Retaining top talent starts from day one. Onboarding is no longer a simple “HR welcome” — it’s a critical experience that shapes how new hires perceive your organisation.
Done well, it accelerates skills development, strengthens engagement, and significantly reduces the risk of turnover. Poorly handled, it can quietly turn a good hire into a missed opportunity.
Here are five concrete steps to deliver a personalised and effective onboarding experience.
1. Understand the profile from the recruitment stage
Onboarding begins well before the contract is signed. A candidate’s first contact with the organisation occurs during the recruitment process — interviews, informal exchanges, response times — all of which shape their perception of the future work environment. Much of future engagement is already decided at this stage.
This is also the moment when personalisation can begin.
Thanks to predictive assessments used during selection, recruiters already have a clear view of the individual’s profile — strengths, motivational drivers, communication style, level of autonomy… This information makes it possible to tailor the approach from the outset, demonstrating to the new hire that they are seen as an individual, not a generic profile.
A personalised welcome guide or an early introduction from the manager, for example, can make a real difference to how the employee feels before they even arrive.
2. Give purpose from day one
Onboarding isn’t just about completing administrative formalities — it’s a valuable opportunity to connect the employee’s role to a broader mission. From day one, they should understand why their position exists, what it contributes, and how it fits into the company’s overall strategy.
The manager plays a key role here. To personalise the onboarding experience, they can draw on what was learned during the recruitment process — observed traits, stated motivations, collaboration preferences. By tailoring their message to these personal drivers, the manager can ensure the message resonates more deeply.
For instance, someone motivated by making an impact will be more engaged if they understand how their role contributes to wider company goals.
3. Adapt onboarding to how the person works
People learn differently, absorb information at their own pace, and interact with work based on their natural preferences. Yet onboarding programmes are often standardised and rigid, poorly suited to the diversity of today’s talent.
To personalise onboarding is first and foremost to acknowledge these differences. A highly structured individual will need clear milestones and precise objectives. A more creative profile may thrive in a flexible framework that allows room to explore. Likewise, some people integrate best through action, others through observation or conversation.
Psychometric assessments provide valuable insight into these preferences, enabling the design of a tailored integration plan — from choosing the first projects, to the way information is delivered, to how and when autonomy is introduced.
4. Involve the right people in the process
Onboarding should never fall solely to the HR team — it must be a shared responsibility that includes the manager and the team. A sense of inclusion is born from the quality of human interaction, especially in the first few days.
This is why the manager must act as the main onboarding agent. With the help of assessment summaries, they have access to key information about the new joiner — their needs, preferred ways of working, and stress signals. This allows the manager to tailor their communication, prevent misunderstandings, and offer the right level of support.
Assigning a mentor or onboarding buddy, planning informal moments, and scheduling regular check-ins are all concrete ways to make onboarding a truly shared and inclusive experience.
5. Continuously adapt and adjust
Onboarding doesn’t end after the first week. It’s an evolving process that must account for employee feedback, their growing autonomy, and the realities of day-to-day work. Ongoing follow-up is essential to adapt the programme, manage expectations, and build trust.
Scheduling touchpoints at days 15, 30, or 60 can help capture feedback, identify potential roadblocks, and highlight early successes. Analysis tools can further enhance this process by providing behavioural insights and personalised development suggestions.
Follow-up becomes not just a safeguard, but the beginning of long-term support focused on talent development.
A successful onboarding is, above all, a human experience — enriched by data, driven by personalisation, and anchored in a genuine focus on potential.
Discover our assessment solutions to personalise onboarding.
