such as step competitions or nutrition initiatives, can encourage a healthy lifestyle, allowing employees to engage with and benefit from the company's wellness program.

By considering each touchpoint in the employee journey, companies can gain valuable insight into areas where they can improve the employee experience and opportunities to retain top talent and create a more positive workplace culture .

Employee journey mapping is a powerful tool to improve the overall employee experience and to identify areas for improvement in the HR department.

However, not all companies get it right. Here are some common mistakes that companies make while mapping the employee journey:

Skipping important touchpoints

Companies often forget to include critical touchpoints in the employee journey. These touchpoints can be small but essential in shaping the employee experience. For example, companies may forget to include touchpoints such as job offer acceptance, onboarding, or the first 90 days of employment.

Not involving employees

Employee journey mapping should be a collaborative effort between HR and employees. However, companies often forget to include employees in the process. By not involving employees, companies miss out on valuable insights that can help improve the overall employee experience.

Focusing on the positives only

Employee journey mapping should include both positive and negative experiences. Companies often make the mistake of only focusing on positive experiences, such as promotions or salary increases. However, it's equally important to identify negative experiences such as difficult coworkers, lack of recognition, or inadequate training.

Not linking to business outcomes

Employee journey mapping should be linked to business outcomes, such as employee engagement , retention, and productivity. Companies often forget to measure the impact of employee journey mapping on these critical business outcomes.

Assuming one size fits all

Employee journey map should be tailored to the needs of different employee personas. Companies often make the mistake of assuming that one size fits all. However, the employee experience varies based on the job role, department, and location.

Not prioritizing improvements

Employee journey maps should not just be a one-time exercise. Companies often make the mistake of not prioritizing improvements based on the impact they will have on the overall employee experience. Identifying quick wins and prioritizing improvements based on their impact on business outcomes is essential.

Not measuring success

Employee journey maps should be measured to track progress and identify areas for improvement continually. Companies often make the mistake of not measuring success, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of the employee journey map exercise.

Overcomplicating the process

Employee journey mapping should be a clear and straightforward process. However, some companies make the mistake of overcomplicating it with excessive detail or complex tools. This can lead to confusion and make it challenging to implement improvements effectively.

Neglecting technology

In the digital age, technology can streamline the employee journey mapping process and make it more accessible. Neglecting to use digital tools or software can be a significant oversight, as it can make data collection and analysis more efficient.

Lack of consistency

Consistency is crucial in mapping the employee journey, but some companies make the mistake of varying their approach for different departments or job roles. This inconsistency can result in an unequal employee experience, leading to disparities in engagement and satisfaction.

Not addressing turnover

Some companies focus solely on the current workforce and overlook the importance of understanding the journey of employees who have left the organization. Analyzing the reasons for their departure can provide valuable insights for reducing turnover in the future.

Ignoring the remote work experience

With the rise of remote work, it's essential to include touchpoints related to the remote employee experience in your journey map. Companies that fail to do this miss the opportunity to create a holistic employee journey that considers the unique needs of remote workers.

Companies need to avoid these common mistakes to create an employee journey map that truly reflects the employee experience and drives real results for the business.

Well, well, well, folks! We’ve come to the end of our journey mapping adventure. It’s time to put those maps to use and transform the employee experience. But wait, before you go, let me summarize the highlights of our journey together.

Firstly, we learned what employee journey mapping is and how it can improve the overall employee experience. We also explored the different stages of the employee journey and how to create an employee journey map.

We didn't forget about personas and how to incorporate them into our journey maps to make the employee experience more personal and relevant.

But wait, what about the mistakes companies often make? We can't forget those. We talked about the common mistakes companies make when mapping employee journeys so that you can avoid them and create a successful journey map.

Now, here’s where CultureMonkey comes in. The platform has everything you need to create a seamless employee experience journey map. With CultureMonkey, you can collect anonymous feedback at every stage of the employee lifecycle , identify gaps in your employee experience, and take action to improve the overall employee experience.

CultureMonkey offers a wide range of features, including pulse surveys , manager effectiveness surveys , eNPS , onboarding surveys, exit surveys, employee engagement surveys , and much more. With all these tools at your fingertips, you can take control of the employee experience and transform it into something amazing.

So there you have it - a complete guide to employee experience journey mapping. So take the time to understand their journey and use that knowledge to create a workplace they love. Happy mapping!

Employee experience journey mapping FAQs

How to design an employee journey map/steps to create an employee journey map.

To design an employee journey map, you should begin by identifying the employee journey stages, including pre-hire, onboarding, development, and separation. Then, create a list of touchpoints or interactions that an employee has with the organization at each stage. Finally, gather employee feedback through surveys , interviews, and focus groups to better understand their experiences.

What is experience journey mapping?

Experience journey mapping is the process of creating a visual representation of a person's journey as they interact with a company. It involves identifying all the touchpoints and interactions a person has with a company and mapping them out to understand the experience. The goal of experience journey mapping is to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Is Journey Mapping an Agile approach?

Employee Journey Mapping is not necessarily an Agile approach but can be used in Agile methodology. It involves visualizing an employee's experience with the organization and identifying touchpoints where the company can improve the employee's experience. The Agile approach focuses on iterative and collaborative work to deliver value to the end-users.

What is the difference between workflow and journey map?

A workflow is a visual representation of a specific process, while an employee journey map is a comprehensive illustration of an employee's overall experience within the organization. A workflow focuses on a specific set of tasks and their sequence, while an employee journey map tracks the employee's interactions and experiences at different touchpoints within the organization.

Employee journey examples

Employee journey examples include the different touchpoints and experiences an employee goes through while working for a company, such as the recruitment process, onboarding, training, performance reviews, and career development opportunities. Other examples can include employee benefits, work-life balance , and company culture . By mapping out these different touchpoints, companies can identify areas for improvement.

Santhosh is a Jr. Product Marketer with 2+ years of experience. He loves to travel solo (though he doesn’t label them as vacations, they are) to explore, meet people, and learn new stories.

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Employee experience vs employee engagement: What’s the difference?

Imagine employee engagement as the pulse of your organization. It's the excitement, motivation, and dedication your employees bring to the table. Alternatively, employee experience is all about the journey—the daily grind, the work culture, the tools and tech that make your employees' lives easier.

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7-Steps To A Perfect Employee Onboarding Process For New Hires & Best Onboarding Software Platforms In 2024

Let’s say it’s one of those massive warehouse stores. You’ve never been there before. You don’t even see a single sign. Most importantly, you don’t see a single person.

You don’t receive a greeting or hear those simple words you long for: Can I help you?

You’ve just experienced what it’s like to go through an inadequate, undeveloped, or inefficient company onboarding process .

If employees don’t get the information and enthusiasm they deserve shortly after they accept your employment offer, then they might do what disgruntled customers do every day and walk out without a backward glance.

So, how do you give new employees the experience they need to feel appreciated?

You establish an onboarding process that leads to bliss, job satisfaction, and long-term employee retention.

In a hurry? These are a few hand-picked tools for upgrading your recruiting and onboarding process:

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

What Is An Employee Onboarding Process?

An employee onboarding process is the systematic and purposeful transformation of promising candidates into top-performing employees.

By carefully planning onboarding steps, companies give new employees the information, relationships, and tools they need to be comfortable and confident enough to do outstanding work.

The transformation begins during recruitment, as candidates imagine working for your company. It accelerates upon offer acceptance when a candidate first becomes an employee. It culminates in the employee’s critical first days and weeks on the job, as they (with hope) build strong bonds with their new teammates.

Most importantly, the onboarding experience echoes throughout an employee’s tenure at your company, sometimes setting the tone for their entire career .

A bad experience can lead to early departures and high employee turnover. A good experience can kick off long-term happiness.

Once you’re done reading through our article, get additional onboarding and employee engagement ideas from The Assist — a free weekly email for professionals full of actionable workplace culture, productivity, and leadership inspo.

“One thing The Assist has helped me immensely with is keeping our company culture alive during this new shift to hybrid work. It is important for us to have a team who is happy and healthy and The Assist has provided tons of options to help make that possible for our team.” -Julie P. Executive Assistant, Classcraft

Employee Onboarding Process Steps

Like any other complex process, successful onboarding demands well-documented and deliberate steps. Use the steps below as the foundation for your process. Layer it with substeps specific to your company culture to build a unique onboarding experience reflective of your company personality.

👉 Click to see to our favorite employee onboarding software platforms

Step 1: New Employee Recruitment

Critical goal: Your recruitment practices should leave employees with a clear sense of what your company wants in a role and also who you are as a company—your missions, values, culture, and people.

Best practices:

• Review your websites, job descriptions, interview questions —every possible prospective employee touchpoint you can think of—for clarity, accuracy, and tone.
• Give prospective employees a task or test so you can see how they work and they can see how you expect them to work.
• Be transparent about company policies that deeply impact employees, including scheduling policies, remote work policies , and vacation policies.
• Review your employment processes, procedures, and policies with your internal human resources team or with outside help from Bambee HR .

Quick tip! One of our favorite tools is SparkHire which helps you save time in the hiring process with a video interview platform that makes it easy to screen candidates, interview applicants remotely, and maximize those crucial first days of the recruitment process.

Step 2: First Office Visit

Critical goal: Provide a transparent glimpse of a day in the life at your office.

Compatibility with the work environment has a major, everyday impact on employees. Workspace compatibility could even indicate a candidate’s overall compatibility with your company culture and work styles.

• Show candidates where they will work (and what equipment they will use to complete their work).
• Give candidates a full view of the kitchen. (Including the rotating cleaning “privilege” list if you have one!)
• Slowly guide them through the office. Give them a chance to look around and ask questions so they know you have nothing to hide.
• Introduce them to everyone you pass.
• Show them practical spaces that may not be exciting, but that they will likely see every day. (Think: parking lots and garages, restrooms, elevators, and supply rooms.)

Step 3: Sending an Offer Letter

Critical goal: Convey your appreciation and delight that your rock-star candidate picked you—probably out of a long list of other potential employers.

While the extension of a job offer certainly implies that you value your new hire and their talents, you shouldn’t count on the offer alone to build warmth and excitement. Nothing truly drives the sentiment that you can’t wait to work with someone home like a thoughtful message.

• Send your new hire a message in BambooHR  to tell them how excited you are that they accepted your offer.
• Clearly outline top-level job responsibilities, requirements, and expectations. (The offer letter may be your last chance to prevent surprises before candidates officially join the team.)

Step 4: Early Onboarding For New Employees

Critical goal: Get the candidate excited while simultaneously affirming they’ve made the right choice to take a chance on a new job.

Onboarding officially starts when your candidate signs the offer letter. The 2-3 week window between offer acceptance and the start date presents a crucial engagement opportunity. Make the most of it. (Trust us, your new hires will appreciate it.)

Pro-Tip: On their first day, set up your new employee with a dedicated welcome kit! Loaded with high quality company swag and office supplies, your new hire will have everything they need to ‘hit the ground running.’ You can even work with a dedicated vendor like SwagMagic , who will ship welcome kits straight to remote employees’ homes to open on their first day on the job!

• Encourage hiring managers to take ownership of the candidate’s experience and focus on getting their newest employee excited.
• An itinerary for the first week (at least)
• Their company email address and phone number, along with access details for your company’s communication tools
• A checklist of assignments and goals for the first week (at least)
• Access credentials for communications tools or work management hubs, such as monday.com .
• Information (and preferably pictures, videos, or Standard Operations Procedures ) highlighting your work anniversary celebrations and other events unique to your company.
• Ask the new hire’s immediate team to send a welcome email featuring quotes about why they love working at the company or why they’re excited to work with the new hire.
• Reach out to invite and address any of the new hire’s questions or concerns.
• Have the team make a welcome video. Get inspiration, and also a resource for making your video, from the team at Vidyard .

Step 5: Welcoming New Hires on Day 1

Critical goal: Deliver a personal experience that helps the new hire feel welcomed and appreciated. Planning for plenty of personal meetings with new coworkers makes that first day feel personal instead of over-planned.

• 30 minutes the first thing in the morning for a welcome
• 30 minutes at the end of the day for a debrief
• Schedule a team lunch or virtual lunch with the new hire’s immediate team. Keep this lunch dedicated to informal small talk and not work details. ( Boost the get-to-know-you factor of your lunch with a quiz from Quizbreaker or Water Cooler Trivia . )
• Give new hires a welcome kit full of branded swag, such as apparel and office supplies, customized with your company’s brand, colors, and logos.
• Make their first team meeting memorable by kicking it off with a get-to-know-you icebreaker. You can also take the guesswork out of this onboarding activity by providing meeting attendees with a one-of-a-kind Icebreaker Box — packed full of delicious snacks, icebreaker questions and customizable greeting cards.
• Supply videos, web pages, or other documentation that features leadership presentations, your company’s mission, history, and other stories that bring your organization to life.

Step 6: Onboarding and Orienting New Employees in the First Weeks

Critical goal: Help new employees understand what’s expected of them in their new role and also envision future possibilities.

Humans by nature like to look ahead. We like to plan for, anticipate, and straight-up daydream about what’s coming and what might be. If you can get new employees excited to imagine their future roles at your company, then you’re well on the way to high employee retention . To make that future possible, investing extra time in those first few weeks of employee onboarding can help build that foundation for them at your company.

