How to Create an Onboarding Program

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

Stop “welcoming” new hires. Give them a win in 30 days instead. When I first hired 8 years back, I thought the best onboarding was all about making new hires feel at home. I was wrong. New hires actually struggle with: → Understanding the business and their role. → Aligning with company culture and expectations. → Getting that first “win” to build momentum. → Building relationships with colleagues. I’ve now completely changed our onboarding process. The only goal is to get new hires to their “first win” fast. Instead of generic training, we work backward from their first big achievement. Here’s the framework: Step 1: Define the “first win” (within 30 days) Every new hire gets a specific, meaningful milestone. 1. It should be important enough that not doing it has a business impact. 2. Something that pushes them but is achievable with team collaboration. 3. It should give them real insight into how we operate. Our new Demand Gen Marketer’s first win was securing Market Development Funds (MDF) from a partner. To do this, they had to: - Work with our internal team. - Engage with a partner manager. - Propose a campaign relevant to both companies. This wasn’t just a task (it was a meaningful contribution). Step 2: Provide context (without overloading them) Most onboarding programs drown new hires in endless presentations. We limit training to what they need for their first win. 1. A 45-minute deep dive on the company’s journey, priorities, and challenges. 2. Targeted learning on only what’s relevant for their milestone. 3. Hands-on guidance instead of passive training. For the Demand Gen hire, we focused on: - Who the partner manager was and their priorities. - How the partnership worked. - What MDF campaigns typically get approved. Step 3: Align them with our work culture Culture isn't learned in a handbook. It’s experienced. Every new hire is paired with a mentor to guide them through: → Quality Standards → What "good" looks like in our company. → Processes & Tools → How we work and collaborate. → Feedback Loops → How we review, iterate, and improve. The result? New hires achieve something meaningful within their first month. They feel pride, momentum, and confidence (not just onboarding fatigue). Great onboarding isn’t about information. It’s about impact. 💡 How do you set up new hires for success?

7 ways to onboard like a leader, not a manager Managers check boxes. Leaders build connection, confidence, and commitment — starting on Day 1. Here’s how to make your onboarding unforgettable (for the right reasons): 1. Build with “Flexture” — Structure + Flexibility ↳ New hires should feel the investment. ↳ Structure shows you care. Flexibility shows you trust. ✅ Outline a clear first 2 weeks → Company, team, role, audience → Add white space for questions, exploration, or deeper dives You’re not training robots — you’re planting roots. 2. Assign a Culture Buddy ↳ Give them one go-to person from the start. ✅ Someone who can: → Answer questions → Explain culture → Say “I’ve got you” during the messy middle Connection makes onboarding stick. 3. Build a Shadowing Rotation ↳ One mentor gives them one lens. ↳ Three or four gives them depth. ✅ Let them shadow multiple teammates → Different styles → Different systems → Different strengths Then, let them schedule it — build ownership from the start. 4. Ask Early, Ask Often ↳ Don’t assume “no news” is good news. ✅ Daily or weekly check-ins → “Where are you stuck?” → “What’s still unclear?” → “What’s working really well so far?” Feedback isn’t a final step — it’s the foundation. 5. Empower Resourcefulness ↳ Managers answer every question. ↳ Leaders teach people where to find the answers. ✅ Create a resource map → FAQs → Ticket systems → Key people to go to Show them how to navigate — don’t just point the way. 6. Introduce Mission Early ↳ Don’t just show them what to do — show them why it matters. ✅ Tie tasks to purpose → “This is how your work connects to our mission.” → “This is the impact we’re building together.” People commit when they understand the bigger picture. 7. Celebrate Small Wins ↳ Recognition builds momentum. ✅ Day 3? Celebrate initiative. ✅ End of Week 1? Celebrate curiosity. ✅ Week 2? Celebrate growth. New hires are watching everything. Start with belief. The first 2 weeks determine whether someone sees a future with your team. Make those days Intentional. Personal. Memorable. Lead. Inspire. Achieve. Ignite it. 💯🔥 ♻️ Repost to help others transform onboarding 🔔 Follow Dwight Braswell, MBA for tactical tools and frameworks 👉 Get 200+ leadership questions + the New Leader Bundle: https://lnkd.in/gmYczQHh

