Optimizing Onboarding Processes

🎢 Onboarding UX Playbook (+ Decision Trees). Practical techniques for better onboarding UX, design patterns, kits and Figma templates — on mobile and desktop. 🚫 Users often skip tutorials/walkthroughs entirely. 🚫 Never block the UI with full-page onboarding modals. 🚫 Avoid long multi-step tutorials with 5+ steps. ✅ Ask customers what goals they are trying to achieve. ✅ Allow users to hide walkthroughs and restore them later. ✅ Focus on bringing users to first success moments fast. ✅ Structure your onboarding suggestions in bite-sized chunks. ✅ Explain features when users slow down or make mistakes. ✅ Show features when users lose time with repetitive tasks. ✅ Prevent failure with an early warning system for new users. ✅ Collapsible checklists work well for onboarding. ✅ Personalized onboarding works even better. ✅ Design sets of filters, templates and empty states. ✅ Show starter kits based on user’s profile and interests. ✅ Consider short video guides and email drip campaigns. Good onboarding can’t be generic. It has to be relevant and valuable. Define your user segments first. Design a set of presets to help them get to success moments faster. Think of the questions you need to ask to customize their experience. Think about filters and presets they might need. Onboarding tutorials often appear once and get instantly dismissed, nowhere to be found again. Allow users to find them when they need it. Bring them up when users slow down or make mistakes. And test the discoverability of your features continuously. If a feature is obvious, you might not need to explain it at all. And if it isn’t, perhaps onboarding won’t solve this problem either. Useful resources: How to Choose Onboarding Methods and Components, by NewsKit 👍 Methods: https://lnkd.in/eWn5FPWA Decision Tree: https://lnkd.in/e8TmMDFf Design Patterns: https://lnkd.in/ed7HjzkW Onboarding UX Playbook, by Eleana Gkogka https://lnkd.in/edcDfMFG Complete Onboarding UX Guide (free eBook), by Intercom https://lnkd.in/eAxT6ZM4 User Onboarding Best Practices, by Taras Bakusevych https://lnkd.in/eRwr2tEc Guide to Onboarding, by Phil Byrne https://lnkd.in/esEavgw7 How Spotify Organizes Onboarding in Figma, by Barton Smith, Cliona O'Sullivan https://lnkd.in/ei434tqq Mobile Onboarding Wireframe Flows (Figma template) https://lnkd.in/ekhzWFJz UX Onboarding Patterns, by Eve Weinberg https://lnkd.in/e7_M4kDv #ux #design

Starting your new job? Here's my proven first-day strategy to make a lasting impression ⿡ Arrive Early, Really Early Get there 30 minutes before start time. Use this buffer to find parking, locate your desk, and settle in without rushing. ⿢ Bring the Essentials Notebook, pen, phone charger, and any paperwork HR requested. Being prepared shows professionalism from day one. ⿣ Listen More Than You Speak Your first day is about absorbing information. Take detailed notes about: - Team members' names and roles - Important meetings - Key processes - Login credentials ⿤ Set Up Your Workspace Configure your computer, email, and required software. Ask for help if needed—it shows initiative. ⿥ Connect with Your Team Introduce yourself briefly to colleagues. Remember, short and sweet is best on day one. ⿦ Clarify Expectations Meet with your manager to understand: - Initial projects - Team dynamics - First week priorities - Communication preferences ⿧ Observe the Culture Pay attention to: - Office dynamics - Lunch routines - Meeting styles - Dress code Remember: Your first day sets the foundation for your entire journey at the company. Focus on being present, professional, and proactive. The small details matter. Don't try to prove everything on day one—focus on building strong relationships and understanding your role. #Careertips #FirstDay #NewJob #Jobseekers #Careercoach #Impression