• Send out an epic new hire announcement .
• Schedule “meet and greets” with collaborators and teams across the company.
• Schedule “meet and greets” with company leaders or top performers (including your most recent employee of the month ) so new hires can hear their stories and learn from their experiences.
• Establish a list of regular tasks, goals for the first year, stretch goals, and key performance indicators.
• Provide information about the growth potential for their specific position or upward mobility at the company in general. If someone was promoted from the new hire’s position, have that person share some insight about their experience.

Step 7: Ongoing Employee Engagement & Team Building

Critical goal: Provide opportunities for new employees to build key relationships. While you can’t participate in socializing and networking for your new hire, you can certainly speckle your onboarding experience with ample opportunities for newbies to make connections across the office.

• Organize team-building events with the help of The Go Game .
• Complete 1-week, 30-day, and 60-day pulse check-ins to find out how new hires feel overall and also find out if they have the specific support, resources, and equipment they need to work efficiently and effectively.
• Ask direct managers to establish a regular check-in schedule—a long-term must-do for all employees.
• Randomly pair the new employee with people across the company for virtual coffee meetings. (If your company uses Slack, then the Donut integration makes this task easy.)
• Offer plenty of recognition, using a platform like Bonusly , for any completed tasks and accomplished goals.
• Create and send a candidate experience survey through Leapsome so you know how your program is performing.

Pro-Tip: If you’re looking for more creative employee onboarding ideas, check out The Assist The Assist is a free weekly email for professionals full of actionable workplace culture, productivity, and leadership inspo.

18 Best Onboarding Software Platforms And New Hire Tools

Consider employee onboarding software and resources your greatest allies in the mission to deliver the best new hire experience imaginable. These onboarding tools help take some of the logistical burdens away from you and your team.

1) Greenhouse

Greenhouse is an applicant tracking system (ATS) that helps you create a more organized and efficient onboarding process for your new hires. It features automated emails to ensure each step of the onboarding process is handled, from paperwork to onboarding calls – all with the click of a button.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: With Greenhouse, you can establish goals for onboarding and monitor how well your new hires are meeting their onboarding milestones. This adds more accountability to ensure that your new employees are fully assimilated into the office culture as soon as possible.

2) BambooHR

BambooHR helps you manage the entire onboarding process. It integrates with your existing HR system and delivers a streamlined experience to make it easier for new hires to get up and running quickly.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: This software offers an all-in-one solution for managing the onboarding process. This includes onboarding forms, document storage, and tracking, as well as checklists to keep everything organized from start to finish.

Bonusly is a recognition platform that makes it easy and fun for employees to applaud each others’ achievements and ideas. Companies have used Bonusly to—without sending employees constant reminders and nudges—create thriving recognition programs that never once feel obligatory.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: When a new hire gets a public reward, everyone can see it and buzz about it. Therefore with just one act of recognition, a new employee can feel seen and appreciated across the entire company.

4) ClearCompany

ClearCompany is a talent management platform that improves the entire employee lifecycle from the very first steps of recruiting all the way to the performance of new hires. Their mission is to create an engaging onboarding experience where both you and your new employee are 100% happy with the process.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: Their digital onboarding packets make it efficient to send and transmit information across your business and allow you to onboard remote employees quickly and easily.

5) monday.com

monday.com is an all-in-one platform that streamlines the hiring process. The “CRM for HR professionals,” this customizable software helps employees transition seamlessly into their new positions.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: On monday.com , HR professionals can stay on top of potential candidates with recruitment pipelines, provide interactive onboarding templates, and plan engagement activities all in one convenient place.

6) Rippling

Enter in some basic hiring information and watch Rippling set up a full onboarding program for your new employee in ninety seconds. Great for small and medium-sized businesses, this HR solution does away with complicated and unnecessary steps to bring your company the only onboarding tool you need.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: Since Rippling automates the process for payroll, benefits, devices, apps, and important documents — anyone at the company can use Rippling. You no longer have to rely on HR to handle every step of the way, since Rippling’s easy-to-use platform can be used by anyone to better manage the onboarding process.

7) Teamwork

An onboarding task management and time analysis solution, Teamwork helps you to track and monitor the individual steps within the new hire onboarding process. Allowing you to optimize your most valuable resource: time.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: It helps new employees understand productivity expectations and provides transparency into their preferences and habits from day one.

Remote is a global platform for distributed teams. Access the kind of talent you are looking for with an HR platform that makes it easy to onboard, pay, and engage with remote employees and contractors.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: This onboarding tool makes it possible to work with employees in other countries through a seamless tool that takes all the legal and operational complexities of dealing with multiple countries and remote employees and reduces it to one simple invoice.

9) The Go Game

The Go Game will plan and host virtual and in-person team-building events for you, and they’ll do it with expert attention to relationship-building detail. During each experience, expert event hosts lead and listen, finding and feeding conversational sparks every chance they get.

Their expert approach to events leads to unforgettable fun, and more importantly, lasting and authentic connections.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: On-demand team building events that transform newbies into members of your work family.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: Wearing company colors, like wearing team colors, will help new hires feel a priceless sense of belonging your veteran employees know and love.

Caroo upgrades your onboarding process via its employee care platform that makes it possible to introduce new hires with curated welcome kits and work from home care packages. They utilize a mix of premium swag, useful office supplies, and healthy snacks to provide employees with an exceptional experience from their very first day.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: With their focus on automation, hiring manager, office managers, and chiefs of staff can handle a crucial aspect of onboarding with ease. Caroo supports your onboarding process and gives your new hires a memorable first day wherever they are in the world!

12) Freshworks

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: For a growing business, Freshworks might just be the perfect onboarding tool for HR. With Freshteam, you can recruit, hire and onboard new hires, offboard exiting employees, manage employee information, and time off – all in one place.

13) Confetti

Confetti makes it easy to plan all the details of any experience you choose, so you can focus on socializing and having fun.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: Whether you’re scouring your city during a fast-paced scavenger hunt or laughing hysterically during a virtual drawing game, the good times you have will bolster team camaraderie in the long term.

14) QuizBreaker

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: It speeds up the get-to-know-you process, helping new hires share facts about themselves while also learning a ton about their new co-workers. The personal information you can pick up through one quiz might otherwise take years of office cohabitation to acquire.

15) Water Cooler Trivia

Water Cooler Trivia is an online trivia interface. Easily create and distribute quizzes and then peruse the results to learn fun facts about co-workers.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: When co-workers, especially new co-workers, do trivia together, they learn tons about one another. Learn who has a photographic memory for science facts or who stays up to date with all the current events.

16) Sapling

Sapling is all about the people. As a People Operations Platform, Sapling makes it possible to automate your people workflows so that you can focus on creating a positive employee experience and not have to worry about how to house crucial employee data.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: You can find the right people for your company with a tool that is intuitive and trusted by companies whether you need to hire 5 people or 1500.

Bambee can match you with skilled human resources experts who can help you develop and refine your onboarding process while also making sure you understand and comply with employment regulations.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan:  The benefits of a dedicated HR professional who can help you make sure you’re completing all the nice-to-have and need-to-have onboarding steps.

18) Enboarder

Enboarder is an online onboarding platform that aims to streamline processes and make traditional and remote onboarding more enjoyable and fulfilling for everyone involved.

The platform lets companies dive deeper than ever into the new hire journey so they can pinpoint ways to build thriving relationships.

What this onboarding program adds to your new hire plan: This onboarding tool helps teams visualize and analyze the new hire experience from multiple angles, making it easier to improve and build effective onboarding programs that achieve maximum engagement.

New Hire Checklist

A new hire onboarding checklist is an online or physical document that outlines every step HR specialists or hiring managers should take to welcome and orient new hires .

We’ve divided our new hire checklist into administrative steps and relationship steps to make it useful for multiple stakeholders involved in your onboarding program.

Find a remote-specific onboarding checklist here .

Phase 1: New Employee Recruitment

Administrative:.

• Communicate role expectations.
• Communicate company policies.
• Review and refine the language across all prospective employee touchpoints, including websites and job postings.

Relationship:

• Communicate company mission, values, and culture.
• Explain the hiring process and timeline so candidates know when they will be contacted for the next steps or receive a friendly “pass” email, thanking them for their time.

Phase 2: First Office Visit

• Tour all the spaces employees would likely see every day, including their work environment, kitchens, break rooms, parking lots and garages, restrooms, elevators, and supply rooms.)
• Introduce them to future co-workers and anyone you pass during the office visit.

Phase 3: Sending An Offer Letter

• Clearly outline top-level job responsibilities, requirements, and expectations.
• Complete salary negotiations.
• Establish a start date.
• Send new hires a message to tell them how excited you are that they accepted your offer.

Phase 4: Early Onboarding For New Employees

• Legal forms
• Banking form for payroll/direct deposit
• Retirement plan enrollment forms
• Health plan enrollment forms
• Share role-relevant information and documentation, training materials, and itineraries.
• Share access information for company tools and resources for communication, including emails and phone numbers.
• Prepare the new employee’s workspace or ship company-provided equipment if you work remotely.
• Information (and preferably pictures or videos) highlighting your work anniversary celebrations and other events unique to your company.

Phase 5: Welcoming New Hires on Day 1

• Review all policy documentation (vacation or sick leave, for example) you may already have provided and take questions.
• Schedule a team lunch or virtual lunch with the new hire’s immediate team. Keep this lunch dedicated to informal small talk and not work details. (Boost the get-to-know-you factor of your lunch with a quiz from Quizbreaker or Water Cooler Trivia .)
• Give new hires a welcome package full of branded swag , such as apparel and office supplies, customized with your company’s brand, colors, and logos.

Phase 6: Onboarding And Orienting New Employees In The First Weeks

• Establish and discuss key goals and stretch goals and learning points. Make sure employees have a list of regular tasks, goals, stretch goals, and key performance indicators.
• Relay performance and company-wide review expectations and policies
• Provide information about the growth potential for their specific position and the company in general.
• Explain the steps of your new employee orientation process, if applicable.
• Explain the steps of your new employee training process, if applicable.
• Schedule meet and greets with other collaborators and team members across the company.
• Schedule meet and greets with company leaders or top performers (including your most recent employee of the month) tell their stories and share experiences.

Phase 7: Ongoing Employee Engagement & Team Building

• Complete 1 week, 30-day, and 60-day pulse checks to find out how new hires feel overall and make sure they have the specific support, resources, and equipment they need.
• Create and send a candidate experience survey so you know how your onboarding program is performing.
• Organize team-building events with the help of Go Game or Outback Team Building .
• Randomly pair the new employee with people across the company for virtual coffees. (If your company uses Slack, then the Donut integration makes this task easy.)

New Employee Onboarding Tips & Tricks

New employee onboarding is a living process, primed for constant tweaking and improvement. Consider these tips as you’re determining how to add to and streamline your process.

1) Carefully document your processes so you can define and enhance every aspect of your company’s onboarding program.

2) Collect feedback from everyone involved in the onboarding process, including new hires, hiring managers, and even co-workers, to get ideas for improvement and ROI calculations .

3) Use emotional intelligence , in addition to more formal onboarding surveys and pulse checks, to judge how the process is going and adjust to give different employees what they need to feel welcomed.

4) Rely on disciplined scheduling , especially if your team is remote and you can no longer count on interactions and relationship-building to happen by chance.

5) Don’t be afraid to involve multiple people in the onboarding process. If you know someone who would get along well with the new hire, go ahead and introduce them.

6) Make the experience personal . Listen carefully, remember key details, and be perfectly honest throughout the entire process,

7) Help new remote employees understand your company culture . Share everything you can think of: your employee handbook, past presentations, company value literature, and photos and videos featuring bosses, and virtual team members.

8) Invite new hires to shadow people across the company to give them a big-picture view of processes and capabilities.

9) Recognize new hires for accomplishments and ideas early on.

10) Find out what new hires want to learn about and connect them with experts within your company or point to possible training opportunities.

If you know any more tips or tricks to onboarding new employees, please share with us in the comments!

People Also Ask These Questions About An Employee Onboarding Process

Q: why is a new hire onboarding process important.

• A: A new hire onboarding process is important because it sets the tone for the entire employee-employer relationship. The onboarding experience can ultimately determine if that relationship will be fruitful or painful. This post has tips on how to get it right.

Q: What are the benefits of having a new hire checklist?

• A: A new hire checklist allows you to prepare for the onboarding process and guide the new hire every step of the way. It should be a living document that constantly evolves based on what you learn with each successive new employee. The goal is to moderately improve the new hire checklist. This documented process will grow and develop over time just as you do.

Q: How long does the onboarding process take?

• A: The onboarding process takes about four months. Specific onboarding steps start during new hire recruitment and end at a 90-day review or check-in. In general, most companies see onboarding as a cyclical process with continuous effort across multiple employee touchpoints, from recruitment to employee appreciation.

Q: What is a new hire onboarding checklist?

• A: A new hire onboarding checklist is an online or physical document that outlines every step HR specialists or hiring managers should take to welcome and orient new hires.

Q: How do I know if my new onboarding process is effective?

• A: Find out if your new onboarding process is effective by sending a candidate experience survey and carefully reviewing the results. You can also conduct onboarding pulse checks in the weeks and months following new hire start dates.

Q: What are some onboarding process best practices?

