New faces. The promise of fresh talent. Onboarding new employees is where it all begins. But let's face it, the traditional onboarding process can be as exciting as watching paint dry. As many as 31% of employees quit their roles within the first 6 months. All because the employee onboarding process didn't do its job.
You want onboarding that's seamless, intuitive, and dare we say it, fun. You want your new hires to hit the ground running, not stumbling through paperwork and policy manuals. Enter the game-changer: onboarding software.
We're thoroughly analyzing eight of the best employee onboarding software options out there so that by the end of this article, you'll decide on two or three options to test.
Also, keep an eye on what some HR professionals have to say about the core must-haves for your own onboarding solution.
Go over the following eight options for the best HR onboarding software, core functionalities, and potential drawbacks to help you pick the perfect solution for your team's needs.
Disclaimer: We've invested considerable effort in delving into the specifics to give you an impartial perspective. However, it's only fair to admit that we're also quite thrilled with the progress our product has made. So, even though we aim for objectivity, our genuine enthusiasm for our solutions might shine through a tad.
🏆 Remote-first company Awesomic now achieves an average of 95.5% onboarding completion rates due to Zavvy's onboarding programs.
Plans start at 4€ for each employee/month. You can tweak the cost as you go, as you'll strictly pay for your desired modules. You can also get a trial of Zavvy. First, you must book a call to get a custom trial account.
"As a growing company, we were looking for one tool for all that would be our companion for the next years. now with Zavvy, our employees have to register to one platform to be able to manage their onboarding, surveys, feedback, career progress, growth plans and 1:1s. Having all in one really increases the participation in all sections." G2 review
"My company uses Zavvy for new hire onboarding, and the experience it creates is really excellent. You have all training materials, information, and to-dos in one place, mapped out on an accessible timeline. I also like the feedback module that makes it quite easy to find out how to become better in my role and take the next career step. And based on the feedback, I could create a detailed development plan with courses in less than 10 minutes thanks to the new AI feature." G2 review
Unfortunately, the pricing for this onboarding software isn't transparent, so you won't be able to find a rough cost estimate unless you make an official demo request.
"Making modifications to each onboarding module (content, surveys, forms, email templates, reporting) was easy and you could always assess the impact. Troubleshooting via the email/interface logging or audit feature was very efficient, and I always had a great collaboration with all Talmundo employees." G2 review
"Talmundo has a great onboarding tool which helps to welcome, guide, and learn new hires about our company faster, smoother, and with great experience!" G2 review
The tool is free, but the free plan has some limitations. Mainly, you'll find it difficult to upload extensive training and onboarding materials since the storage space on the free subscription is limited to 10MB/file. Additionally, unless you pay for the tool, you won't be able to leverage features like advanced checklists or custom fields.
"Even when Trello is free, it offers a lot of features that you can find in other expensive tools. We use it in the company for several projects that don't require visibility for the regulators (from organizing the next company event to buy groceries, hire catering, reserve a date for the reunion) to the onboarding of new hires." G2 review
"Super simple and easy to get started - onboarding new team members was a breeze in terms of getting them to feel confident using the tool. It's very appealing visually, and the kanbans are recognizable for most HR teams." G2 review
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Pricing isn't publicly displayed on their website, so you'll have to formally request a tailored pricing quote.
"We wanted to speed up our onboarding process and give new employees a more fun welcome. Learningbank has helped us create a complete onboarding and learning enviroment that supports training through the entire employee journey. They have been really helpful in both onboarding, training and helping me set everything up and making sure we got our HR system integrated." Capterra review
"My experience with Learningbank was excellent. It's simple to onboard new interns and hosts using Learningbank. We communicate with Learningbank support frequently, and they are always gracious and helpful to us." Capterra review
This is one of the priciest onboarding software platforms on our list, with the cheapest plan at $56 monthly that will cover up to 20 employees. The plan has limited storage and functionalities, though. Plus, the costs aren't as feasible once your company grows.
"It was made by people who know the craft. It is not some idea of how to do onboarding, you can see the real experience with HR processes and onboarding in every single feature and product decision." Capterra review
"Great customer support. High client orientation not only before purchase but also during our everyday usage. Totally recommend these people." Capterra review
Plans start at $29/month for a single active job. So, realistically, most companies will need the plan with unlimited active jobs, priced at $99/month. The problem is that the onboarding capabilities are only available with a Bundle plan that costs $150/month. You do, however, get a 14-day free trial option.
"ApplicantStack is a great tool to track applicants and move them to the onboarding stage. I've used this product for 3 years and our company has been very pleased with their customer service, pricing, and user friendly website." G2 review
"The tracking process for ApplicantStack has been revolutionary for our recruitment/onboarding workflow. The ability to see who has applied previously and for all of the hiring managers who are pertinent to that specific job ad to be on the same page when it comes to each individual candidate has saved us so much time and confusion from the way we used to do it." G2 review
You can use basic schedule management and time clocking for free alongside a free trial. Onboarding, though, is an optional add-on with plans priced at $34.99/month/location and $76.99/month/location. Many other features, like task management and operations overview, come at an extra cost.
"It makes communication with the team easy, everyone knows what assignments they have as well as many tools to trade, ask for time off, review shifts, etc. 7shifts has massively saved time with scheduling and also is a great form of communication with staff." G2 review
"Easy to use. I like the fact that with the app, all my employees can communicate easy. Also, having notifications about availability change or requested days off is a plus; no longer have to write it down and lose important information." G2 review
You have to contact their sales team to get a quote. There is no free trial option.
