Starting a new job is one of the most important moments in an employee's journey. But for companies, it’s also one of the most vulnerable stages of the relationship. A poor onboarding experience can lead to early frustration, disengagement, or even resignation. On the other hand, effective onboarding helps new hires feel supported, productive, and connected to the company’s culture from day one.
Consistent employee onboarding processes help align teams, clarify expectations, and build a strong foundation for long-term success, especially in companies operating across different locations and cultures.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to onboard a new employee and the common pitfalls many companies face when trying to get it right.
Onboarding is the process of helping new employees settle into their roles, understand expectations, and feel connected to the organisation. While many people assume onboarding simply means sending out equipment, setting up email accounts, or holding a quick orientation call, it goes much deeper than that.
At its core, effective onboarding focuses on three things: culture, clarity, and connection.
Without proper onboarding, employees can feel lost or overwhelmed, which often leads to frustration and early turnover. But when done well, onboarding helps people feel valued, builds confidence in their new role, and lays the groundwork for long-term loyalty and performance.
Every company may approach onboarding a bit differently depending on size, industry, and location. But the goal is always the same: help new hires feel equipped, welcomed, and ready to contribute. By the end of the process, your employees should not only understand their responsibilities but also feel part of the wider team and confident in how they fit into the organisation’s goals.
On average, onboarding can take 1 to 3 months, depending on the company, role complexity, and industry.
Onboarding costs typically range from $1,000 to $5,000 per employee — but can be much higher for specialised roles.
These costs may include:
A SHRM study estimated that the average cost-per-hire (which includes onboarding) is around $4,700 in the US.
Onboarding begins long before the employee’s first day. The recruitment process lays the foundation by setting clear expectations about the role, responsibilities, and company culture.
During interviews and offer discussions, candidates should walk away with a clear understanding of:
For remote roles, it’s also important to clarify what support they’ll receive to thrive in a virtual environment.
Key actions at this stage:
The window between signing the offer and the starting date is often overlooked, but it's the perfect time to build excitement, answer questions and prepare the employee for success.
Providing key information, such as an Itinerary, before their first day helps reduce anxiety and gives new hires a sense of structure immediately.
Key actions at this stage:
First impressions matter. A thoughtful and well-organised first day helps new hires feel comfortable, valued, and part of the team from the outset. For remote employees, this can be just as meaningful through carefully planned virtual sessions.
Assigning a work buddy — someone experienced but not the direct manager — gives new hires a go-to contact for questions and informal guidance during the early days.
What to do in this step:
Step 4: Build momentum during the first few weeks
The early weeks are crucial for helping new hires build confidence, establish routines, and start contributing. It’s during this period that employees begin to visualise their long-term future within the organisation.
Clarity around tasks, performance goals, and daily responsibilities is essential. For remote workers this is especially important as they often don't have the benefit of observing office dynamics.
Key actions at this stage:
Onboarding doesn’t end after a few weeks. Ongoing engagement helps employees build relationships, feel part of the company culture, and continue developing professionally.
Key actions at this stage:
Remote work isn’t just a trend anymore — it’s become a normal part of how many companies operate. According to research by the World Economic Forum and Capgemini, he number of fully remote, global digital jobs is expected to grow by 25% by 2030, reaching nearly 92 million roles worldwide.
As more employees work from home or from different countries, companies need to make sure their onboarding process works just as well for remote hires as it does for office-based employees.
The fundamentals of onboarding stay the same: remote employees still need the right equipment, access to systems, proper training, and a clear understanding of your company’s policies, culture, and expectations. The main difference is how you deliver all of this when people aren’t physically in the office.
Even with the best intentions, onboarding can go off track if certain pitfalls aren’t avoided. Here are some of the most common onboarding mistakes companies make with new hires — and simple ways to fix them.
Once a candidate accepts the offer, communication should continue, not stop. The weeks leading up to their start date can be filled with questions and uncertainty, especially for remote hires. Regular check-ins before day one help keep them engaged and prepared.
Make sure they have:
The more prepared they feel before their first day, the more confident and productive they’ll be.
New hires need a lot of information, but not all at once. Dumping too much on them right away leads to confusion, stress, and even early disengagement.
Instead, create a phased induction plan:
This approach helps them absorb information at a comfortable pace while building confidence.
It’s all about the people. Remember what it feels like to be new: anxiety, insecurity and doubt are common at the beginning of a major change in your life. With a few exceptions, people tend to start their new jobs more timidly, observing others and learning the processes.
A few simple actions can make a huge difference:
Even experienced professionals won’t arrive knowing your company’s inner workings. Never assume new hires understand your history, mission, culture, or policies.
Take the time to:
Too often, onboarding is treated as something that ends after the first week or month. But real integration takes longer.
Make ongoing learning part of the plan:
This long-term support helps new hires feel like they’re building a future with your company — not just surviving the first few weeks.
Whether you’re hiring locally or across borders, effective onboarding plays a key role in building a productive workforce. With solutions like global HR consulting, HR systems, and Employer of Record services, Airswift helps businesses simplify workforce management and support new hires from day one.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can assist on onboarding and other HR related services.