• A: Some onboarding process best practices include encouraging hiring managers to take ownership of the candidate’s experience, providing opportunities for new employees to build key relationships, and articulating heartfelt excitement to have the new employee on your team. Find more best practices and effective onboarding steps here .

Q: Is there a good new employee onboarding process checklist that I can use?

• A: You can find a new employee onboarding process checklist in this post . This checklist includes the administrative tasks you must do and the relationship-building steps you should do.

Q: What makes a good onboarding experience?

• A: Balancing information with excitement and relationship building makes a good onboarding experience. By carefully planning onboarding steps, companies can give new employees the information, relationships, and tools they need to be comfortable and confident enough to do outstanding work.

Q: How do you make an onboarding process fun?

• A: Make an onboarding process fun by involving your people. Plan a mix of formal meetings and casual events to introduce new hires to potential role models, to people you think they might get along with, and people they’ll be working with on a regular basis.

Q: How can I make an employee’s first day memorable?

• A: Make an employee’s first day memorable by getting personal. Before the first day, reach out (and ask others to reach out) to tell the new hire why you’re all so excited to have them on board. New hires will never forget this truly personal welcome. Find more tips for establishing an onboarding process that makes employees feel welcome here .

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Your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job, Keep it up.

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very nice blog. We all know that a good employee can improve the organization growth. But how will we can get a good employee by recruiting method. By this blog It will help the recruiter to recruit new employee in their company.

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Employee Journey Mapping: Ultimate Guide

You found our ultimate guide to employee journey mapping .

Employee journey mapping refers to the process of charting an employee’s tenure with a company, beginning from when the individual applies for the job and concluding when the employee leaves the organization. Examples of milestones include onboarding, feedback, and training. The employee journey encompasses the experiences between the beginning and the end of an employee’s tenure. Employee journey mapping allows you to provide the groundwork for a satisfying work experience for your staff.

These ideas are related to  employee engagement best practices , employee satisfaction , professional development best practices , and worker retention tips .

This article includes:

• definition of employee journey mapping
• employee journey mapping stages
• employee journey map examples
• employee journey touchpoints

Here we go!

Definition of employee journey mapping

Employee journey mapping is a strategic process companies use to understand, analyze, and optimize the entire lifecycle of an employee. This process involves creating a visual representation of the employee’s experience, from the initial contact during recruitment to their exit or retirement. This map highlights key touchpoints, interactions, and emotions experienced by employees at each stage of their journey.

The primary goal of employee journey mapping is to identify pain points and areas for improvement in the employee experience. By visualizing this journey, organizations can gain valuable insights into how to improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. This process also helps align HR with organizational goals, ensuring the employee experience supports the company’s mission.

To create an employee journey map, firms collect data through surveys, interviews, and feedback from employees at various stages of their employment. This data is then used to create a detailed and actionable roadmap for improving the overall employee experience. Employee journey mapping is an ongoing process, helping organizations adapt to changing employee needs. In addition, this process lets firms regularly refine their strategies to create a more positive and fulfilling work environment.

Employee’s journey mapping stages

he employee journey map helps companies better appraise the value of an employee’s work and the time spent at an organization. The following are the stages of an employee journey map.

1. Recruiting and Sourcing

When an applicant applies for a position, it is the first time they interact with the organization. Therefore, this stage is one of the most critical steps that demand proper planning and recording. An employer should try to provide the best image to potential candidates and create a more favorable environment for new hires to begin their careers.

The company writes up a thorough job description, including any prerequisite skills or experience, and applicants who follow the proper channels know precisely where they are at any time throughout the hiring process. Since this point of contact may mark the final stop on the trip maps for many workers, the touchpoint must be engaging. Such workers may keep an eye out for opportunities in the future and reapply if they are a good fit.

2. Onboarding

As a result of the efforts put into the onboarding process, employees have a better experience throughout their journey with the company and are more productive. Employees’ first few months on the job are crucial to their overall experience. The mapping helps ensure that employees fit right into the organization’s culture, get all the tech and accessories they need for work, and be able to ask questions when confused. Companies can improve the employee onboarding process to improve their interaction with new staff members.

​Here is a list of  onboarding best practices .

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3. Employee Development, Education, and Training

The practice of investing in employee training and development is ongoing. However, employees may express dissatisfaction due to a lack of opportunities to improve in their careers and learn new skills. Although the firm may try to provide a pleasant working environment for its employees, if it fails to provide adequate training and orientation, those workers may seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Many businesses have coordinated strategies for the first 30 to 90 days of a new hire, but such firms still have much to offer over time. The most successful businesses provide employees with a clear path to promotion and growth at every stage of their employment.

​Read about the  importance of professional development .

4. Career Progression

Career progression refers to employees advancing and growing within an organization. Members will likely move from one role or position to another, typically with increased responsibilities, authority, and compensation. This process is an important piece of employee development and retention, as it provides a clear career path. Career progression involves various elements, including promotions, lateral moves, skill development, and mentorship. Organizations that effectively support and facilitate career progression retain top talent and create a motivated and engaged workforce.

5. Engagement and Communication

A business should ensure employee journey touchpoints maximize productivity, encourage consistency, and keep workers engaged. The organization should establish a reliable communication method that allows employees to voice their opinions and concerns. Employees need a safe space to discuss topics that affect their output, such as feelings of isolation and despair, workplace politics, and personal matters.

​Examples of these channels include:

• ​one-on-one meetings
• ​performance reviews
• ​employee surveys
• ​peer-to-peer reviews
• ​water cooler chats

In addition, it helps when management devises tactics to motivate employees and maintain a personal and physical connection to the business.

6. Rewards and Recognition

Most employees like appreciation. Employee recognition is an integral part of the employee journey to maintain a loyal and productive workforce. Recognitions often include personal milestones like anniversaries, birthdays, or any professional success. The acknowledgments motivate employees to demonstrate good conduct, consequently helping to strengthen the overall work culture.

Workers also like recognition for a job well done. Rewarding workers with a meal out, bonus, cake, basket, or gift card can be useful when plotting out an employee’s journey within the company.

​Check out this  list of employee recognition program ideas .

7. Performance Evaluation and Feedback

Regular employee performance evaluation and feedback are essential in any business. An employee’s performance evaluation should highlight both strengths and areas for development. Unfortunately, many companies are behind the times when it comes to their feedback culture. Some firms conduct performance reviews merely as a necessity or fail to be thorough with the process.

Multiple studies show that workers look forward to receiving positive feedback from their bosses. With this information, employees may evaluate the quality of their output. The who, what, when, where, how, and why of an employee’s performance should also be at the center of a feedback form.

​This phase of the journey map should answer questions like:

• Who is offering feedback?
• Where will employees get the review and feedback?
• What is the effect of the feedback on employee output?
• What is the nature of the feedback?
• How often is the performance evaluation?
• Why the feedback?

When mapping the employee journey, it is vital to include specifics about how and when employees will get feedback on their performance.

​Here is a  list of tips for giving employee feedback .

8. Offboarding

The time eventually comes for every worker to leave every organization through termination, retirement, or resignation. By managing this transition properly, companies can ensure their former employees return to work for the company or promote it to their contacts. For example, if an employee had a good offboarding experience, they are three times more likely to promote the company to others than if they had a neutral or bad one, as reported by Gallup .

Many departing workers often desire to get acknowledgment from their employer and to discuss their experiences there openly. This information can help you develop a plan for improving the experience of the replacement employee. For instance, if the worker’s hopes for the position differed from the job’s realities, this information can help you create a more detailed job description.

Various employees will reach different destinations at the end of the road. For example, a worker who has spent decades with the same company may be thinking about retiring. A departure might also be in search of a new position. At this point, you should consider how the worker’s departure affects the workforce. This aspect of the employee journey mapping ensures that the departing worker’s knowledge gets passed to other staff members. You will also think of ways to share the news with other workers.

9. Alumni Engagement

Alumni engagement involves maintaining relationships with former employees or “alumni” of an organization. These individuals may have left the company for various reasons, such as retirement, pursuing other opportunities, or life changes. Despite leaving the firm, these former workers can still play a valuable role in the organization’s network. Alumni engagement programs aim to keep these individuals connected to the company’s community and brand. This step can include activities like alumni newsletters, events, networking opportunities, or even rehiring initiatives. Engaging with alumni fosters a sense of belonging and goodwill well beyond employment. This process can also lead to potential rehires, referrals, or even business partnerships in the future, making it a strategic element of talent management.

The importance of employee journey mapping

For big firms, an employee’s story may go through the cracks easily since supervisors and team leaders are either too busy or uninformed of the possible difficulties that might arise at crucial points in the employee’s career. For instance, a direct supervisor may not know that one of their new hires needs additional help as they begin their career path. The following are some of the importance of employee journey mapping.

1. Better Knowledge of Pain Points

Identifying pain points means finding the parts of an employee’s journey where they face problems or feel unhappy. These problems can workers them frustrated or dissatisfied. When organizations find these pain points, they can figure out what is wrong and work toward improvements. This process helps employees have a smoother and happier experience overall. Organizations need to gather information and feedback to discover these issues and fix them. This way, employees will be more satisfied and want to stay in their roles or come back.

2. Increased Employee Satisfaction

One of the most critical factors in creating a successful business is making sure your employees are happy. Having employees that treat their jobs as a calling is a sure sign that you are on the right track. If workers believe their bosses care deeply about them, they are more likely to find satisfaction in their work. Showing your employees that you appreciate them by mapping their journeys and enhancing their experience at work is a way to earn their loyalty and devotion.

​Here are  job satisfaction statistics .

3. More Positive Work Culture

Running a business is not about the individuals but the teams. If any of its workers start thinking about improving themselves alone, this might signal a red flag. The success of every business depends on the quality of the relationships between its management and its employees. The employee journey mapping keeps your employees tight-knit and helps create a positive work culture.

​Read this guide on creating a  positive working culture .

4. Lower Employee Turnover

When workers are happy in their jobs, they do not consider looking elsewhere. Studies show that turnover is lower in companies that invest in their employee’s professional development and look out for their staff. Employee journey mapping might assist a company in deciding when and what training its staff needs. Management might use maps to plot out training programs for employees.

​Learn about the  reasons for employee turnover .

How to create employee journey maps

When looking for employee journey map examples, it is important to understand the steps that go into this process. The following are the stages of developing an employee journey map.

1. Determine the Map Type

Due to your pivotal position in ensuring a positive employee experience, you should also oversee the mapping process. You should first decide what type of map you want to make. It is necessary to determine your motivations for using employee mapping. You can get managers’ input to create a comprehensive strategy.

An excellent way to start is to draw a rough outline and then consider how you may proceed with the actual mapping. The map can be flexible enough to make changes as you go along. For example, you can ensure the map includes all the key places employees interact with the company. After deciding on the touchpoints you want to include, you can return and make the necessary adjustments to the template.

2. Develop the Persona

To begin creating the employee journey map, you must first divide your workforce into subsets. The experiences of workers in different departments, in particular, will vary greatly. You can find out what works and then make a template for it. For instance, the journey of a sales team will vary greatly from that of the IT department. Further, a new hire will have a distinct set of experiences than a long-tenured worker. Thus, it is crucial to make subsets before developing templates. It is not necessary to create a unique map for each worker. However, you can sort employees by personas to make the process easy.

3. Determine the Measurement Metrics

Part of the employee journey map is settling on a set of measures to evaluate the collected qualitative and quantitative information. Due to the large number of teams involved, individual workers will get feedback from different groups. Team roles may include recruitment, orientation, or training. Accordingly, there has to be a standard unit of performance metrics. The feedback method may be either numerical or free-form, requiring workers to answer questions.

4. Gather Data

Gathering data is the crucial first step in creating an employee journey map. The process involves collecting information from a variety of sources. This data helps companies gain insights into the experiences, perceptions, and needs of employees throughout their tenure in the organization. Firms can collect this information through employee surveys, interviews, focus groups, HR records, performance evaluations, and feedback mechanisms. By collecting and analyzing this data, organizations can uncover patterns, pain points, and opportunities for improvement. This information helps organizations make informed decisions and design effective solutions that improve the overall employee experience.

5. Design Solutions

Designing solutions is the phase where organizations develop strategies, interventions, and initiatives to improve employee experiences. These strategies aim to address the pain points and challenges identified in the employee journey. Finding solutions involves brainstorming creative and practical approachesto enhance the employee experience. These solutions may include improvements in HR policies, training programs, communication channels, work processes, and employee benefits. Effective solution design requires collaboration among various departments and stakeholders. This communication ensures the proposed changes align with organizational goals and are feasible to implement. The goal is to create tangible and actionable plans that will improve employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

6. Keep the Map Updated

The employee journey map is a continuous process. Many changes will occur over time, and your map should reflect them. For instance, if there is a major disruption across an organization’s primary touchpoints, then it is important to monitor developments and include any necessary adjustments into the map.

An organization may handle in-process adjustments, infrastructure development, improved communication, and policy modifications with employee data. Employers may better understand their employees’ needs and develop strategies to meet them by mapping out the whole employee experience. The purpose of creating an employee journey map is to document the worker’s experience as they go through their employment.

Open conversations about workers’ experiences and pain points are a great way to lay a strong groundwork for the future. You can use the employee’s persona to map the employee’s path within the business. Establishing the organization’s core values is the first step in developing a comprehensive picture. Next, you can find out what resources are available to workers and use that information to inform your mapping process.