🔍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 We’re living in an age where business agility is non-negotiable—and yet, many organizations still view Talent Acquisition as a linear, transactional process. It’s time for a mindset shift. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. This is the evolution from 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 to 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 —and it’s transforming how high-performing organizations attract, engage, and retain talent. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? At its core, Talent Intelligence is about using 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚, 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 to drive smarter workforce decisions. It empowers talent teams to: 🧠 Understand skills availability across regions and industries 📊 Predict future workforce needs tied to business growth 🏢 Tap into internal mobility and succession opportunities 🌐 Benchmark compensation and hiring trends ⚠️ Spot gaps and risks before they impact business outcomes In contrast to traditional recruiting, which answers "𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰?", Talent Intelligence asks: # “What will our business need 12–24 months from now?” # “Do we build, buy, or borrow the skills we need?” # “Where can we find diverse talent that aligns with our values and goals?” # “How can we reduce time-to-fill while increasing quality of hire?” 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Companies that integrate Talent Intelligence into their people strategies gain a competitive edge by: ✔ Aligning talent planning with business strategy ✔ Making informed, data-backed hiring decisions ✔ Elevating HR from a service function to a strategic advisor ✔ Reducing costs by hiring right the first time ✔ Future-proofing the workforce through proactive planning And most importantly—it allows us to put 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 back at the center of strategy, not just process. 💡 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬.  It’s about mindset. Capability. And a willingness to move beyond the now and prepare for the next. 🚀 As HR and Talent professionals, we’re uniquely positioned to drive this evolution—if we choose to. So I’m curious: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? Let’s share ideas, challenges, and solutions. The future of work depends on it. #TalentIntelligence #PeopleAnalytics #StrategicWorkforcePlanning #HRTransformation #FutureOfWork #TalentAcquisition #HRLeadership #SkillsStrategy #WorkforceForesight #HiringTrends

🔎 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

When I was head of growth, our team reached 40% activation rates, and onboarded hundreds of thousands of new users. Without knowing it, we discovered a framework. Here are the 6 steps we followed. 1. Define value: Successful onboarding is typically judged by new user activation rates. But what is activation? The moment users receive value. Reaching it should lead to higher retention & conversion to paid plans. First define it. Then get new users there. 2. Deliver value, quickly Revisit your flow and make sure it gets users to the activation moment fast. Remove unnecessary steps, complexity, and distractions along the way. Not sure how to start? Try reducing time (or steps) to activate by 50%. 3. Motivate users to action: Don't settle for simple. Look for sticking points in the user experience you can solve with microcopy, empty states, tours, email flows, etc. Then remind users what to do next with on-demand checklists, progress bars, & milestone celebrations. 4. Customize the experience: Ditch the one-size fits all approach. Learn about your different use cases. Then, create different product "recipes" to help users achieve their specific goals. 5. Start in the middle: Solve for the biggest user pain points stopping users from starting. Lean on customizable templates and pre-made playbooks to help people go 0-1 faster. 6. Build momentum pre-signup: Create ways for website visitors to start interacting with the product - and building momentum, before they fill out any forms. This means that you'll deliver value sooner, and to more people. Keep it simple. Learn what's valuable to users. Then deliver value on their terms.

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]

Reaching for Stars: Are You Maximizing Exceptional Talent? "Stars outperform average employees by 5 to 50 times, yet most organizations fail to maximize their potential." – [Talent Strategy Group] Talent isn’t just about skills—it’s about impact. Exceptional talent can deliver exponential results, but unlocking their potential goes beyond hiring the best. It requires creating the right environment for them to thrive. A recent article by Talent Strategy Group highlights key strategies to nurture and retain top talent. Here’s how organizations can effectively support them: 1. Recognize & Elevate – Go beyond routine praise. Offer meaningful recognition, high-impact projects, and leadership opportunities that align with business goals. Recognition should fuel collaboration, not competition. 2. Challenge & Grow – Keep them engaged with complex assignments that push their limits and expand their capabilities. Stagnation is the enemy of exceptional talent. 3. Autonomy & Accountability – Give them the freedom to innovate while setting clear expectations. High-impact individuals excel when they can take ownership of their work with measurable outcomes. 4. Enable Success – Provide the right tools, mentorship, and resources to help them maximize their contributions. A well-supported high performer can drive transformation across teams and the business. Organizations that intentionally invest in exceptional talent don’t just grow—they thrive. Are you creating an environment where your stars can shine? #talent #organizationculture #leadership #hr

