Onboarding best practices: The joy of familiarity

As an employer, fostering this sense of familiarity starts from the very first interaction with a new employee. Our advice, as consultants during implementation, is always to incorporate plenty of visual materials and stories that employees will encounter again in their work.

Through familiarity, you can assist the new employee in making certain actions more comfortable. Whether it's reaching out to a colleague who appeared in a preboarding video or photo, recognizing an artwork in the office that you saw during a virtual tour, or finding the best coffee shop around the corner mentioned in the onboarding app.

Recognizing these elements can bring a sense of calm and quickly put employees at ease. With so much new information to take in, it's helpful to reduce the volume of new information.

Therefore, opt for authentic visuals featuring real colleagues or showcasing the workplace and its surroundings, instead of relying on generic stock photos. Let colleagues share their stories or include photos of them engaging in activities when discussing sports events in your onboarding app.

Ultimately, it’s about crafting an experience that delights and sparks a sense of familiarity. So, let the joy begin!