In the last year, Demandbase has cut our TTV (time to value) by 55%. How? Our onboarding leader Graham Grome redesigned our onboarding process around 6 core principles: 1. Start Onboarding During the Sales Process Onboarding doesn’t start with the onboarding kick-off meeting, it starts with the first conversation with the customer. The very first interaction begins the process of understanding needs, roles and responsibilities, and timelines. Through the sales process the scope plan is in development and it is essential that this is handed off to CX and the onboarding team (and that pre-Sales resources stay involved) after the deal is closed. 2. Ground in Strategy to Generate a Value Roadmap Even with the scope in place, it’s critical to begin with strategy in onboarding (not dive into tactics and tasks). You need to know what the business outcomes the customer wants to achieve and the path to get there. That is why we begin with GTM Strategy Discovery sessions and deliver a Value Roadmap with clear now, next, and later actions that align to the customer’s GTM goals. 3. Tailor Configuration to Outcomes Every onboarding should be tailored to customer priorities. No two GTM’s are the same, being flexible in configuration is really important. Out-of-the box will not grow with your goals. We keep projects moving on target, surface risks early, and ensure that platform configuration supports business outcomes, not just your setup. The goal is to help you drive measurable value as quickly as possible. 4. Bring Customer Success into Onboarding As you grow, Onboarding and Customer Success become specialized functions. To maintain a “zero hand-off” approach make sure to include the Customer Success team members who will work with the customer moving forward through the onboarding process. 5. Make sure you leave Onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan You cannot show value without it. Every customer leaves onboarding with a Value Measurement Plan aligned to their objectives, so progress and impact are clear from day one. 6. Measure CSAT Post Onboarding It all sounds good, but how do you know it’s actually happening and where the process can improve? Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys. Feedback on onboarding has to be operationalized, it’s too important to have any blind spots or to stagnate as customer needs evolve. ——— Customers have more options than ever, they are under pressure to justify their spending, they want results now (as they should!), and they know new AI-driven solutions are coming out every day. If you don’t adapt your onboarding to meet these demands, you will be in a world of hurt on churn.

Onboarding is more than an initial orientation for new employees. It's a blueprint for long-term success. The first week at a new company can be disorienting or empowering. Your onboarding process determines which way things go. Here are the critical points that your onboarding process must address, to prepare your new hires to be effective contributors: • 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 Share founding stories to connect employees to the company's core mission and purpose. That way, everyone can better understand and identify with the vision you’re trying to realize. • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 Provide and break down an org chart. This will help new hires understand where they fit within the team, and who to talk to when they have questions and concerns about their own responsibilities. • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘀 Define the channels for daily operations—email, SMS, Slack—to streamline workflows and make sure new hires start on the same page as everyone else. Otherwise, their outreach will fall on deaf ears, leaving them feeling disconnected and unproductive. • 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 Introduce company values to align personal and corporate objectives. These values can provide direction to your new hires, before (and sometimes without) intervention from managers. • 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 Offer a clear understanding of how the business operates to contextualize your new hire’s role in your company. • 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰 Personal introductions to your team build networks and support systems for new hires. That kind of inclusion will provide your employees with: • comfort in an unfamiliar setting sooner • more motivation to keep going later • accountability to their tasks along the way Onboarding is your opportunity to set the tone for an employee's journey with your company. Make sure your onboarding process addresses these points: • Historical Context • Structural Clarity • Communication Protocols • Core Principles • Operational Mechanics • Social Fabric If done right, onboarding can prevent future disorientation and ensure that every team member is pulling in the same direction from the get-go. Which means your business will see a greater impact from new hires, faster.

🔎 When analyzing the onboarding processes of various companies from a DEI perspective, I have noticed that some organizations understand the importance of having a buddy system, providing DEI training during onboarding, and introducing new hires to ERGs. However, there are also overlooked foundational steps that can drive significant change: 💡 Step 1: Conducting a DEI Audit of an Existing Process Before designing your inclusive onboarding program, it is crucial to conduct a DEI audit of your current process. This audit involves assessing your onboarding materials, procedures, and practices through a diversity and inclusion lens through employee personas. It helps identify any gaps, biases, or exclusions that may exist, enabling you to make targeted improvements. 💡 Step 2: Developing Pre-Onboarding Resources Pre-onboarding plays a vital role in setting the stage for an inclusive onboarding experience. Create materials that introduce new hires to practical information, but also your organization's culture and DEI initiatives. Providing this information in advance helps new hires familiarize themselves with your commitment to DEI and sets expectations for their onboarding journey. 💡 Step 3: Designing an Inclusive Onboarding Program for the First Year Extend the onboarding process beyond the initial few days or weeks to encompass the entire first year of a new hire's journey. This extended timeline allows new hires to deepen their understanding of your organization, build relationships, and fully integrate into the company culture, fostering a sense of belonging. 💡 Step 4: Training Onboarding Facilitators and Buddies While many organizations recognize the importance of training onboarding facilitators, they often overlook the significance of training buddies in DEI. These people play a crucial role in supporting new hires and shaping their onboarding experience. Provide comprehensive DEI training to both facilitators and buddies, empowering them to create an inclusive and supportive environment. This training should cover topics such 🧠 unconscious bias, 💬 inclusive communication, 🗺 cultural competence, ensuring that they can effectively guide new hires through the onboarding process in an inclusive way. ________________________________________ Are you looking for more practical tips and DEI content like this?  📨 Join my free DEI Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtgdB6XX

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!