Next, check out these lists of  employee engagement statistics  and books on the employee experience .

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FAQ: Employee journey mapping

Here are frequently asked questions about employee journey mapping.

What is employee journey mapping?

Employee journey mapping is a visual depiction of the events that occur during an employee’s time working for a company. The map shows the complete scope of your employees’ interactions with your business.

How do you map the employee journey?

You can map an employee journey by establishing the objectives of the process and creating an outline. The process includes developing personas, discovering critical touchpoints, and getting employee feedback. Then, you can use the information obtained to update the map continuously.

Why is employee journey mapping important?

Employee journey mapping helps to improve employee experience, boost satisfaction in the workplace, and build a positive work culture. The map also increases retention rates and lowers employee turnover.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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Onboarding: The Key to Elevating Your Company Culture

Learn how to build an onboarding process that drives a high-performance culture.

Company culture is one of the most potent differentiators an organization has. Competitors can adopt the same strategies and sell similar products and services, but no two cultures are identical. Organizations that rank in the top quartile for culture in McKinsey & Company's Organizational Health Index generate 60 percent higher returns than those that rank in the middle two quartiles—and 200 percent higher than those in the bottom quartile.

"Company culture" can be defined as a collection of shared employee habits and beliefs—it's how people do things and why they do them that way. Human capital is one of the most important factors in establishing corporate culture . That means CHROs can and should play a key role in building high-performance cultures—and they should start by looking at new employee onboarding.

Onboarding is where new employees learn the company's culture, and they'll carry these lessons into their roles. By designing effective onboarding programs that reinforce the right values and practices, CHROs can help create and maintain strong company cultures. 

The Benefits of Best-in-Class Onboarding—and the Downsides of a Subpar Process

Best-in-class onboarding has a host of proven benefits.

• Increased retention : A Click Boarding study found employees are 58 percent more likely to stay with a company for three years if they have a structured onboarding experience .
• I ncreased productivity : The same study found new hires are 50 percent more productive when they go through standardized onboarding.
• Higher employee engagement : A Gallup report found employees who had a great onboarding experience are 2.6 times more likely to be " extremely satisfied " at work.
• Shorter time-to-productivity : Effective onboarding can shave months off a new hire's time-to-productivity, according to a SHRM Foundation guide.

On the flip side, subpar onboarding can lead to problems. Employees need onboarding to properly acclimate to their new work environment. This process is critical for retention because 91 percent of new hires say they will quit a new job in the first month if it doesn't align with their expectations.

How Does a Strong Onboarding Program Drive Culture?

Best-in-class onboarding programs include the following features:

• A long-term, structured journey.
• Alignment between onboarding culture and company culture.
• Experiential learning.
• Team-specific experiences.
• Continuous refinement.

Let's take a closer look at each feature—and how CHROs can use them to support strong company cultures.

1.  A Long-Term, Structured Journey

The most effective onboarding processes go beyond simple orientation. They are multi-stage formal journeys, typically lasting a year . The journey should have two key aims: giving new hires the basic tools and information they need to do their jobs and providing continuous support so that new hires can reach their full potential.

Culture is part of both of these objectives. New hires need to know the culture to navigate the company, and cultural engagement drives employee success. According to one study, employees who feel like they belong at work can see a 56 percent improvement in job performance .

Onboarding activities can vary, but here's a brief example of what might happen at each stage:

• Preboarding: The new hire receives a welcome video from the CEO and an e-mail with instructions and helpful tips for their first day.
• First day: An orientation session covers practical matters such as company policies and benefits. The new hire meets with their manager to discuss their role.
• First three months: The new hire is paired with a mentor who helps them adjust to their role and the culture and gets them involved in team activities. The new hire has regular check-ins with their manager.
• First six months: Mentorship transitions to a weekly or monthly check-in. Management check-ins also become less frequent but don't disappear. 
• First year : The new hire and manager meet to review progress and create a career plan for the employee moving forward. 

2. Cultural Alignment

The culture employees experience during onboarding should reflect the one they'll experience each day. According to Debi Chernak, CHRO at Intrado Life & Safety, based in Longmont, Colo., the key to cultural alignment is ensuring that the tone and delivery of the onboarding process match the company's culture.

"If we say that we are a company that values open communication and collaboration, and then we sit new hires by themselves in front of a computer for onboarding, we're not supporting our culture," Chernak says. "For a culture like that, you need a live onboarding process, with welcome gifts and employee introductions."

New hires should engage with executive leaders in some capacity, such as a meet-and-greet or welcome address. Leaders are responsible for shaping much of company culture, so having them act as a model for new hires can be particularly impactful.

Honesty is also vital. Companies may want to gloss over their challenges to present the best picture of themselves, but doing so could lead to cultural misalignment. New hires may grow disillusioned when onboarding ends and reality sets in.

3. Experiential Learning

It's easy to default to documents and slide decks, but employees are more engaged when they learn about the company through experiences.

At Intrado, for example, there's a heavy emphasis on live onboarding events that bring in participants from across the organization.

"We involve executives, we involve managers and we keep the sessions open to everyone in the company," Chernak says. "Anyone who wants to sit in on a session is welcome to, whether they want a refresher or to meet the new employees." These events often mix celebrations of company and employee milestones with practical onboarding activities like live IT tutorials.

Distributed teams might find live events impractical, but Bickle recommends using new technology like virtual reality to mimic the experience. Bickle also suggests prioritizing interactive, ongoing communication over one-way, one-time information dumps.

"At one company, we had a special Slack channel for everyone that had joined in a given quarter," Bickle says. "There was one person whose role was to post questions daily like, 'Have you found this? Do you know how to navigate to this?' It created a kind of cohort experience for us. It gave us a chance to ask questions and get feedback, and it made everything more approachable."

The company also used these touchpoints to keep new hires updated on activities around the campus, so employees were always aware of the live learning and development opportunities they could join.

4. Team-Specific Experiences

As important as company culture is, every team also has its own cultural nuances. The onboarding process needs to help new hires acclimate to both the broader organization and their teams' habits. HR can be a resource here, helping each team create an individualized onboarding experience that still reflects the wider company culture.   

"Responsibility for team onboarding should largely reside with the team—but with input from HR," Chernak says. "HR knows the overall systems and overall best practices, so they can make sure there is some consistency across the organization. If one team has a three-month onboarding system and another has a three-week one, that may be too much of a disconnect."

Managers are an essential part of team-level onboarding because of their role in employee engagement. According to one study, they account for 70 percent of the variance in engagement across teams . Managers can act as new hires' mentors, helping them plan their career paths and access the resources they need to reach their goals in onboarding and beyond. For this reason, CHROs should keep a pulse check on how managers across teams are handling their onboarding.

5. Continuous Refinement

Best-in-class onboarding is not static. CHROs should continuously refine it by tracking key metrics. Quantitative metrics, like average time-to-productivity and new hire turnover, are important, but qualitative measures can often be more helpful when it comes to cultural matters.

"There's a tremendous opportunity to do some employee listening," Bickle says. "Send a survey to new hires after onboarding and ask them to reflect on what it has felt like to join the organization. Ask about what aligned, any disconnects and any questions they still have about the culture."

Bickle recommends that CHROs review this data at least twice a year. She also suggests that CHROs periodically sit in on the onboarding process to experience it firsthand.

Onboarding Through a Culture Change

Cultural change is a matter of introducing new habits to employees, and onboarding is a natural avenue for cultivating those habits. But cultural change can lead to cultural misalignment, where new hires learn a different culture from the one current employees have experienced. How can CHROs avoid that problem?

"It all comes down to storytelling," says Megan Bickle, global head of culture, employee engagement and employee listening at Western Digital, headquartered in San Jose, Calif. "You have to pay homage to where the company was and set the stage for where it's going."

That might mean telling new hires about the values you set in the past, introducing them to the values you're setting for the future and explaining the thought process behind the change.

"In general, helping new employees connect to the history of the company is important," Bickle says. "You should share the journey you've been on because the journey is continuous. Culture is constantly evolving."

Addressing Common Causes of Weak Onboarding

Creating a best-in-class onboarding process isn't easy, but it's not as hard as many organizations might think. Here are three of the most common reasons onboarding processes fall short—and how to fix them.

1. Limited resources: Many organizations feel they don't have the time, money or personnel to spare for a yearlong onboarding process. The truth is that onboarding doesn't require much after the first month or so.

"I know everyone is insanely busy, but all it takes is a 30-minute meeting once a quarter," Bickle says. "If the CHRO meets with every new employee once a quarter, that sends a powerful message. And it's an amazing opportunity to ask about what's going well, get some fresh eyes on the company and culture, and offer support."

2. Lack of leadership support: In some organizations, leadership feels that the resources invested in onboarding could be better used elsewhere. But onboarding can have an excellent return on investment if done right.

For example, a poor onboarding experience leads to higher employee turnover, which in turn leads to higher recruiting costs. Investments in onboarding can save the company money.

"If the CHRO is struggling to get investment from the executive team to make the onboarding experience more modern, go back to the data," Bickle says. "You just spent how much money to recruit this great talent, and now you're losing it?"

3. Pressure to perform: When teams are stretched thin and in desperate need of new talent, they may be tempted to skip comprehensive onboarding so new employees can get right to work. In reality, new hires tend to reach their full potential faster if they go through formal onboarding, whereas throwing them into the deep end sets them up for failure.

An insufficiently onboarded new hire could tax the existing team even further because seasoned employees may have to take time out of their already overburdened schedules to fix the new hire's mistakes. Far from a luxury, setting aside time for onboarding positions the new hire to give the team the support they need.

How Better Onboarding Helped Microsoft Boost New Hire Retention, Collaboration and More

In the late 2010s, Microsoft took a step back to re-evaluate and revamp its onboarding process. By digging into the data it had collected, Microsoft was able to pinpoint two key interventions that improved onboarding outcomes: ensuring each new hire met with their manager at least once in the first week and assigning an "onboarding buddy " for each new hire.

These seemingly small tweaks had powerful benefits. New hires who met with their managers scored 8 percent higher on Microsoft's intent-to-stay measures, reported a stronger sense of belonging, and spent triple the time on collaborative work with their teammates.

New hires who were paired with buddies were 36 percent more satisfied at work, and 56 percent of new hires who met with their buddies at least once reported they reached full productivity more quickly. The more often new hires met with their buddies, the more likely they were to get up to speed faster: 97 percent of new hires who met with their buddies more than eight times in the first 90 days said they reached productivity faster. 

Onboarding Sets the Tone

Effective onboarding can reduce turnover, increase productivity and drive engagement. Perhaps most importantly, onboarding is how a company sets the cultural tone for new hires. Those first few days, weeks and months on the job shape the habits and values employees will carry through their tenure.

Bickle likens onboarding to greeting guests at a dinner party.

"Imagine we have this beautiful home and we're hosting a dinner party," Bickle says. "With ineffective onboarding, it's like we're inviting people into our home and leaving them to fend for themselves: They don't know if they should keep their shoes on. They don't know where the bathroom is."

On the other hand, effective onboarding invites people to sit down and make themselves at home. That sets the tone for everyone, regardless of how long they've worked for the company, to work together effectively

"A company spends all this time and money wooing a candidate, convincing them to join," Bickle says. "Don't kill their excitement on day one."

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A Guide to Employee Journey Mapping

• 08 Dec 2022

A business is only as strong as its employees—a sentiment that’s top of mind for human resources professionals and people managers amid mass resignations.

As the so-called “Great Resignation” has employees leaving jobs at chart-topping rates , you not only need to retain existing employees but compete with other organizations for top talent.

One way to proactively identify areas for improvement and create value for existing and prospective staff members is through employee journey mapping. Here’s a primer on what it is and how to leverage it to create value.

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What Is Employee Journey Mapping?

Employee journey mapping is the process of visualizing the employee experience from hire to exit. Its goal is to determine areas for improvement and opportunities for value creation so you can retain and attract stellar employees and motivate them to do their best work.

Benefits of the employee journey mapping process include:

• Visualizing each employee’s experience at your company
• Illuminating holes or areas for improvement in your current employee experience
• Enabling more accurate job descriptions
• Informing budget allocation for initiatives that boost retention and engagement

Each of these helps increase employee satisfaction—thus increasing their motivation and quality of work —and your company’s competitive edge in the talent search.

To understand how to use the employee journey map to create value for employees, first explore the basics of value creation.

The Basics of Value Creation

In the online course Business Strategy , Harvard Business School Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee explains how to create value using a tool called the value stick.

The value stick has four components:

• Willingness to pay (WTP) : The maximum amount a customer is willing to pay for a company's goods or services
• Price : The actual price of the goods or services
• Cost : The cost of the raw materials required to produce the goods or services, or employee compensation
• Willingness to sell (WTS) : The lowest amount suppliers are willing to receive for raw materials, or the minimum employees are willing to earn for their work

There are two ways to gain a competitive edge and attract the best talent: Offer higher compensation (raise the employee’s cost) or make the job more attractive (lower the employee’s WTS).

Lowering an employee’s WTS means they’re willing to accept less compensation. To do this, you need to make the job more attractive and create value.

Value creation not only pays off in terms of employee retention; it can impact the customer experience, too.

“In many services businesses, there’s a strong link between WTS and WTP,” Oberholzer-Gee says in Business Strategy . “By lowering WTS—by making work more attractive—we increase employee engagement, and this then leads to better customer experiences.”