"Workday works without any issues. Managing performance goals is easy. The referral portal is also ok ( not the best). Also, I receive essential notifications regarding some workflow actions from employers. It was a very useful tool during my onboarding activities." G2 review
"Workday HCM has all the pieces of employee management you would want - onboarding (payroll, employment verification, legal, etc.), offboarding (account management, equipment retrieval, deprovisioning, etc.), templates, performance reviews and feedback, integration with learning and development software, integration with compliance software, and an applicant tracking system." G2 review
Now that you have an overview of the best onboarding software on the market, it's time to learn how to evaluate them.
Here are six core elements to watch for when choosing the best onboarding software for your needs.
A well-designed onboarding software ensures a seamless and intuitive user experience. This leads to faster and more efficient employee onboarding processes, allowing new hires to become productive team members sooner.
User-friendly software for new hires also requires less training for HR staff and new employees. This means less time spent on explaining how to navigate the system and more time focusing on the actual onboarding content.
Most onboarding systems don't do it all. So you'll want to make sure they connect well with other third-party tools you're already using, such as platforms for HR management, collaboration, content creation, and even project management.
Integrations ensure that data is transferred accurately and consistently between different systems. This reduces the risk of errors, duplication, or outdated information, which can have significant implications for compliance and decision-making. Plus, you can ensure your team's work will always be logged so they can be rewarded for their results.
Customization allows you to adapt the employee onboarding process to match your organization's specific needs, branding, and policies. This ensures that the onboarding experience aligns with both your company culture and the employee's needs.
Personalized onboarding experiences make new employees feel valued and engaged from the start. By customizing content, tasks, and communications, you can address individual needs and preferences.
For instance, a popular choice for customizing a new hire's onboarding experience is creating dedicated training materials. Personalized materials can outline clear expectations, job responsibilities, and performance standards for new hires. This reduces ambiguity and helps set the stage for success in their new roles.
Compliance with local, national, and international employment laws and regulations is essential. An onboarding system that ensures proper documentation and adherence to legal requirements helps protect your organization from potential legal liabilities.
Remember: Different industries have specific compliance standards and certifications that must be adhered to. An onboarding platform that aligns with these industry-specific requirements ensures that your organization remains compliant.
You want to make sure your next onboarding tool can help you cover all of these four (+1) essential stages of onboarding:
Especially the connection phase. Transparent and open communication fosters a sense of belonging and engagement, crucial for retaining top talent.
By considering all these Cs in your selection of employee onboarding software, you ensure a well-rounded and effective onboarding process that sets new hires up for success while ensuring legal adherence and data protection.
➡️ Not sure where to start? Find more than 29 proven methods to improve employee onboarding experiences with our extensive guide.
Decide exactly which stages of onboarding you want to prioritize. Without clarity into precisely what you wish new hires to focus on, you risk paying a lot for an onboarding tool that doesn't actually cater to all needs.
Ever wondered what other managers choose?
Most HR managers have ditched traditional onboarding methods in favor of digital onboarding.
For instance, Felicia Shakiba, Founder of CPO Playbook Consultancy, currently prioritizes onboarding software that offers two critical features:
"Firstly, the capability to seamlessly integrate with our payroll system, organizational design charts, and internal communication lists is vital.
This ensures that when a new hire joins, they're promptly added to the relevant groups, such as department-specific communication lists, ensuring they receive the necessary information from day one. This integration greatly streamlines communication and makes the onboarding process more effective."
Secondly, Felicia seeks software that provides managers with a comprehensive onboarding checklist:
"This empowers managers to create a welcoming and efficient onboarding experience even before the new hire's official start date.
By having a checklist in your onboarding tools, managers can ensure that new employees have everything they need and know where to turn for support, reducing potential delays and ensuring that new hires can make a meaningful contribution from their very first day."
➡️ Want to see how other managers structure their onboarding flows? Go over our 11 examples of the best employee onboarding experiences out there.
The pandemic and remote work have also impacted the onboarding process and experts' technology choices.
Devan Kronisch, Coach and L&D Expert, says that being remote means people managers should be much more intentional with social aspects and expectation setting in onboarding:
"A good onboarding platform allows me to guide the manager through spending extra time on building clarity and inclusion. If that isn't in place, I know the newcomer will be more anxious and therefore not absorb the needed learning. I don't want to set them up for failure so I need to be able to collaborate with managers more than ever before."
Hanh Nguyen, Director of Talent Acquisition and Talent Management, says that onboarding remained a crucial process in creating a positive experience for new employees even during the switch to remote work. She further observes that traditionally, onboarding would involve in-person sessions to help new hires acclimate to the company environment, while the pandemic has wholly altered this:
"The COVID pandemic would transform onboarding to be a more remote, digital experience. Onboarding platforms had to pivot during the pandemic to accommodate companies like ours."
➡️ Get our free 15+ essential onboarding templates and checklists for creating a hassle-free process.
Zavvy offers both your managers and new hires a complete onboarding process.
Our employee onboarding software helps you automate:
Additionally, you can leverage Zavvy's preboarding software to start creating accounts, preparing work devices, and sending reminders to managers. This helps you eliminate first-day anxiety by giving new hires the info they need in a way they enjoy. Plus, you'll finally bridge the gap between signing and starting with regular touchpoints.
🏆 Storyblok has saved 15 hours weekly during orientation, plus 1.5-2 hours during preboarding with Zavvy.
📅 Zavvy is the star of your onboarding toolbox. Book a free demo with our consultants to learn more about the power of Zavvy for your organization.
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