How do I build a 12-month roadmap for a recruit using their production and my company playbook? Let me share a quick story. One of the leaders I coached was struggling to onboard a new hire effectively. They had great potential but didn’t quite understand how they fit into the big picture. As they dove into the role, the rookie felt lost and overwhelmed, leading to a few early missteps. We worked together on a solution. Instead of just assigning tasks based on numbers and quotas, we flipped the script. We created a detailed 12-month roadmap aligning their production goals with our company playbook. This wasn’t just about selling; it was about grasping our vision and understanding how their contributions would make an impact. Here’s how you can do the same: Start by identifying key production milestones for the recruit, breaking them down into manageable quarterly goals. For each quarter, align these objectives with specific elements of your playbook — training modules, key projects, or team collaboration opportunities. Ensure that each milestone has clear, actionable steps and reasons behind them, so the recruit knows not just what to do but why it matters. Also, keep communication open. Regular check-ins will help you both stay aligned and pivot if necessary. This framework works because it transforms the onboarding experience from a transactional series of tasks into a collaborative journey. When recruits see how their efforts support a greater vision, they’re not just going through the motions; they’re genuinely invested in the success of the team and the company. A meaningful onboarding process can set the stage for long-term engagement and high performance. Let’s make sure our new hires feel they belong and can see the roadmap to their success right from the start.

Sales onboarding can make or break your revenue engine. But far too often, we judge its success by gut feel: ✔️ Reps say it was helpful ✔️ Managers think they’re ready ✔️ Everyone moves on …until performance lags, reps churn, and enablement gets reactive. --- That’s why I spent the last few months building something practical. 👉 A complete breakdown of 33 essential sales onboarding metrics, grouped into 8 actionable categories to help you measure onboarding impact from every angle: • Pre-start readiness • Engagement & progress • Knowledge & competency • Application & early performance • Manager & peer support • Satisfaction & sentiment • Retention & sustainability • Operational efficiency Each metric includes a clear definition, formula, and real-world example – designed to help you stop guessing and start tracking what moves the needle. Some examples from the guide👇 📊 Time to complete role-specific certifications – How long reps take to complete structured assessments. 📊 Product demo attainment rate – Measures reps’ ability to deliver core product messaging in mock demos. 📊 Manager coaching cadence compliance – Measures if managers follow the expected coaching frequency. 📊 Onboarding NPS – Net Promoter Score to capture how likely new hires are to recommend the onboarding experience. 📊 Knowledge retention (90-day) – Retesting knowledge after 90 days to see what stuck. 📊 Onboarding cost per hire – Total cost to onboard each rep. 📊 Time to first opportunity created – Days until rep logs their first opportunity in CRM. 📊 Time to first closed-won – Days until first revenue-contributing deal. 📊 % to quota at 30/60/90 days – Performance benchmarks through ramp. Whether you’re: 🔹 Building your sales onboarding from scratch 🔹 Auditing an existing onboarding programme 🔹 Trying to justify sales onboarding ROI 🔹 Or simply looking to prevent toxic ramp drop-offs and early attrition …this guide gives you the metrics to structure, track, and optimise onboarding in a measurable, scalable way. --- 📌 Want the high-res one-pager + full in-depth sales onboarding metrics guide? Comment “sales onboarding metrics” and I’ll send it your way. Let’s raise the bar on sales onboarding – and prove it’s working. #sales #salesenablement #salesonboarding ✌️

Why Most VA Onboarding Templates Don’t Work (and What To Do Instead) Fact: Most “plug-and-play” VA onboarding checklists fall short the moment they meet real business complexity. Prebuilt templates can’t account for YOUR company’s unique workflows, team dynamics, or cultural nuances. 47% of outsourced hires underperform in their first 90 days when forced through generic onboarding SOPs. Here’s why founders should avoid the copy-paste trap: - Every business runs on different systems and tools (even two Shopify stores rarely onboard the same way) - Culture fit and internal communication styles make or break how quickly VAs can contribute - Rigid SOPs create friction, confusion, and extra support tickets, costing you precious time Instead, try this actionable onboarding framework: 1. Orient around YOUR systems: Have your VA shadow actual workflows, not just read docs. Record video walkthroughs or schedule live demos of your day-to-day processes. 2. Integrate team rhythms: Invite VAs to stand-ups or async check-ins for firsthand exposure to company culture. 3. Assign “learn by doing” tasks: Start with real, low-risk assignments review work together, give collaborative feedback and iterate live instead of waiting for clunky milestone checklists. At HelpFlow, our VAs don’t just survive onboarding... they thrive, because they’re trained to learn your systems, style, and rhythm from day one. When onboarding is human and adaptive, VAs get productive faster, with less oversight. Skip the template. Build an onboarding experience that fits your busines because your team deserves more than “one size fits none.” How have you customized your VA onboarding for real results? Share your tips or struggles in the comments!