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Companies need onboarding software that streamlines the process of integrating new employees, including handling paperwork, managing training, and tracking their progress through each onboarding stage.
Many onboarding software tools exist, with the right choice depending on your business size, niche, and unique needs.
There’s no need to be worked up about which software to choose, as this guide is here to help.
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What is onboarding software?
Onboarding software is the platform an organization uses to integrate new hires into its workflow and ensure a smooth transition for the hires.
Picture a new employee joining your company. You’ll need to walk them through your company’s processes, train them on company etiquette, and provide crucial information about their role. Doing this manually for each employee will be unnecessarily difficult, so companies need software to automate the process.
Onboarding typically starts working before the new hire's first day; this period is known as preboarding. Most modern onboarding platforms will send new hires a range of welcome videos, allow for early document completion, and even help coordinate getting devices like laptops and phones to the new hire.
Preboarding is an important step in helping new hires feel like they are already part of the team.
When a new hire joins your company, they can then interact with the onboarding software to learn more about their team, role, and upload the necessary documents that weren't completed during preboarding. They can also go through digital training programs that introduce them formally to their new role.
An onboarding platform can be standalone or offered as part of a broader human resource (HR) platform. They come in different price ranges, and some platforms are targeted at specific industries.
Features of onboarding software
1. Document upload and management
When a new hire joins your company, they’ll need to upload personal documents to be added to HR records. Onboarding software lets employees upload these documents easily, and it will be forwarded immediately to the HR team.
New hires also need to read and sign employment contracts, non-disclosure agreements, or other contractual documents. They can read these documents right on the platform and append their electronic, legally-binding signature. It saves time that HR teams would have spent processing these documents manually.
2. Self-service portals
New hires need a convenient way to access company information, for example, the organogram listing the chain of command and how different departments and roles interplay.
They also need to complete forms, such as a tax withholding Form W-4 for U.S.-based employees. Onboarding platforms provide a self-service portal for employees to find relevant information and submit necessary data.
New hires don’t have to bother colleagues or HR staff for mundane information when they can access what’s needed on the onboarding platform. This convenience saves time for everyone.
3. Progress tracking
As a new hire passes through the onboarding process, the software logs their progress and transmits this data to the HR team.
If an employee hasn’t completed some onboarding tasks, the software can send an alert to the employee and also to the HR team to clarify any issues.
Progress tracking is crucial in strictly regulated industries, such as banking and healthcare, where new hires are required to pass through industry-specific training before starting their roles. It ensures that employees complete the training process on time and before handling any sensitive tasks.
4. IT & hardware provisioning
Distributing hardware to new hires can be a significant logistical task.
Good onboarding software will integrate with IT management tools to support IT provisioning. It can also trigger essential tasks like creating Google Workspace and Slack accounts.
5. AI assistants and adaptive learning
The rollout of AI assistants helps onboarding software work even harder for your business. For example, AI assistants can help new hires answer questions quickly and easily, without having to scroll through endless FAQs or repeatedly asking a colleague/HR.
AI can also be used to deliver adaptive training paths, helping new hires to get the information they really need without having to work through a long, generic list of content.
How to choose onboarding software
These are the core considerations when comparing different options to choose the best onboarding software for your business:
Features
Above, we highlighted some typical features of onboarding software, but there are many more. Depending on your business size and niche, you may need some features not commonly found in onboarding tools.
For example, healthcare firms may need onboarding software capable of verifying a new employee’s credentials and sending alerts if their licenses are about to expire. In that case, the best bet is an onboarding tool designed primarily for healthcare firms,
Note the features your business needs and research onboarding platforms that have these features. Onboarding platforms are transparent about their features, which enables easy comparison.
Security
Prioritize security when choosing an onboarding platform, especially in business niches that deal with sensitive data, such as banking and healthcare.
At a minimum, an onboarding platform should have strong encryption protocols to protect any document uploaded to the platform from unauthorized access. When employees upload their personal information during the onboarding process, encryption ensures the documents are stored securely, and regular backups help prevent the documents from getting lost.
Onboarding platforms should have two-factor authentication, i.e., requiring extra verification before granting access to an employee’s account. When an employee tries to log in with their username and password, they’ll also need a one-time PIN generated by an authenticator app.
This extra security layer prevents intruders from accessing an employee’s account even if they steal the correct username and password.
Third-party integration
An onboarding tool rarely works in a silo. You’ll often need to integrate it with other HR and payroll software to ensure data flows smoothly between them. For example, when an employee inputs their bank account details on the onboarding tool, it’ll be automatically sent to the payroll platform for confirmation.
Look at third-party integrations such as payroll, HRIS, collaboration, identity management and performance management tools when comparing different onboarding platforms. The broader a platform’s library of third-party integrations, the more convenient it’ll be for your business.
Budget
Onboarding tools have a wide price range. Small to mid-sized businesses can find simple, affordable tools with decent features, and large companies can choose pricier tools with the most advanced features.
For example, the pricier tools have larger third-party integration libraries and storage space for uploaded documents. They are also more customizable and have sophisticated security features, such as access control and audit logs.
A tool being the most sophisticated doesn’t mean that’s what you need. If you run a small company, you may just need one with simple features, not the most expensive option with broader functionalities.
Analytics
Consider which reporting and analytics features your onboarding software provides. HR teams and executives should be able to monitor new employees’ progress through the onboarding process and provide guidance if needed. They should be able to receive alerts when employees complete the process or fail to complete key steps.
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