Here are five steps to leverage employee journey mapping to create value.

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Value-Based Strategy

How to Leverage Employee Journey Mapping to Create Value: 5 Steps

1. define and select employee type.

The first step in the employee journey mapping process is defining employee types, or personas, and selecting which to map first.

If your organization has many roles, you should map a journey for each persona; for example, an “entry-level data analyst” or a “new-hire mid-level marketing manager.”

Some parts of the process will be the same for all employees; others will vary based on job function and level.

2. Map the Employee Journey

The next task is documenting the selected persona’s journey throughout their time at your organization. This can be done in a list format or by drawing a timeline and mapping the journey visually.

This step requires thorough brainstorming to account for as many aspects of the persona’s experience as possible.

It can be helpful to think of the persona’s experience in stages. Use the following example, and tweak it to fit your organization:

• Hiring stage: From job posting to signed offer letter
• Onboarding stage: From day one to ramped up and fully acclimated
• Development stage: Developing skills while performing daily responsibilities
• Progression stage: Opportunities to advance their career within the company
• Offboarding stage: From resignation letter to exit interview

Some organizations operate on a strict schedule for role progression. If this applies to yours, use time as map markers instead of process stages. For instance:

• Before the first day
• One year in
• Two years in
• Eventual offboarding

After defining map markers, list each persona’s planned experience for each stage. This may seem daunting, given the number of factors that influence the employee experience. To make it easier, start by listing processes already in place.

For instance, under the “onboarding stage,” you could list:

• Receive a laptop and a company ID card
• Gain access to email, the project management system, and necessary accounts
• Go on an office tour
• Attend mandatory training

Next, list any added social or culture-building aspects of the experience, such as:

• Receive a company-branded T-shirt and a water bottle on the first day
• Get treated to lunch by the manager and team during the first week
• Attend meet-and-greets with senior leadership and members of each team

More in-depth journey maps include a list of resources needed to make each line item possible—for instance, the platform to conduct onboarding training or a budget for lunches with new hires.

While not every interaction can be documented, each step of the employee journey is important to their overall experience at your company and, ultimately, whether you retain them.

During this process, you may realize there are holes in the journey maps for some roles; for instance, if you don’t currently have practices in place for the development or progression stages. Note these so you can use them in step four when identifying value-creation opportunities.

3. Factor in Employee Feedback

Gathering employee feedback is a general best practice, but it can also play a useful role in assessing current employee journey maps.

There are many options for gathering feedback, including anonymous surveys, private interviews, and physical or virtual suggestion boxes. Other valuable sources of insight include exit interviews with people who leave your company and online reviews from current or former employees on sites like Indeed and Glassdoor .

Map employee feedback to the specific stage or time frame it applies to and notice patterns that emerge. Which stages have the most positive or negative feedback? Are there any general sentiments that could be addressed in a specific stage?

For example, perhaps you observe that employees commonly note in their exit interviews that their job description didn’t match up with their day-to-day tasks. In such cases, you can map that feedback to the hiring stage and use it to create job listings that more accurately reflect roles’ responsibilities.

4. Identify Value Creation Opportunities

Once you’ve mapped the persona’s journey and tracked feedback to each stage, identify areas for value creation. Remember that the two ways to create value for employees are increasing compensation (raising their cost) or making the job more attractive (decreasing their WTS).

Opportunities for value creation can include:

• Holes in the employee journey: Are you providing enough support during the onboarding process? Are professional development opportunities available? Is there a pathway for career advancement within your company for each role?
• Feedback about specific benefits: Benefits can include typical perks (such as vacation time and wellness budgets) or intangibles (like an increased sense of control or flexibility of work location or schedule).

5. Revise the Journey Map

Once you’ve identified opportunities to create value, prioritize and apply them. This can be a long process requiring budget allocation and organization-wide shifts.

Once changes have been implemented, revise the journey maps to include new elements. After you’ve gone through the process once, you can periodically reassess and update the journey maps to adapt to employees’ changing needs and values.

Creating Value for Employees

Creating a competitive employee experience is vital to any business strategy . Without strong, satisfied employees, no organization can reach its goals.

Armed with knowledge of the value stick and the employee journey mapping framework, you can create meaningful value for your employees and attract new ones.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into value creation, consider taking Oberholzer-Gee’s course, Business Strategy . It’ll equip you with a broader picture of how to factor the employee experience into your overall business strategy to create value for your customers, firm, employees, and suppliers to achieve success.

Want to learn more about how to create value for employees? Explore Business Strategy , one of our online strategy courses , to gain the skills to create organizational value. Not sure which course is the right fit? Download our free flowchart .

About the Author

Employee Experience

6 steps to mapping the employee journey at your organization

Close employee experience gaps by mapping your people’s journey with your organization.

In order to master employee experience, you must listen to your people at each stage of their journey with your organization. To do so you first need to map that journey, an easy and impactful exercise that reveals opportunities for improvement and optimization. Here’s how to do it.

eBook: Use Employee Lifecycle Feedback to improve your EX

What is the employee journey?

From the moment someone looks at your careers page to the moment they leave your organization, everything an employee learns, does, sees, and feels is part of the employee journey. The employee journey is a framework used to understand the sum of all the employee's experiences during their time with an organization and it's used by HR to understand and enhance the employee experience.

These moments and milestones (big and small) contribute to their employee experience – and present opportunities to tune in to your employees’ needs, to be more equitable and inclusive , and to close the gaps that exist for employees.

If you want to improve employee experience you need to map the journey your employees go through while they’re employed by your organization.

What is employee journey mapping?

An employee journey map is a visual representation of each stage of an employee's time within an organization from recruitment, through onboarding, right up until the time they leave.

Employee journey mapping enables organizations to prioritize resources and funding, clarify roles, and identify critical moments that matter by visually mapping the various steps and emotional states which employees experience while interacting with the company.

Employee journey mapping allows you to:

• Align the organization on a common view of the actual employee experience.
• Focus the EX program on moments that matter most.
• Facilitate employee-centric thinking and actions.
• Prioritize resources and funding.
• Clarify critical roles within the organization and moments that matter most.

Learn how Southwest Airlines rebuilt its understanding of employee needs along all the moments that matter.

What are the benefits of employee journey mapping?

More and more organizations are looking to capture feedback and insights at every stage of the employee journey. Doing so allows you to understand the moments that matter most, how those moments impact employee experience, and what to do at each stage to have a positive impact on metrics like engagement , attrition , and productivity.

A key benefit of employee journey mapping is to use the insights from the mapping process to design and execute better experiences throughout. You do this by:

• Revealing and optimizing unseen experiences . Journey mapping helps you think about the more hidden aspects of the employee journey.
• Finding out where the employee journey runs smoothly and leveraging what’s working well in other moments of the journey so as to meet employees’ needs at various moments in time.
• Fixing bad experiences more effectively . Journey mapping helps reveal why you haven’t met employee expectations and what you need to do to make amends.
• Identifying opportunities to foster equity and inclusion . There is rarely a single critical point in the employee journey that creates inequity. It’s often the cumulative impact of bias and systemic inequity over many moments that create significant gaps in experience.

Collect and apply employee feedback with our 360-Feedback eBook: Download Now

What are the stages of the employee journey?

Every employee goes through a series of stages from the day they apply for a job right through to the day they leave. This journey can be summarized into five stages:

Stage #1: Recruitment . This includes all the steps that lead to hiring a new employee. Considerations are: how long it takes to hire, how much it costs to hire, the rate of offer acceptance, and the hire’s quality. Were your job postings attractive and clear enough to catch the attention and applications of the best candidates? Did your interview process engage and reassure great candidates so they quickly accepted your job offer?

Stage #2: Onboarding . Where a new hire gets up to speed with the systems, tools, and processes, as well as the role’s expectations. Most new employees need ‘ramp time’ to get up to speed and become productive in their job. An effective onboarding process translates someone’s initial enthusiasm for their new job into a more meaningful, long-term connection to the organization and a commitment to doing great things while they’re there.

Stage #3: Development . This is the ongoing stage in the employee journey, with individuals developing at different rates and across a variety of skills. As the employee develops within his or her role, you need to quantify their productivity, ability to be a team player, and promotion aspirations. You also want to offer them the chance to expand their skill sets, an increasingly important differentiator for many employees looking to have a ‘portfolio career’ consisting of many different experiences.

This stage often includes incremental steps or annual events, like:

• Role changes
• Performance evaluations (e.g., career conversations, training and development)

Stage #4: Retention . Employees are now fully ramped and integrated into the organization. Your challenge then is to keep them performing, developing, and contributing to the company’s success. Plus, to ensure they’re inspired by and connected to the company’s core vision.

While there are countless strategies organizations use to retain talent , programs that support EX can often look like:

• Inclusive parental leave
• Extended leave or sabbaticals
• Celebrating anniversaries and birthdays (or other personal milestones)

Stage #5: Exit . Employees can leave for a whole host of reasons: they may retire, move to another employer, or make a life change. Every employee will leave your company at some stage, and finding out why is an opportunity to improve and develop the employee experience for current and future employees. Those who leave may be more candid about why they’re going as they may feel they have nothing to lose by being brutally honest.

How to design an employee journey map

An employee journey map allows you to plot out every moment that matters and understand what you can do to improve the experience. Here’s how to start building your employee journey map.

Step #1: Segment your employees.

Start by identifying your employee segments, also known as employee personas . Ideally, segments should be based on role, not on demographics like age or gender – you can use the latter to parse out the data later. An engineer, for example, is likely to have a very different experience from someone in your marketing team. Segment employees in this way, rather than demographics like age and gender

Step #2: Establish the journey for each persona.

Now that you know your personas, you can start to map out the interactions they have with the organization from their first contact (usually before they’re hired) all the way through to them eventually leaving. You’ll need to bring in a cross-functional team for input on this, as different teams and departments will likely have different interactions along the way. You may even want to consider looking at the interactions post-exit as in some cases retirees or past employees may come back or have an interaction with the organization later on or act as advocates for the organization.

Step #3: Map feedback and insights to the employee journey.

To truly understand the impact of each interaction on the employee experience, you need to be able to map feedback to each stage in the lifecycle. So for each persona, make sure there is a feedback mechanism attached to each stage in the journey that meets them where they are and provides them with the opportunity to give feedback in the moment – this is much more useful than waiting up to 12 months to ask them about it, as you’ll get the most honest and useful feedback while the experience is still fresh in their mind.

Step #4: Align your measurements at different stages in the employee journey.

It’s likely that different stages in the journey will be managed by different teams, e.g. your recruiting, training, or onboarding teams. In order to link insights across the journey, you need to make sure that everyone agrees on a consistent approach to measurement, whether that’s using a simple metric like eNPS with open-text follow-up questions or a set of core 5-point Likert scale items (e.g., Engagement) that are consistent across each measurement. The key is to have a set of core metrics that are consistent across many of your measurements. Exit and onboarding surveys may still have custom questions unique to those processes, but having a consistent set of items in each measurement allows you to look at connections to see how the experience at one touchpoint impacts the other.

Step #5: Use automation to manage feedback at scale.

Manually sending out a survey every time someone takes a training course, goes for promotion, or interacts with any of the other moments that matter along the journey is a drain on resources. Instead, make sure you integrate your employee experience program with your HRIS and set up triggers to automatically send a request for feedback when an employee hits a certain milestone.

Step #6: Combine the employee journey with your engagement survey.

A lifecycle approach to employee experience doesn’t mean giving up on your employee engagement survey altogether. In fact, the engagement survey should be your cornerstone – but more in-depth view of the state of employee experience and the key drivers that are impacting it either positively or negatively. Many organizations choose to do shorter, more frequent surveys like bi-annual engagement surveys or monthly employee pulse surveys as an alternative to the annual survey. However you run it, it’s essential you connect it to your feedback mechanisms across the lifecycle.

As an example, employee onboarding feedback, on its own, will likely show you how your onboarding process is perceived and what can be improved, but it won’t necessarily show the impact on engagement, productivity, or attrition. When you combine it with your engagement survey (which does measure these things) you can then start to see connections – how did that improvement to onboarding affect engagement for employees in their first year? Did it reduce attrition? Did it promote cross-functional collaboration? Do those employees who went through the new program understand better how their work contributes to the organization’s success?

It’s only by connecting all these different feedback mechanisms that you’ll know the answer.

Learn how to create actionable insights with employee journey analytics

The dos and don'ts of employee journey mapping

Do: look at each phase from multiple angles.

Each stage in the employee journey is different, so it’s important to look at each individually while considering multiple components of the stage. For example, if you just look at a stage from the vantage point of an employee, you may miss important considerations related to current business challenges. In that example, you may have employee feedback on your onboarding process that tells you employees do not feel supported, but that insight becomes much more tangible when you pair that with the knowledge that the onboarding team is currently very short staffed.

Do: Know your end game

An effective employee journey mapping process should always start with clearly defined outcomes. Without them, it’s impossible to know when the journey if complete or how you’ll use it to drive improvements. Here are a few questions to ask yourself up front:

• What does a best-case output of the journey mapping work look like?
• What will this work inform?
• How will it influence people, processes, and tools?
• How will you measure its success?
• What problem are you trying to solve?
• How are you aligning this process and conversation to the metrics that matter and the current business problems in the organization?

