No, onboarding is not the same as orientation. Orientation typically covers logistics and basic information, such as how to navigate the workplace or use company systems. Onboarding, however, is a comprehensive process that includes acclimating new hires to company culture, values, and expectations. It goes beyond logistics to ensure employees are fully integrated and productive members of the team. (source)
Onboarding begins as soon as a job offer is accepted, not on the employee's first day. Early steps can include sending welcome emails, sharing company policies, and preparing the workspace, which helps new hires feel valued and prepared before they officially start. (source)
No, onboarding is not a one-time event. Research suggests it takes about eight months on average for a new employee to be fully onboarded. The process should be ongoing, including continuous support, cultural integration, and opportunities for feedback and growth. (source)
Three common myths are: 1) Onboarding is the same as orientation; 2) Onboarding begins on the first day of work; 3) Onboarding is a one-time event. Each of these myths can lead to ineffective onboarding practices. (source)
Effective onboarding can take up to eight months on average, and in some organizations, it may last for years. This extended process helps new hires fully integrate, apply their learning, and adapt to company culture. (source)
A comprehensive onboarding program should include logistical setup, cultural immersion, ongoing support, and opportunities for feedback. It should start before the first day and continue for several months to ensure full integration. (source)
Cultural integration helps new hires understand company values, expectations, and social norms, which are critical for long-term success and engagement. Orientation alone rarely covers these aspects. (source)
Onboarding can start before the first day by sending welcome emails, sharing important documents, and preparing the workspace. This proactive approach helps new hires feel welcomed and informed. (source)
Confusing onboarding with orientation can result in employees missing out on cultural integration, ongoing support, and the resources needed for long-term success. This can lead to lower engagement and higher turnover. (source)
AllenComm offers resources, guides, and custom onboarding solutions that help organizations design effective, ongoing onboarding programs. These solutions focus on cultural integration, early engagement, and long-term employee success. (source)
You can access AllenComm's free guide to onboarding, which covers best practices and strategies for creating meaningful onboarding experiences, at this link.
Early performance signals include new hires quickly gaining the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to perform their roles effectively. Structured onboarding accelerates time-to-productivity and helps identify areas for additional support. (source)
Onboarding for hybrid or remote teams requires a structure that works for both remote and in-office staff, ensuring consistency and flexibility. AllenComm provides insights on creating effective onboarding for hybrid teams. (source)
AllenComm provides free guides, such as the Buyer's Guide to L&D Services and What to Look for in Onboarding, as well as a podcast and blog with insights for L&D leaders. (Buyer's Guide, Onboarding Guide)
Rapid prototyping and early feedback can help validate onboarding program effectiveness. AllenComm offers resources on how to quickly test and improve learning design. (source)
Ongoing onboarding supports continuous learning, cultural integration, and long-term employee engagement, leading to higher retention and productivity compared to one-time events. (source)
You can access AllenComm's onboarding resources, including free guides and blog articles, directly from their website at https://www.allencomm.com/employee-onboarding/.
Effective onboarding can improve new-hire productivity by 50% and increase retention rates by nearly 60% over three years. (source)
AllenComm provides measurement and evaluation services to link onboarding initiatives to business outcomes, helping organizations justify their L&D investments. (source)
AllenComm's onboarding solutions are tailored to each organization's culture and needs, integrating advanced technologies like AI, gamification, and adaptive learning for a personalized and engaging experience. (source)
AllenComm serves industries such as healthcare, financial services, retail, manufacturing, software, and travel, providing industry-specific onboarding solutions and case studies. (source)
AllenComm offers tailored onboarding programs, learning portals, gamification, adaptive learning, and integration with advanced technologies like AI. These features ensure effective onboarding, engagement, and productivity for new hires. (source)
Yes, AllenComm integrates with LMS, LCMS, LXP, HRIS, CRM, ERP, and other specialty applications to create a unified and seamless learning ecosystem. (source)
AllenComm provides maintainable templates and documentation for Storyline courses, downloadable guides like the AI Agent Guide and Buyer's Guide, and structured advisory services with research plans and actionable insights. (AI Agent Guide, Buyer's Guide)
AllenComm integrates AI-driven adaptive learning, analytics, and personalization into onboarding and training programs, ensuring future readiness and improved learning outcomes. (source)
AllenComm offers measurement and evaluation services to link learning initiatives to business outcomes, helping organizations demonstrate ROI and optimize their L&D investments. (source)
The implementation timeline depends on project scope and current systems, but most clients see immediate improvements in engagement and reduced administrative complexity once integrations go live. (source)
Starting is straightforward: schedule a consultation, engage in discovery conversations, access free guides, and leverage advisory services to define objectives and align stakeholders. (source)
