A strong onboarding process is one of the most valuable investments HR and L&D leaders can make in 2025. In today’s fast-paced work environment, employee onboarding is no longer just about paperwork and policy handbooks. For frontline workers, onboarding is a make-or-break experience that shapes how quickly new hires get up to speed, how engaged they feel, and ultimately how long they stay.
If you want to retain top talent, reduce ramp-up time, and drive performance from day one, it’s time to rethink your onboarding strategy. Here are 10 effective ways to improve your onboarding process this year.
1. Start Before Day One
The best onboarding experiences begin before an employee walks through the door. “Preboarding” sets the tone by introducing company values, logistics, and key contacts ahead of time. Sending a welcome email, access to a digital portal, and even a short video from the team builds excitement and reduces first-day jitters.
Modern learning management systems like the Axonify LMS for onboarding make it easy to deliver preboarding content at scale, giving new hires the personalized support they need from the start. Especially for frontline employees, this means receiving the right amount of tailored information to feel confident on their first shift, without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Personalize the Experience
No two employees are the same. Whether you’re onboarding a cashier, line cook, or warehouse associate, tailoring content to the individual’s role, learning style, and pace is key. Adaptive learning paths powered by AI deliver the right training at the right time, making onboarding more efficient and engaging.
3. Use Gamification to Motivate Employees
Instead of a one-size-fits-all presentation, use interactive modules, quizzes, and mobile microlearning to help new hires progress at their own speed. Studies show that gamification has increasingly won acceptance by learners in the workforce who recognize the benefits of receiving immediate feedback on their learning progress.
4. Use a Structured, Phased Approach
A successful onboarding process should be broken into phases: preparation, orientation, training, integration, and ongoing development. Each phase should have specific goals and milestones to keep the process moving forward without overwhelming the new hire.
A phased approach allows employees to gradually build competence and confidence. For instance, week one might focus on safety and core processes, while week three could include customer interaction and sales skills.
5. Empower Managers to Be Coaches
Managers play a critical role in onboarding. However, they often aren’t given the tools or time to do it well. Equip your managers with checklists, coaching guides, and progress dashboards so they stay connected and supportive throughout the new hire journey.
Encourage regular check-ins during the first 30, 60, and 90 days. These conversations help to surface concerns early, reinforce progress, and build trust.
6. Make It Mobile-Friendly
Frontline employees often don’t have regular access to a desktop computer, so your onboarding must be mobile-first. A mobile LMS ensures that employees are able to access bite-sized training, how-to videos, and digital checklists right from their smartphones. This information may be accessed wherever and whenever they need it.
7. Prioritize Company Culture and Connection
Culture isn’t something you tell new hires about; it’s something they experience. From shadowing veteran team members to attending welcome lunches or community chats, facilitating real human connections goes a long way.
Introduce cultural values through storytelling, team rituals, and hands-on experiences. Encourage peers to act as onboarding buddies to guide new hires and foster a sense of belonging early on.
8. Reinforce Training With Microlearning
A common challenge with traditional onboarding is information overload. If it’s not reinforced, employees may forget a lot of what they learn. The solution? Microlearning.
Break down complex topics into bite-sized lessons that are easy to absorb and retain. Many modern-day LMSs, for example, deliver short, daily bursts of training. These tactics are ideal for reinforcing essential knowledge without distracting employees from their work.
9. Use Real-Time Feedback and Analytics
Feedback shouldn’t just flow from manager to employee—it should go both ways. New hires offer fresh perspectives on how effective your onboarding process really is. Use pulse surveys and in-app feedback tools to collect their insights.
Meanwhile, track progress using LMS analytics to identify completion rates, quiz scores, and areas where employees may be struggling. This data allows HR and L&D teams to make timely improvements.
10. Incorporate Hands-On, Role-Specific Training
Nothing replaces the value of learning by doing. For example, onboarding hotel staff with job-specific simulations and shadowing experiences improves both speed and satisfaction.
Incorporate role-specific scenarios into your onboarding to help new hires gain confidence in real-world settings. Combine digital training with in-person mentorship for a blended approach that drives results.
11. Extend Onboarding Beyond 90 Days
The best onboarding processes go well beyond the first few weeks. Think of onboarding as a 6- to 12-month journey that includes continuous learning, career development, and opportunities for advancement.
After initial training, provide pathways for skill-building, cross-training, and leadership development. This long-term view not only boosts engagement but also signals to employees that you’re invested in their growth.
Onboarding Is a Strategic Advantage
In 2025, onboarding isn’t just a task; it’s a critical strategy for employee retention, engagement, and performance, especially for frontline roles. How you onboard sets the tone for the entire employee experience.
To recap, here are 10 impactful ways to improve your onboarding process:
- Start before day one with preboarding tools like welcome emails and digital portals.
- Personalize the experience using role-specific, adaptive learning paths.
- Use gamification to keep new hires engaged and motivated.
- Structure onboarding into clear phases with goals and milestones.
- Empower managers with coaching tools and regular check-in schedules.
- Go mobile-first to meet the needs of a frontline, on-the-go workforce.
- Promote company culture and connection through peer support and storytelling.
- Reinforce learning using short, daily microlearning sessions.
- Gather real-time feedback and use data to optimize onboarding continuously.
- Incorporate hands-on learning for a faster ramp-up and better retention.
- Extend onboarding beyond 90 days to support long-term growth and retention.
By rethinking your onboarding strategy with these approaches, you’re not only preparing employees for success, you’re also strengthening your organization’s foundation for the future.