Do: Be intentional about who you involve

This can be a tricky balancing act. It’s important to avoid “decision by committee” by involving too many people in your journey mapping session, however it’s essential to ensure those familiar with various steps in the journey are involved as they’ll have the best knowledge of all the components you need to take into account.

Here are a few roles to consider including on your journey mapping exercise:

• Cross-functional HR
• Learning and development representative
• Cross-representation of key employee groups
• Corporate and internal communications
• Business leaders and frontline managers

Do: Focus on key groups within the organization

Within any organization there will be multiple employee journeys — after all one person’s pathway through the organization is likely to be very different from the next person’s. But here is where it’s important to keep the end-game in mind - don’t get lost in small differences, otherwise you risk overcomplicating the process with too many journeys with very minor differences between them.

Think about distinct and significant groups, such as remote versus corporate office workers, where clear differences in experience exist or are already apparent. Take a retail company for example, the experience of your frontline employees in your stores is likely to be very different from that of your marketing team in your corporate office. In contrast it’s unlikely there will be significant differences between different store departments, say menswear and children’s clothing.

Don't: Take a ‘one size fits all’ approach

Don’t feel like you have to use a specific template or format to create your journey map. What is most important is the framework behind what you create – from there, organizations often use whiteboards or large sticky paper to brainstorm their journey maps.

Don't: Allow your journey map to stagnate

As the organization changes — say for example a reorganization occurs or a new succession planning process is put in place — you’ll want to revisit and update your employee journey maps to reflect any significant changes.

Journey maps are a supporting tool for the organization, the frequency with which you update them should be based on how you are utilizing them internally and the extent to which the organization and the roles within it have changed.

Remember - it’s a tool, not a solution

Most importantly, remember that journey maps are just a starting point to help your organization identify the next steps necessary to improving your overall employee experience. Journey maps should be a part of forming a broader employee experience strategy, - the real value and impact will come from the actions the organization takes whether that’s gathering additional feedback or giving people in the organization the tools they need to make improvements at each moment that matters.

Break down silos by combining your listening programs with employee journey analytics

Amanda Wowk

Amanda Wowk is a freelance writer, founder of Amanda Wowk Creative—a content writing services company—and contributor to the Qualtrics blog. She creates content for clients in a variety of industries, including travel, tech startup, healthcare, and consumer products. Prior to freelancing, she spent 9+ years in human resources and HR communications.

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12 words and concepts about the onboarding journey that you need to know

Employee experience

We’ve discussed the importance of employee experience above, but what exactly is it and why is it so important? This complex psycho-cognitive concept describes the combination of several company-related experiences which has a huge impact on how an employee perceives your company’s culture and values. Every part of the onboarding journey plays an integral role in creating the perfect employee experience, from pre- to offboarding. Giving your employees an unforgettable employee experience can boost productivity, reduce employee turnover and can help create a resilient workforce. 

Employee journey

The employee's journey is the journey that employees make within your organization: from the point that they first have contact with the organization to the point that they leave the organization. Every employee and department has a unique employee journey. Some moments are seen on almost every trip an employee goes through: signing the employment contract, pre-boarding, the first first, onboarding, end of the probationary period, the first six months and, for example, the employee's birthday. Each employee is located in a different stadium of the employee journey.

Preboarding 

As the name suggests, preboarding is the process that leads up to onboarding. The moment they sign the contract their employee journey has already begun. New hires are eager to make a first good impression and are happy to invest time to learn more about the company and their future coworkers, even before their first day. This period of enthusiasm and motivation to work is often not made use of by many companies. Preboarding, lets them know about administrative details and get them ready for the day they step into your office. Answer questions like what the dress code is or when everyone has lunch, but also introduce them to the team, so they start working in a team full of familiar faces. Make sure you don’t forget any important steps in pre- and onboarding by using our onboarding checklist for managers .

Onboarding is the process of turning your new hire into a fully productive employee. Joining a company can be daunting, you’re exposed to many new people and a new work environment. The Onboardee needs to learn company guidelines and unspoken rules to fully understand the company culture. The process of onboarding takes care of these steps. With the right platform, you can increase your talent’s productivity and establish a strong employee brand, providing your hire with the employee experience they deserve.

  5 C’s of Onboarding 

The 5 C’s of onboarding encompasses the 5 most important aspects that a new hire should learn through their onboarding process, according to DR Talya Bauer from her ‘SHRM Foundation: the building blocks of a successful onboarding process’. You can see these rules of thumb as the onboarding ABC. 

Compliance : Make sure your new employee is fully briefed and understands any legal, company-policy, or security processes. This not only prevents them from making any mistakes in the beginning, but it also helps them get accustomed to certain workflows that your company may use for these processes.

Clarification : Helps your Onboardees better understand their role and job in the company. Make sure they understand their tasks, who their team and managers are, and what deliverables they are expected to achieve at the company.

Culture : Each company exhibits different types of company cultures, it is important to let your Onboardee know what they should wear to work and what the company values and mission are. The employee should be able to align their vision with that of the company. 

Connection : Starting to work at a new company is a lot like your first day at school. Most faces are new and initial disconnect can make it hard for a new team member to fit socially within the company. An onboarding buddy helps a lot in this situation, but also coffee dates introduce the new talent to the company network. 

Checkback : Onboarding is not a 1-2 week-long process. It may take months till a new employee is fully onboarded. Frequent check backs can help identify any pain points early or discover previously unknown opportunities for growth. Make your employee feel listened to and provide them with a channel to communicate with you. With the right integrated tools managers can keep oversight of the progress and feedback of all new recruits.

Remote onboarding 

In today's work climate, digitalization and remote work is more important than ever. Companies work globally and in times such as COVID-19, remote work cannot be avoided. However, just because the office tour cannot take place in person should not mean that the employee experience should suffer. Remote onboarding platforms , such as Appical, allow companies to dynamically onboard a person both in person, but also remotely based on their circumstance. With activities such as quizzes and games, the employee gets to know the company better and videos can visualize your employee brand, anywhere in the world. 

So many different types of boarding and it still isn’t boring. Did your office undergo renovations or new COVID measures have changed the office layouts and guidelines? These are all scenarios where reboarding is incredibly important. After months of working remotely, workplaces are opening up again, getting pre-existing employees accustomed to changes in the company and work environment can be a challenge. However, keeping employees informed can be simple and efficient with the right reboarding strategy. Cut down on productivity downtime and increase employee engagement with reboarding!

Offboarding 

Offboarding deals with bringing your employees’ journey to a perfect end and giving them a proper goodbye. Just because your employee is leaving the company does not mean farewell. Proper offboarding enables you to collect valuable information and the feedback you need. Allowing your employees to discuss their experiences and say goodbye to their team in a memorable way! The employee experience continues even after they left the company, turning previous employees into brand ambassadors.

30-60-90 Plan

When HR professionals talk about the 30-60-90 Plan they are talking about an onboarding process that strives to integrate the new employee effectively and productively into their new position. The 30-60-90 talks about the first second and third months at the new company. During this time the company guides their employee through an onboarding process that is designed to focus on concrete and manageable goals at each phase of the plan to align them to company-driven goals. To read more about creating your own 30-60-90 plan and find out how it can benefit your company, check out our eGuide . 

Onboarding buddy 

An onboarding buddy , as the name suggests, is an employee that is assigned to a new hire as a buddy. They help new hires navigate through the organization’s culture and practices. Acting as a clear point of contact, they try to make the new recruit feel welcome and part of the new company. A good buddy helps the new hire feel confident and boosts their productivity. Our onboarding buddy toolbox has all the tips and tricks you need and as an added bonus contains a free card game that allows you to get to know your new talent better. 

Inclusive Onboarding 

Inclusive hiring has, fortunately, become commonplace in many industries, but what about inclusive onboarding? Usually, during onboarding, we try to communicate the company culture and help the new recruit understand the way the company operates. Inclusive onboarding often takes an extra step, where the company tries to understand what the employee’s personality and preferences are. Understanding their cultural preferences and way of doing business can help managers assign them to the right teams and leverage their unique skill sets. It also helps especially ethnic, religious, sexual preferences to be identified to prevent minorities from feeling excluded in a workplace. Inclusive onboarding is as much about teaching as it is about listening to feedback. 

Data-Driven Onboarding  

Digitalizing the onboarding process provides managers with previously masked information about the onboarding process. Minor flaws may never come to your attention and strengths may never be capitalized on. With data-driven onboarding, it is easier than ever to maintain a clear overview of your new recruits and enables you to make the decision that benefits you the most, based on rich data. This helps you constantly improve and optimize your onboarding process to provide your talent with the best possible employee experience

As we can see, employee boarding is a concept with many facets. These 10 words hopefully help you communicate onboarding-related issues better, but also grasp the importance of the little nuances of the employee experience. If you want to give your employees the best employee experience, whilst both improving productivity and efficiency, then consider using our digital employee boarding platform  for your organization. 

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Charting unique pathways: Our expert guide to employee experience journey mapping

As the working world is changing, with remote and hybrid setups becoming more common, organizations are looking to find ways to ensure their teams still have a consistent and positive employee experience. Frameworks such as the employee experience (EX) journey map can help to guide these new processes. It’s worth investing energy into this as companies that design a great EX report lower stress and burnout, and their people are 1.4 times more likely to find purpose in their roles.* 

Still, how does mapping the EX journey work? Employee journey maps help chart and visualize the end-to-end experience of working at your company from the perspectives of your team members. Their primary purpose is to highlight the employee's point of view and uncover inefficiencies and areas for improvement. They can also provide an overview of the internal processes and roles recruiters, hiring managers, human resources leaders, and team leads play in shaping the experience.

We created a downloadable template that HR and people ops leaders can use as a starting point for their own journey maps, providing a step-by-step process you can follow to make the best use of this free resource.

* McClean & Co , 2023 ‍

🧩 Discover what pieces are missing from your current EX strategy Use our free, editable template to record employee data, map the EX journey, and make your organization an even better place to work. 👉 Download the template

What is the employee experience journey?

The employee journey encompasses all the major milestones, events, interactions, and impressions an individual experiences throughout their tenure with an organization. Some people leaders refer to the EX journey as key touchpoints or “moments that matter.” Still, this perspective might be somewhat limiting as it overlooks the fact that a positive EX journey is also about building a strong, trusting relationship between employees and organizations. Essentially, every moment counts because it influences how team members feel about you, from pre- to post-employment. ‍

Why map out the employee experience journey?

Mapping out the employee journey means creating a visual blueprint you can use to identify current areas for improvement and customize for different roles. Doing so is a worthwhile investment of time and effort that can contribute to significant cultural and operational outcomes, such as:

• Smoother, more thorough onboarding processes — Only 43% of employees say their onboarding included more than paperwork and a one-day orientation. Implementing an EX journey map to create a more in-depth onboarding experience can set your company apart and help your new hires feel more welcome from day one.
• Relevant career development opportunities — An effective employee journey map takes your team members’ unique professional and personal career goals into account. This allows you to offer better training opportunities, which 76% of professionals say has an impact on their decision to stay with a company.
• Improved productivity — An EX journey map can help you overcome productivity gaps with better technology, resources, processes, and communication. In doing so, you could become up to 1.8 times more productive than organizations that don’t prioritize the employee experience.  
• Greater recruitment success — Using a journey map can help you get a better sense of what candidates are looking for throughout their tenure. That way, you can tailor your messaging to better resonate with job seekers’ highest priority goals.  ‍

“If you’re familiar with customer journey mapping, then you may know more about employee journey mapping (EJM) than you realize. Employee journey mapping uses the same concepts and best practices of customer journey mapping to help you understand your employee experience better, provide the resources, tools, and support employees need, and align employees’ daily actions and accountabilities with the customer experience.” — Jeannie Walters , Customer Experience Speaker and CEO of Experience Investigators

Employee experience journey map template

🤔 Get inside employees’ heads  Use our template to gather team member insights at every stage and understand how their needs change throughout their tenures. 👉 Download the template

7 steps to create your employee experience journey map

Whether you utilize our editable template or create your own, mapping the employee journey in this way allows you to easily spot where your EX efforts are falling short and make an initial action plan within the same document. Let’s look at our recommended step-by-step process for strategizing, researching, documenting, and improving the employee experience for your organization.  ‍

1. Get clear about your goals for mapping the employee journey

The key question that HR and people ops need to ask themselves at this stage is, “What do we want to know about the employee journey and why?” This prevents journey mapping from becoming a cursory exercise and transforms it into a more meaningful, strategic endeavor that helps you align with your overall company goals.

If it’s your first time creating a journey map, for example, your initial goal may be to identify your current paint points, gaps, and challenges so you can better support your team members for the next 12 months. 

If you’ve mapped the employee journey before and have implemented improvements in the past, a more specific goal might be to address communication issues and improve the feedback and review processes across all touchpoints.  ‍

2. Conduct employee research

In order to get a valid understanding of the real issues, you need to first dig deeper into previous survey data, manager feedback, performance scores, and EX metrics like retention, turnover, and engagement. You should also talk to department heads, managers, team leads, and employees themselves for fresh, updated more insights. In your research, be sure to get an understanding of how team members describe their current journey as well as the ideal experience so you can identify your existing pain points and structure a better path. 