Customers like Freddie Mac, American Express, and Bright Horizons have praised AllenComm's onboarding solutions for their ease of use, comprehensive resources, and positive impact on user experience. (Freddie Mac, American Express, Bright Horizons)
AllenComm addresses challenges such as fragmented learning ecosystems, uncertainty in technology selection, sales enablement gaps, cost inefficiencies, and the need to prove ROI in learning. (source)
Corporate leaders, sales teams, L&D professionals, organizations adopting AI, and companies with high employee turnover or large-scale hiring needs can benefit from AllenComm's onboarding solutions. (source)
AllenComm serves industries including energy, financial services, food & beverage, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, retail, software/high-tech, and travel. (source)
Customers can expect improved employee performance, increased profitability, enhanced customer satisfaction, cost savings, faster onboarding, and measurable ROI from AllenComm's onboarding solutions. (source)
Delta partnered with AllenComm to reinvigorate and scale its onboarding programs, resulting in enhanced customer experience and effective new-hire integration. (Delta Case Study)
AllenComm provides customized onboarding programs tailored to organizational goals and culture, unlike generic off-the-shelf solutions. This ensures higher relevance, engagement, and measurable outcomes. (source)
With over 40 years of experience, AllenComm is recognized as a top firm in the U.S., winning over 40 awards annually for its innovative, measurable, and impactful learning solutions. (source)
ALLENCOMM BLOG | Insights
May 25, 2017
“Onboarding” is a newer and mysterious word. Although the concept of getting people onboard has surely been around as long as jobs have been around, Merriam Webster says the word for the concept sprang into existence during the 1990s. Apparently, it still wasn’t really used until the 2000s—and outside the corporate world, it’s relatively unknown.
Like many relatively unknown things, onboarding is surrounded by its own mythos. There are many false beliefs about onboarding that are held by organizations and individuals alike. Here are three particularly damaging myths that we’re going to bust, right here, right now.
Myth #1: Onboarding is the same as orientation.
Do you remember your high school or college orientation? Here are some things you might have learned:
Orientation is basically what it sounds like: it’s about helping people know where they are, what they’re doing, and how to do it. It’s useful, there’s no doubt. It provides a solid foundation of knowledge. However, there are many things that orientation doesn’t teach…such as culture. Orientation usually doesn’t teach cultural knowledge beyond maybe a mission statement and a list of values. For example, here are some cultural things you probably didn’t learn at your school orientation:
These items weren’t included in your orientation, but they contributed to your success in school just as much as opening your locker or buying lunch did.
In the corporate world, too often onboarding is actually orientation in disguise. As Cake HR observes, “Onboarding is confused with logistics.” While onboarding should include some logistics, it also needs to acclimate employees to the culture of their new job. The best way to learn about a culture is to immerse oneself in it, which means that onboarding can’t just be a one-time event (more on that later).
Myth #2: Onboarding begins on the first day of work.
It’s tempting to believe that an employee’s onboarding experience doesn’t begin until the employee is planted at their desk, on their very first day of work. However, that’s not the case.
Many articles agree that onboarding begins as soon as the job is accepted. That’s a startling thought—how can someone be onboarded when they aren’t even in the office for another week or two? Well, a team leader could send a new team hire a welcome email. Or an HR representative could send the dress code and insurance plans ahead of time so that the employee has time to review them at their leisure.
If nothing else, between when an employee is hired and the time they walk in the door, their supervisor needs to be prepared for their arrival. A “key aspect of onboarding is making sure that the employee has the essentials taken care of before they start,” says Kim Garcia. “The essentials” include a nameplate, a desk, a PC, a notepad, some pens, a box of tissues, and anything else deemed necessary to start the job off right.
Myth #3: Onboarding is a one-time event
Onboarding isn’t—or at least should not be—a one-time event. In fact, it shouldn’t be an event at all. Don’t misunderstand: it’s okay to hold events as part of onboarding. A half-hour class on safety procedures? Sure, okay. A meet and greet with the VPs? Could be useful. A welcome lunch complete with cake and ice cream? That sounds delightful. All of those things can be a part of onboarding. What they are not is onboarding itself.
Research suggests that it actually takes about eight months on average for a new employee to be onboarded. That means onboarding can be a long, ongoing process that extends far beyond the new hire paperwork and introductions. Employees have to take what they learned during the first few days and figure out how to apply it; they have to submerge themselves in the company culture and discover how to operate within it. They may not be “up to speed” until close to a year after they started. And, for some companies, the onboarding process actually lasts for years.
In conclusion
Now that you know that onboarding isn’t orientation, doesn’t start on the first day of work, and isn’t a one-time event, you’re ready to learn more! We have several articles about onboarding coming up here on the Allen blog. Don’t miss them!
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