Onboarding is killing your velocity, not hiring. Most #GCCs obsess over offer rollouts and interview velocity. Then Day 1 arrives and your star hire spends 2 weeks hunting VPN tokens, tool access and “who owns what.” That’s not culture; that’s a latency tax. What to fix (and what to measure): Time to First Meaningful Commit (TTFMC): Target: ≤ 7 days for engineers; ≤ 10 days for analysts to ship a first insight. If you don’t track it, you’re guessing. Access in One Hour, Not One Week: Pre-provision prod-safe sandboxes, repos, dashboards, experiment tools. If it needs an email chain, it needs a policy change. Onboarding Pods, Not Orientation Decks: Pair every new hire with a buddy + product owner + SRE for 14 days. Goal: one real task shipped, one pager rotation shadowed. 90-Day “Evidence > Excuses” Plan: Week 1: ship something tiny. Week 2–4: own a bug class or dashboard. Day 30–90: lead one small change end-to-end (with a post-ship write-up). Kill the Tool Maze: Publish a single launcher (links, creds, APIs, logs, style guides). If your new hire needs to ask “where is X?” twice, the doc is broken. Scoreboard to make this real (post it publicly in the #GCC): TTFMC median (weekly) % new hires shipping in Week 1 Access SLA met in 60 minutes Drop-off in “where is…” tickets after 30 days Bottom line: If Day 1–30 is chaos, your “cost arbitrage” evaporates into backfills and burnout. Make onboarding a product. Ship value in Week 1. Everything else is theatre

Most pre-boarding I’ve seen is BORING. • A couple of PDFs/articles • Generic emails • An e-learning login if they’re lucky And then we wonder why grads/apprentices show up anxious, disengaged and already second-guessing their choice?! Here’s the reality many early career teams don’t know: Preboarding is the start of the emotional contract. Not onboarding. Now. Right now, they’re nervous. - Worried about fitting in. - Clueless about tools they'll use. - Panicking about money, moving or managing their time. You can wait for day one to fix that. Or you can get ahead of it... The best preboarding doesn’t just inform. It prepares and engages ✅ That means: • Helping them practise the software they’ll use • Budgeting tools for their first paycheck • Coaching them into a working routine before the routine begins • Making space for their questions and fears—now, not later • All delivered through gamified sessions that actually hold attention This is what I deliver in my June/July pre-boarding sessions. And it works because I’ve been them. Rejected. Nervous. First job in a new city. That’s why this isn’t generic training, it's ✅ practical ✅ gamified ✅ personal Exactly what they need, before they even start.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐔𝐒 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬: Convenience sounds like a win… But in reality—control builds the trust that scales. We were working to improve product adoption for a US-based platform. Most founders instinctively look at cutting clicks, shortening steps, making the onboarding as fast as possible. We did too — until real user patterns told a different story. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: -Added more decision points -Let users customize their flow -Gave options to manually pick settings -instead of forcing defaults -Conversions went up. -Engagement improved. Most importantly, user trust deepened. You can design a sleek two-click journey. But if the user doesn’t feel in control, they hesitate. Especially in the US, where data privacy and digital autonomy are non-negotiable — transparency and control win. Some moments that made this obvious: People disable auto-fill just to type things in manually. They skip quick recommendations to compare on their own. Features that auto-execute without explicit consent? Often uninstalled. It’s not inefficiency. It’s digital self-preservation. A mindset of: “Don’t decide for me. Let me drive.” I’ve seen this mistake cost real money. One client rolled out an automation that quietly activated in the background. Instead of delighting users, it alienated 20% of them. Because the perception was: “You took control without asking.” Meanwhile, platforms that use clear prompts — “Are you sure?” “Review before submitting” Easy toggles and edits — those build long-term trust. That’s the real game. What I now recommend to every tech founder building for the US market: Don’t just optimize for frictionless onboarding. Optimize for visible control. Add micro-trust signals like “No hidden fees,” “You can edit this later,” and toggles that show choice. Make the user feel in charge at every key step. Trust isn’t built by speed. It’s built by respecting the user’s right to decide. If you’re a tech founder or product owner, stop assuming speed is everything. Start building systems that say: “You’re in control.” 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬? 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬. #UserExperience #ProductDesign #TrustByDesign #TechForUSMarket #businesscoach #coachishleenkaur LinkedIn News LinkedIn News India LinkedIn for Small Business