Here are a few questions you can ask employees:

• What expectations did you have at every stage of your professional journey? 
• How have we succeeded or failed in living up to those expectations?
• What were your biggest frustrations during the onboarding, training, and engagement stages?
• What competencies were you hoping to develop at every stage?
• At each stage of the process, how did you feel about communicating with your manager and leadership team?

Providing anonymous feedback channels for employees is key if you want truly valuable, candid input. You can help team members feel safe sharing their thoughts with methods such as:

• Anonymous surveys — Using a platform like Leapsome means your surveys will be anonymous by default. ‍
• Suggestion boxes or forums — This allows employees to confidentially share their input and ask questions without prompting. That’s why Leapsome offers both an anonymous suggestion box and Q&A board where team members can ask questions and get answers from leadership. ‍
• Focus groups — Organize an in-office or virtual meeting with team members, ask meaningful questions about their current experience, and use their answers to create an anonymous report. If possible, you can arrange this with a third-party research company to ensure confidentiality.

🔎 Make sure you have a tentative action plan to share with employees when asking them for feedback. This will help you overcome any survey fatigue team members may be feeling due to previous inaction and encourage them to provide more and better feedback.  

3. Determine the scope & roles your journey map will cover

Attempting to map the journey for every single role in your organization will lead you to develop an employee experience that’s too vague and irrelevant to the difficulties that specific teams are experiencing. Instead, use the data you’ve now gathered to hone in on your most urgent issues.  

For instance, as you review your research, you may notice positive reports during the recruitment and onboarding stages. However, you might uncover that your teams typically show decreased engagement around the development stage. That could mean it’s time to update your career progression framework or make it a more central part of your professional growth processes.  ‍

4. Craft your EX journey map

Now, you’ll draw on your previous three steps and bring together your goals, scope, and research to update your processes and construct your ideal employee experience journey. To do this, you can use our template, which covers these core areas:

• Touchpoints , or the places where employees come into contact with managers, leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Processes , or the ideal steps managers and employees should take at each touchpoint to give team members the best experience.
• Metrics and monitoring , so you can record your current EX data and quickly identify areas of weakness.
• Notes , where you can document feedback from employees and stakeholders.
• Next steps , where you’ll outline your solutions. 

Of course, every organization has its own specific goals, internal structure, and culture. That’s why we’ve made our entire template editable and customizable, with ready-to-use content you can use for inspiration. For example, if your company is 100% remote , you may need more processes during onboarding that promote belonging, recognition, and team integration. ‍

🔎 You can use our template to link to a fully fleshed-out process and next steps documents for each stage, which is ideal for building transparency and ensuring everyone is on the same page about your company’s specific strategies.

5. Consult your journey map to identify improvement opportunities

Use the notes section in our template to capture what you’ve learned from team member research and outline your current iteration of the employee journey. In particular, note the initial expectations and eventual frustrations team members mentioned in their feedback and prioritize specific roles or issues that need to be addressed. 

In the next steps section, summarize what actions you plan to take based on the most critical concerns. Perhaps several employees mention feeling stifled in their professional development. You could then introduce a formal learning and training budget as a next step to improve on this. ‍

6. Share your plan & implement initiatives

Once you’ve finalized your action plan for improving the employee experience, communicate your strategy with leaders and team members so you can secure additional feedback on your proposed ideas and support for your initiatives moving forward. To be as transparent as possible:

• Explain your motivation for mapping the employee journey — Reiterate why you decided to map the employee journey and improve EX from the outset. For example, your organization may have gone through a recent restructuring, and you might have noticed that engagement has been declining ever since. ‍
• Describe your approach — Share how you mapped the staff journey based on your current EX processes and employee research.  ‍
• Discuss the why behind your proposed strategy — Provide the rationale behind your action plan and clearly link it to current business goals and objectives. ‍
• Break your strategy down into steps — Be sure to offer timelines and share who’s responsible for leading each initiative. ‍
• Follow up — After presenting your plan, contact leadership and stakeholders to address their questions and concerns. ‍

7. Refine & iterate on your journey maps over time

Like customers, the needs of your employees can change and fluctuate, typically in response to industry and economic changes. That’s why you should review and update your EX journey map every six months to a year and follow the same process each time. 

Remember: No matter how favorable your employee experience metrics are, there’s always more to learn and understand about what team members are looking for from their work environment. 

🔎 Employee experience platforms like Leapsome can help you streamline how you gather team member data, set the right EX goals, and implement strategies that allow for better communication, reduced stress, and more employee autonomy.

Measuring the employee journey

Reviewing your employee experience metrics regularly helps you detect and mitigate issues early before they become major challenges. Doing so also means you can illustrate your progress to upper management and the executive team over time, demonstrating the value of your EX programs. Here are a few key indicators you should consistently refer to:

• Retention and turnover rates — Low retention rates may signal that team members aren’t having a positive employee experience. However, you need to compare them against employee tenures to discern when the most turnover typically happens. For instance, you may notice that team members tend to quit after their first eighteen months, which could suggest they’re dissatisfied with a lack of training, development, and career opportunities. 
• Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) — The eNPS is a valuable metric because it allows you to quickly assess engagement. It only requires employees to answer one question: “On a scale of zero to ten, how likely are you to recommend us as a place to work for your family and friends?” Your final score can range from -100 to 100, and most companies have a score between 10 and 30. While it’s not a great standalone metric because it presents you with limited data, it’s a great starting point that can help you determine when it’s time to investigate the employee experience further. 
• Survey results — Take note of your highest and lowest scores on previous engagement and culture surveys and read answers to open-ended questions thoroughly. If you use Leapsome’s Surveys module, you can quickly determine which factors you need to target to drive more positive outcomes. Our sentiment analysis function also uses AI to interpret open-ended answers so you can quickly scan them before exploring further.

• Performance scores — A great employee experience often corresponds with enhanced motivation, higher engagement, and, as a result, satisfactory performance. High performance scores also speak to the effectiveness of managers and stakeholders during the onboarding, training, and development stages. ‍

How software supports employee journey mapping

As employee expectations change and business priorities evolve, EX journey maps can help you respond effectively and improve the employee experience with greater efficiency. Moreover, they provide an in-depth understanding of how team members feel about their everyday interactions and overall relationship with your business. If your organization is genuinely committed to putting its people first, you need these individual insights to create a more personalized work experience for your team members.

Still, what do you do if you lack the time, personnel, or tech to gather the requisite insights? How do you overcome resistance from leadership without the right data and tools?

Leapsome allows you to automate the operational and analytical side of the journey mapping so you can focus on finding more innovative solutions to complex EX challenges. With our Surveys and Reviews modules, you can track engagement and pulse scores, retention rates, your eNPS, and employee performance scores with charts and visualizations to show you how those metrics have changed over time. Then, use our Goals module to design EX initiatives that align with current business objectives. 

With Leapsome, you’ll gain actionable insights and drive targeted improvements across every stage of the employee experience. ‍

👣 More positive impressions and connections every step of the way Use Leapsome to actively listen, gain insights, and implement changes based on employee feedback so you can make the entire work experience more meaningful. 👉 Book a demo

Leapsome Team

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Employee Journey Mapping: Improve Your Employee Experience

Your employees’ experiences at work impacts the success of your business. Employees who feel positive about their employer and their workplace are more engaged, more productive and stay at the company longer.

Employee journey mapping is a way to measure the employee experience at every stage of an employee’s tenure at the company. The employee experience is how the employee feels about workplace interactions and events, such as performance reviews during their employment. By building and analyzing a map of the employee journey, HR teams can identify potential areas for improvement.

What Is an Employee Journey?

The employee journey describes the entire time that an employee spends at your company—from the hiring process to offboarding. It includes all stages and employee experiences, from completing the initial job application to participating in the final exit interview. The employee journey is also sometimes called the employee lifecycle.

Along the journey, there are key moments and memorable experiences that can have a lasting impact on employees’ opinions of their workplace. You can likely remember the excitement of your first day at work—but you may not remember the second or third day. Pinpointing these important moments helps you build a strong foundation for a positive employee experience.

Examining the employee journey from the perspective of both the employee and the employer can provide valuable insights:

Employee perspective:

The early stages of employment can set the tone for the employee experience. Employees may remember that they felt welcome during their first week or that their manager took them to lunch on the first day. They’ll also remember negative experiences—for example, if it took a week to get their laptop or access to their email.

What is one example of a moment that matters within an employee journey?

Some of the most memorable experiences may be major events with long-term career impact, or they may be personal touches like a surprise party at work or the company’s support for a cause that’s important to them. Some noteworthy career touchpoints include the first job interview, first performance review, department changes, team events, promotions and exit interviews.

Employer perspective:

Many of the moments that matter to employees are important to employers, too. For example, if a new employee doesn’t have a positive early experience, they are more likely to leave within the first year. Since memorable moments can significantly influence employee performance and employee engagement , you should identify them and then measure and monitor them closely.

What Is an Employee Experience Journey Map?

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To help improve your employee experience, don’t wait until there are issues. Instead, be proactive with an employee experience journey map. What is employee journey mapping? Employee journey mapping is a way to track the key stages and experiences in the employee journey. Create a chronological chart to visually capture and examine each step of the employee experience. Discuss the different stages and look for strengths and weaknesses of each.

The concept is derived from customer journey mapping, a method that companies use to outline and visualize the customer experience. Marketing and operations teams use this technique to enhance the customer experience.

In the same way, HR teams and business leaders can use employee experience journey mapping to optimize the employee experience. How do you map employee experience? Like with customer experience mapping, HR teams develop personas that represent different segments of the workforce and then focus on optimizing the experience for each persona.

Employee Journey Map

Persona: Sandra Smith, Sales Department

Free Employee Experience Journey Map Template

Download this free template to start applying the principles of employer experience journey mapping within your organization. (opens in new tab)

Why Is an Employee Experience Journey Map Important?

In a recent poll, more than half of employees (opens in new tab) said that they’re not engaged with their work, and 13% said they’re actively disengaged—which means they’re having miserable work experiences and spreading their unhappiness to their colleagues. A well-designed journey map can help you find areas that need improvement and boost the employee experience. Why is employee experience so important? Because a positive experience can increase engagement and lead to higher retention rates, greater productivity, lower recruiting costs and better customer service.

Your employee journey map can provide a unique way to depict your company’s goals, values, and processes. The best employee experiences bring the company’s values to life and help build a strong culture. A distinctive culture can help a company attract talent that will fit in and thrive within its work environment.

For example, if a company prides itself on automation and technology, then the workplace should use the latest tech for innovative and efficient business processes. This will help employees better relate to customers and strengthen the company’s brand and reputation in the marketplace.

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5 Steps to Create an Employee Experience Journey Map

You can map the entire employee experience journey or focus on a specific troublesome section. For example, if high turnover is a problem in the first year, you may want to start by mapping the first few stages of the journey.

Here are five steps to build your employee experience journey map:

• Start with research. Conduct employee experience research. You may already have some quantitative workforce data such as turnover rates, tenure statistics and exit interview details, which can provide a starting point. Next, interview employees to gather information on needs, goals, expectations, problems, and perspectives. Talk to employees from across the business, at different organizational levels and with varying levels of tenure.
• Develop employee personas. Segment your workforce into employee personas, which are fictional representations of a segment of your workforce. Not all employees have the same experiences or expectations. For example, sales reps will have different needs and goals than IT staff, and an entry level candidate will have different expectations than a VP. Once you’ve identified these segments, develop a concise profile of each persona, and include their goals, expectations, challenges and measures of success.
• Identify stages/moments that matter to each persona. Define the various employment stages at your organization and outline desired outcomes for the employee at each stage. Some examples of areas to include are recruiting, hiring, onboarding, compensation and benefits, ongoing engagement, volunteer opportunities, learning and development, performance management, advancement, rewards and leaving the company.
• Create a map or storyboard. Visualize the journey from the employees’ point of view. Include the insight you’ve gained from measures like turnover, employee surveys, exit interviews and other discussions about goals and expectations. Outline the company processes and touchpoints for each stage and include any problem areas, such as inefficient onboarding, unhelpful performance review processes or a lack of career progress possibilities. Examine the transitions between stages and look for points in the journey where an employee might feel lost or disengaged.
• Take action. Smooth out the bumps in the road along the employee’s journey. For example, are there too many steps to the onboarding process ? Are performance reviews timely and frequent enough? Add possible solutions like a formalized onboarding process and training for management on how to conduct effective performance reviews. Other solutions might include offering career development programs or boosting internal communications efforts to keep employees abreast of business decisions and developments to the employee experience journey map.

Measuring the Employee Experience Journey

Ask employees how they feel about the employee experience. Conduct employee engagement surveys or simply send emails to gauge employee sentiments, especially during moments that matter. For example, you may want to check on new staff members after their first few weeks to see how they are feeling about their new position.

As you collect more quantitative data, you can compare how the employee experience correlates with employee experience key performance indicators (KPIs) such as offer acceptance rates, productivity, engagement, absences and turnover. And implement changes based on the data and feedback you receive.

How Software can Improve the Employee Experience

By using human capital management (HCM) software, companies can automate and manage the employee lifecycle to create a more engaging employee experience. For example, one of the benefits of HCM software is that it gives workers quick and easy self-service access to benefits and compensation information, as well as their employee profile. A simple interface helps employees with daily tasks like requesting time off and accessing an employee directory. Employee timelines help your team track details like compensation and training.

