Onboarding Solutions: Market Primer · onboarding experience—or the process of hiring, orienting,...

Onboarding Solutions: MarketPrimer

Overview

Organizations recognize the importance of delivering a high-quality workforceexperience by focusing on performance and outcomes, as well as how and

where the work gets done. The first critical step in equipping the workforce withthe information, environment, and resources necessary to meet their needs is theonboarding experience—or the process of hiring, orienting, and immersingworkers in their roles and in the organization’s culture. A well-designed onboardingprocess can serve as a strategic differentiator to lay the foundation for a workforceexperience that impacts key metrics such as retention, belonging, and productivity.

As organizations ideate the design of their onboarding program, technology canplay a critical role in creating compelling experiences and managing processeswhile also serving as a primary mechanism for engagement in an increasinglyvirtual context. In this article, we look at how onboarding solutions can helpsupport a dual focus on both process management and workforce experience,along with the value of a cross-functional strategic approach.

In This ArticleThe current state of the onboarding solutions marketaA cross-functional strategic onboarding approachaCategories of onboarding solutionsa

Copyright © 2020 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.Not for distribution. Licensed material.

MARKET LANDSCAPE

Denise Moulton, Vice President, HR & Talent Research LeaderDeloitte Consulting LLP

Mackenzie Wilson, Senior Research AnalystDeloitte Consulting LLP

Copyright © 2020 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Not for distribution. Licensed material.

Onboarding Solutions: Market Primer

Strategic Differentiation through the Power ofLasting Talent ExperiencesGiven the understanding of the linkages between workforce experienceand performance, a purely tactical onboarding process represents a majormissed opportunity to reinforce the organizational culture and buildconnections to the work and workforce. Historically, many organizationsmay have conceptualized onboarding primarily through the lens ofprocess management and compliance. This typically can involve providingnew workers with a to-do list of tasks to complete and forms to submit aswell as some preparatory training, enculturation, and organizationalnetworking. There is little emphasis on the context and conditions in whichthey will operate in their new roles.

Workflow management and task completion remain necessarycomponents of the process, and there is a potential to minimize theadministrative burden and cognitive load associated with these elements.However, organizations have an exciting opportunity to dramaticallyexpand the scope of onboarding program design by creating lasting talentexperiences.

On the whole, future-focused organizations have recognized theimportance of a thoughtfully designed workforce experience that linkswork to purpose and meaning.1 Our 2020 Global Human Capital Trendsreport underscores this fact, with 93 percent of survey respondentsindicating that belonging drives organizational performance.2 Theimportance of fostering a sense of belonging within the organization isbroadly understood. It is critical to start cultivating the necessaryconditions and environment—specifically, to foster a sense of comfort,

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connection, and contribution—as early as possible in the worker’sjourney.3

In response to the need for designed worker experiences, onboardingsolution providers are increasingly focused on experience enablement inaddition to the traditional, process-oriented features and functionality thissegment of the market is known for. Although there is still plenty of roomfor growth, we are starting to see a range of capabilities—including socialfeatures, content recommendations, smart assistants, and more—to helppersonalize the experience and enable greater connection to the work,workforce, and workplace.

The transition from tactical process management to human-centeredprogram design, while not technology-driven, can certainly benefit fromdigital tools and capabilities to help deliver a more seamless experiencefor workers that helps to promote belonging and enable productivity. Asorganizations continue to build agility to respond to the changing natureof work, they will be increasingly reliant on solutions that can empowerworkers to build the connections between their work and strategicbusiness outcomes, jumpstarting the path to productivity.

Enabling a Virtual WorkforceRecent disruptions have accelerated the shift toward virtual work for awide range of industries and roles, with a number of organizationscommitting to permanent work-from-home policies and / or implementingmore flexible work options. Many HR departments are being forced to fullyrethink their talent practices to adapt to this new reality and areincreasingly reliant on digital tools to engage with both the existingworkforce and jobseekers working their way through the recruitmentprocess. This virtual shift requires thoughtful partnership and the use oftechnology solutions to deliver an exceptional workforce experience thatengages talent and provides them with the tools and informationnecessary to enable job performance.

An effective HR technology strategy cannot afford to be disassociated fromthe business outcomes organizations are looking to achieve.4 Onboardingsolutions, which have often played more of a supporting role in thedifferent aspects of the new starter’s journey, now have an opportunity tooffer more critical support as one of the primary mechanisms forinformation and engagement for an increasingly virtual workforce.Organizations should consider how best to simplify the experience,transition critical activities effectively for a virtual context, and providerelevant and meaningful information to workers at the moment of need.Organizations might then be better positioned to meet the requirementsof a virtualizing workforce, responding to immediate needs while alsolaying a foundation for continued success.

