onboarding
ON-bor-ding
/ˈɒnˌbɔː.dɪŋ/
The action or process of integrating a new employee into an organization or familiarizing a new customer or client with one's products or services.
Onboarding is more than just 'orientation'; it is the long-term process of making a person feel like a part of the culture and giving them the tools to succeed.
The story behind the word. The term is nautical in origin, referring to the act of getting 'on board' a ship. In the business world, it began to be used in the 1970s to describe the process of getting new hires 'on the team boat'.
Word relationships
- induction: Induction is the formal act of introducing someone to a new job; onboarding is the broader process of integration.
- offboarding: The process of managing an employee's departure from a company.
Commonly confused with
- orientation: Orientation is usually a one-day event (paperwork and tours); onboarding is a months-long journey.
Word family
- onboard (verb): To go through the onboarding process.
Collocations
- onboarding process
- employee onboarding
- onboarding program
Example sentences
- "A successful onboarding process can increase employee retention by as much as 82%." HR manual.
- "We need to simplify the user onboarding so that people don't delete the app after the first five minutes." Software industry.
Memory hook
Getting everyone 'on board' the company ship. Welcome to the ship.
When not to use
Don't use it for simply 'hiring' someone; onboarding starts after the person is hired.
Fun facts
- Some companies use 'gamified' onboarding, where new hires earn points or badges for completing their initial training tasks.
Explore more words
onboard, Integration, integrate, induct, socialization, retention
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