HCM software can provide insight for finance teams and managers. For example, is a downturn in sales related to vacant sales positions? And it reduces manual and labor-intensive processes such as creating job requisitions and onboarding processes. Additionally, robust HCM software can connect with other key areas of the business, such as payroll and budgeting processes, which can assist with decisions about hiring and promotions.

HCM software can also help you more easily stay on top of new and leading practices, as well as track KPIs, such as the time it takes to train new employees, productivity, and turnover rates.

Investing time in employee journey mapping can help your company offer an improved employee experience. As the experience improves, employees feel more engaged at work. Processes become more efficient, and employees can become more productive. These efforts can all be boosted with software that supports the employee experience and provides the tools you need to map the employee journey, find pain points and implement the changes to fix them.

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Employee Experience Software: What It Is & Why It’s Important

In recent years, companies have recognized that improving the employee experience is key to retaining valued staff, increasing productivity and enhancing overall business performance. Employee experience software can…

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Adobe Journey Optimizer helps companies deliver connected, contextual, and personalized experiences to their customers. The customer journey is the entire process of a customer’s interactions with the brand, from the first moment of contact until the customer leaves. It starts with the awareness phase, where the customer learns about the brand and starts engaging. The customer will then further interact with the brand, visit online and physical sites, and make purchases, send messages or post reviews.

Adobe Journey Optimizer is built natively on Adobe Experience Platform and combines a unified, real-time customer profile, an API-first open framework, centralized offer decisioning, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for personalization and optimization. Journey Optimizer allows brands to intelligently determine the next best interaction with scale, speed, and flexibility across the entire customer journey. With Adobe Journey Optimizer, companies can create and deliver both scheduled marketing campaigns (such as weekly promotions for a retail store) and tailored individual communications (like a push notification for an item that a loyalty app customer may have looked at that was previously out of stock) within the same application.

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Use cases use-cases

Marketers can use Adobe Journey Optimizer to send both individualized communications as well as audience-based batch communications. For example, a clothing store typically sends post-purchase surveys to all customers who have purchased products in the last week. Due to inclement weather, a few shipments experienced delays. Seeing which customers have not received their shipments, the clothing store can exclude them from the scheduled customer satisfaction send and instead send a personalized email apologizing for the delay and offering a discount code with product recommendations based on the customer’s past purchases.

Marketers can also use the application to send real-time behavior-based communications. For example, the same retailer would be able to engage a loyal customer who pulls into the store parking lot in real time by sending them a push notification about a sweater that is back in stock in the customer’s size.

Non-marketers such as operations teams and customer support who are engaged in the customer experience can use Adobe Journey Optimizer to manage a variety of tasks such as operational notifications or even to monitor the onboarding process. Take for example, an amusement park where park visitors download a mobile app as part of their park experience. Maintenance staff can use Adobe Journey Optimizer to notify park visitors of rides that are currently closed due to maintenance.

Key capabilities key-capabilities

Adobe Journey Optimizer is an agile and scalable application for creating and delivering personalized, connected, and timely customer experiences across any app, device, or channel.

Key capabilities include:

Real-time Customer Insights & Engagement – An integrated profile fuses live data from all sources across customer touchpoints, including behavioral, transactional, financial, and operational data to optimize personal and contextual experiences for customers in their time.

Modern Omnichannel Orchestration & Execution – A single canvas on which to harmonize and optimize the customer journey for 1:1 customer engagement and marketing outreach—to help brands deliver more value across the customer lifecycle. Customer journeys designed in Adobe Journey Optimizer can be dynamic and event based to help brands react to real-time signals as well as connect those interactions with scheduled campaigns so the right decisions can be made about what communications to send a customer, when and through what channels.

Intelligent Decisioning & Personalization – Brands can apply centralized decisioning and incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to surface predictive insights throughout the customer experience, making it easier to automate decisions and optimize the experience at scale. Decisioning powers centralized offers across channels at scale through Adobe Journey Optimizer.

Architecture architecture

Understand the basic architecture of Adobe Journey Optimizer, the points of integration, and the relationship between Journey Optimizer and Experience Platform, in the diagram below.

• Key steps to start
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A tailored onboarding programme can help set neurodivergent students up for success

The recent introduction of an early entry programme at the University of Newcastle created an unexpected but welcome opportunity to respond to a growing population of neurodivergent students commencing their studies

Scott Laing

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The first time in my life I truly felt seen, accepted and heard was when I was approved for Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme eight years ago. The other time was 15 February 2024 when the University of Newcastle in Australia ran the Empowering Neurodivergent Students for Success programme. I am not too proud to admit that these words brought tears to my eyes. 

The recent introduction of an early entry programme at the University of Newcastle created an unexpected but welcome opportunity to respond to a growing population of neurodivergent students commencing their studies. Pre-armed with early enrolment data, in which students had self-identified as having a disability, our AccessAbility team was able to contact those students earlier in their admissions journey. This led to us developing a bespoke onboarding programme to provide a soft entry to our regular welcome week activities. 

We promoted the two-day Empowering Neurodivergent Students for Success programme as providing neurodivergent students with the tools and resources they need to successfully navigate the transition to university life. The programme taught them about study skills, developing a well-being plan, university support services and how to communicate with academics and offered them an opportunity to attend a campus tour and connect with other neurodivergent students and allies. 

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Honestly, we expected about 10-15 students to enrol. When 80+ students and 10 support people registered, we had to quickly relocate the programme from a meeting room to a larger venue – not necessarily an ideal start for those who often seek structure. The move to lecture theatres (and splitting students into two groups for some activities), however, was a success as it helped students get a taste of how lectures worked in an emotionally safe and responsive environment. That was the first learning, which we will take into how we improve the programme for next year. 

For those interested in developing such a programme, the run sheet across the two days included: 

• What helped you settle in and survive the first few weeks?
• What tips would you share to motivate and reassure students just starting?
• What it was like when you first started your studies?
• Parking on campus 
• Finding your class on campus 
• Accessibility, including transport options such as the mobility shuttle 
• How to use Canvas, our learning management system
• How to use the student portal for tasks such as registering mandatory attendance 
• An introduction to our student enquiries team and portal 
• Information about how to apply for adverse circumstances
• An introduction to the counselling team, who facilitated group discussions on common concerns, hopes and fears. Students left with tips and resources to build a well-being plan, including their support network
• A presentation by learning and development staff on planning for academic success, including advice on time management
• Information regarding how to communicate with academics
• An overview of the AccessAbility service and mentoring programmes by accessibility staff
• An overview of the student union’s role in student life
• Guidance on how to use the university’s library services 
• A guided tour of campus by student mentors.  

The programme was run over two short days (10am–2pm), which made it more manageable for these students. We provided morning tea and lunch to attract students, help them connect with each other and show them that the university values them. We tailored a welcome pack to include specific tip sheets and resources, as well as their choice of fidget toy.  

By the end of day one, many students had formed social connections, shared contact details and started developing their support network. Some students struggled on day one but had made friends by the end of day two. And by day two, new participants attended after hearing of the programme via word of mouth.  

The participants in our programme ranged from 17 to 53 years of age. There was no common entry pathway; some were school-leavers, some were returning to study and some came to us from other universities or vocational education. Some attended alone, some had support people, some brought their parents and some brought support animals.   

In Australia, 9.1 per cent of people aged 15-64 with a disability are studying for a non-school qualification. This compares with 15 per cent without a disability. I hope that through designing bespoke onboarding programmes that assist neurodivergent students with the transition to tertiary education we can help to achieve parity in those statistics. I’m pleased that, as an institution, we are helping neurodivergent students feel better prepared to start their academic journey. The testimonials we have received reflect that.   

Scott Laing is the associate director of student well-being at the University of Newcastle, Australia.  

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What’s your job? Lead Aprons with Erica Dill

What’s your job? is a series focused on the work of FP&M employees. As the largest and most diverse nonacademic unit on campus, it can be challenging to learn everything our division is responsible for. These stories shine a light on FP&Mers and what they do to keep campus safe, sustainable and successful.

Doctors and medical staff do everything in their power to keep us safe, but have you ever wondered who keeps them safe? Meet Erica Dill , a dedicated Radiation Safety Specialist, ensuring the well-being of students, faculty, and staff at UW-Madison. With a passion for her field and a commitment to the welfare of her campus community, Erica’s journey through the world of Radiation Safety is a testament to the critical importance of her role in FP&M’s Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) department which encompasses different safety sub-departments such as biological, chemical and Erica’s Radiation Safety.

As the coordinator of the Lead Apron Program at UW-Madison, Erica oversees an inventory of 4,000 lead aprons, which serve as critical protective equipment against radiation. These aprons are subjected to two crucial tests to ensure their integrity. The first, known as the transmission test, uses an ion chamber to gauge the apron’s ability to protect against radiation. The second test, fluoroscopy, involves laying the apron on a table and taking a live X-ray to identify any cracks or wear.

Erica’s role also involves tracking the journey of these 4,000 aprons, from their vendor to various hospital departments. Her work involves coordination and quality control which is important for research and medical care on campus. Erica does this by tracking aprons by tag number in a web base and checking the year it was last tested. She spends one-to-two days a week testing as new aprons come in weekly.

Erica has implemented a color tag system to indicate the year it was last tested. This way, those using the aprons can check the color as an indication of if it needs to be tested or if it is still safe to wear.

Despite joining FP&M only ten months ago, Erica brings a wealth of experience from her 15 years as an X-ray technician at UW Health. She appreciates the flexibility her new role offers, transitioning from clinical patient care while still engaging with medical workers and operating room employees. She also enjoys the collaborative aspect of working with the UW healthcare community to help them carry out their daily duties.

Erica’s role allows her to see functionality and design together. In her opinion, one of the most captivating aspects of her job is the diversity in the design and colors of the aprons.

“Our preferred vendor has a wide range of design patterns and colors to choose from,” said Erica. “Some departments elect to use one constant design or color to help differentiate what belongs in what department. Others allow their staff to choose their own design or color to fit their personality.”

Erica also finds value in making sure people are properly protected. She recently launched a web-based training on how to store and care for lead aprons. Over 700 employees have completed the training so far.

“I have had a few comments that it has been a great reminder on best practices and ways to increase the longevity of the apron,” said Erica.

Erica is a Wisconsin native who has called the state home for her entire life. With a background in both early childhood education and radiology, her work for EH&S aligns with her dream of contributing to the medical field and serving her local community.

One of Erica’s proudest professional accomplishments is the transformation she has brought to her current role. When she arrived, there were 1,500 aprons overdue for testing. With her hard work, she reduced this number to less than 500 in her first three months at the job.

Looking ahead, Erica envisions herself continuing to enhance the Lead Apron Program. With a nine-year-old at home, she hopes to stay in Wisconsin working to keep our community of healthcare and research workers safe.

Want to learn more about the Lead Apron Program? More information is available on the EH&S Radiation Safety webpage . You can get in touch with Erica at [email protected]

By Hannah Rifkin and Megan Wu

Hannah Rifkin is a strategic communications student intern with FP&M Marketing & Communications. She is a senior at UW-Madison majoring in Journalism. Hannah has been working at FP&M since Fall of 2023.

Megan Wu was a strategic communications student intern with FP&M Marketing & Communications last year. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a Business Minor at UW-Madison in 2023, and now pursues a Masters degree at New York University.

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• Class of 2024

Paul McKee: On mentorship and a new take on “Pomp & Circumstance”

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McKee was referring to his recent visit to Indianola High School: On Feb. 17, his high school alma mater inaugurated the Paul McKee Jazz Festival, rebranded in tribute to an illustrious alumnus. “It’s a huge honor and a big event,” he explains. “Forty bands competed in the festival—from middle school to high school. 

“Next year, I’m going to write a piece for the Indianola High School Jazz Band—and maybe come back and play something.” This year, McKee served as a guest judge.

Being recognized in this way invites reflection on an unusual life in music—one in which McKee nimbly juggles academics with exciting experiences in jazz performance including a stint with the legendary Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd. 

“I always wanted to play,” he says. “But I felt that getting a college degree would be a wise choice, so I earned music education and composition degrees. I later had the opportunity to send an audition tape to the Woody Herman band. That was in 1984. 

“I had sought out opportunities to go out on the road—so when they brought me on board, I was ecstatic. It was one of the big deals of my lifetime.” 

McKee’s years as a traveling musician still serve as a valuable experience to share with his students. “I always strive to teach by example,” he points out. “I give them the ball and let them run with it.”

On May 9, McKee’s impact will extend beyond the classroom to the university commencement ceremony at Folsom Field stadium, premiering his new arrangement of the familiar theme from Sir Edward Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1 In D (1901), performed and recorded by students in the college’s Thompson Jazz Studies Program. “It’s a contemporary arrangement in three parts capturing the diversity of our graduates and our campus community,” explains McKee. “You’ll hear a big band rendition of the march, then in the Latin montuno style and finally in the New Orleans style that should lighten things up for everybody.”

This eclectic musical mix both mirrors McKee’s approach to life and the lessons he imparts in his teaching, and reflects the College of Music’s universal musician mission : “The more skills you have, the stronger a candidate you are for finding interesting, interdisciplinary work,” he says. “That’s what I reinforce in mentoring my students. I encourage them to build on what they’ve experienced, what they’ve learned and what they know, and to understand how much they have to offer.”

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