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A Cross-Functional Lens for StrategicOnboardingThe shift in prioritization toward experience-centered onboardingjourneys, coupled with the demands of an increasingly virtual environment,will prompt many organizations to completely reevaluate and redesigntheir onboarding strategy. Onboarding should no longer be thought ofexclusively as a talent acquisition (TA) responsibility but rather as acollaborative effort that reflects a new starter’s journey.

An approach that pulls from across various HR domains—specifically talentacquisition (TA), learning and development (L&D), workforce experience(WX), and HR—can expand the scope of onboarding in a way that can startto capitalize on its potential as a foundation for and enabler of talent. Ourapproach places strategic onboarding at the center of these four areas ofour High-Impact research across these practices (see Figure 1).

Drawing from each of these High-Impact studies, we’ve identified sevendifferent factors in which technology can offer support to the onboardingprocess (see Figure 2). Understanding the intersection points across thesedifferent areas of practice can allow for a more holistic approach toonboarding and helps the organization to operate more strategically. Forexample, coordination between the TA function and L&D teams can helpto ensure that talent is able to start engaging with relevant learning

Figure 1: A Cross-Functional Research Approach

Source: Deloitte Consulting LLP, 2020.

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KEY POINT: Onboardingshould no longer bethought of exclusively as atalent acquisitionresponsibility but rather asa collaborative effort thatreflects a new starter’sjourney.



content at point of offer, a time when many new joiners are excited abouttheir roles and are looking for ways to engage and help get up to speed.

To help further crystalize interaction points across the different domains,each factor is also associated with a broader people, process, ortechnology classification, with data and analytics running through all threelayers (see Figure 3). We mapped each of the capabilities included in ourOnboarding Solutions survey to a High-Impact maturity factor, as well asone of the simplified capability classifications. This additional approachcan help to connect onboarding priorities to existing HR strategicinitiatives.

Figure 2: High-Impact Maturity Factors


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Adopting an integrated approach to traditionally siloed HR practices thatcan be more closely aligned to core business objectives and organizationalperformance can help to maximize the function’s impact.

HR and IT: A Solution-Driven PartnershipWhile strategic onboarding requires collaboration across HR functions, italso involves partnerships outside of the domain to foster an overarchingview of all the associated activities and supporting technologies. Someelements of the onboarding process and systems management may sit inother departments—most notably IT. It is not uncommon for there to belittle to no collaboration or visibility between these groups, effectivelycreating two independently managed onboarding experiences.

To ensure that these processes are sound and that the organization knowswhat the desired outcomes are as it relates to onboarding, it is critical toget a complete picture of what the systems and tasks look like today andto identify opportunities to consolidate and centralize the keycomponents. This may involve collaboration with the IT team and otherfunctions that may play a part in this process (e.g. legal, compliance,finance). As our High-Impact Technology Strategy research indicates, HRand IT should be highly aligned to deliver technology-enabled offeringsacross the employee lifecycle, and onboarding represents yet anothercritical collaboration point.5

Figure 3: Mapping High-Impact Maturity Factors to a Simplified Capability Classification

Source: Deloitte Consulting LLP, 2020

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Leveraging Technology to Support StrategicOnboardingAs we looked across the relevant High-Impact research areas tounderstand what elements had the most application to how technologycan support onboarding, seven factors emerged (see Figure 4). Each factorcan be viewed through the lens of the new-starter experience to help withthe design and execution of a strategic onboarding program.

Talent Acquisition AlignmentHigh-performing TA functions work closely with both HR and the businessto help ensure that their practices and approaches are meeting broaderneeds.6 In the context of onboarding program design, continualengagement with the business to understand what a new starter needsto be successful helps set workers up to make an impact as quickly aspossible. Onboarding solutions can help support this effort by capturingand surfacing information relevant to those key business priorities.

Personalized Talent JourneyStrategic TA functions are also focused on facilitating a personalizedexperience for candidates to help engage top talent and articulateorganizational culture.7 This mindset should naturally extend postoffer,ensuring consistency in message and action and reinforcing a new starter’sdecision to accept their role. Leveraging technology to deliver anindividualized experience based on what the worker wants and needs canhelp to support these efforts.

One example of a capability to support this factor is the ability tocustomize content for workers based on their job, level, or work location.This can help ensure the information they receive is tailored to meet theirspecific needs.

Figure 4: High-Impact Maturity Factors by Research Area


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Intentional Experience Adjacent to the notion of deep alignment between HR and the business,another critical element is the ability to design and cultivate a workforceexperience that makes the explicit connection between the worker andbusiness needs.8 Onboarding programs that are explicit about articulatingthis message as part of the experience are able to help make thoseconnections from point of offer. High-performing organizations are alsoleveraging cocreative technology to drive collaboration and productivity,shifting the emphasis back to the human elements of the experience.9

Onboarding solutions can serve as an extension of that broader strategyby providing a mechanism for engagement and collaboration that enablesfurther productivity. Examples include provision of systems access andincreasing visibility for additional business users where applicable. Thiscan help underscore the relationship between technology and work andits role in shaping workforce experience.

Human-First PhilosophyA key factor explored in our High-Impact Workforce Experience researchis the focus on the human element across a worker’s journey with theorganization.10 As one of the first milestones a worker will achievepostoffer, strategic onboarding programs should actively recognize andincorporate these human moments through compelling onboardingexperiences. Solution providers can help enable those moments withcapabilities that promote engagement, provide guidance and facilitation,and bring all categories of workers into the journey.

Designed GrowthOur High-Impact Learning Organization research uncovers the importanceof “designed growth,” or the ability to create the culture, conditions, andexperiences necessary for continuous development.11 A major componentof onboarding is providing mechanisms to accelerate that developmentfor a new starter, setting the stage for a continuous learning journey thatshould last throughout the entire employee lifecycle.

Technology can support this by surfacing relevant content at the momentof need and increasing visibility into learning activities and relevantbusiness outcomes. An example of a capability that can support this factoris the ability to suggest or facilitate live or in-person experiences for thenew starter.

Become DigitalAs discussed earlier in this article, organizations are being forced toembrace digital alternatives to support an increasingly virtual workforce.High-performing organizations have been ahead of this trend, cultivatingnew mindsets with technology-enabled approaches to help transform thebusiness.12 Having a defined strategy for virtual workers is criticallyimportant for new starters who aren’t able to leverage existing businessknowledge or relationships. However, digital enablement can also augmenthybrid onboarding experience delivery, offering opportunities to

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streamline and automate key tasks to help reduce the cognitive load onworkers, managers, and support teams.

Shape CultureOur High-Impact HR research also identifies that high-performing HRfunctions actively influence and reinforce the organizational culture witha focus on building resiliency to help the workforce respond and adapt tochange.13 The onboarding experience should reflect and emphasize thisshared vision and provide opportunities to build trust and promote sharedvalues. Capabilities to support this type of virtual engagement, fosterconnection, and celebrate key milestones can all contribute to the shapingof an organizational culture. For example, a solution might offer the abilityfor a new hire to be assigned and / or to engage with a buddy or coach, orprovide recognition once a key milestone (e.g., completion of their firstweek) is achieved.

Onboarding Solution CategoriesAlthough many HR components have historically been siloed bydepartment, solutions to help support a more holistic definition ofonboarding can often be found across multiple HR domains. That said, itis not uncommon for organizations to leverage a suite of tools to servetheir needs. For example, an organization might have one tool forpostoffer task management and compliance tracking while anothersolution supports content delivery and training.

Our onboarding solution study focused on four solution categories thatsupport the process of hiring, orienting, and immersing new talent. Whilenot included in the scope of this research, we also see many organizationsleveraging their digital collaboration tools to support virtual onboardingefforts as well, particularly as an alternative to touchpoints traditionallymanaged in-person when that option is not feasible.

Pure-Play Onboarding SolutionsDedicated onboarding solutions are specifically focused on enabling thissegment of the talent experience. These solutions typically havecapabilities to support both back-end process management and adedicated interface for the onboarded worker to access content orrequired activities. Their expertise in this area can be an asset fororganizations with niche requirements or particularly complex structures,but it is also critical to understand how a standalone solution will operatewithin the broader technology ecosystem.

Talent Acquisition SolutionsMany solution providers with broader-based recruitment offerings alsooffer capabilities to support worker onboarding. It is common to seeonboarding offered in conjunction with an applicant tracking system,serving as the point of transition once an offer has been extended.

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Learning and Digital Adoption SolutionsWithin the learning and digital adoption space, we see a number ofsolution providers with dedicated onboarding use cases. This may entailan explicit focus on learning and development or a more wide-rangingapproach that incorporates other elements of the onboarding process(e.g., task management, engagement, centralized content access).

Talent Solution Suites (Talent Management / HCM)Onboarding modules are also commonly offered within talentmanagement or human capital management (HCM) platforms. Adedicated module and / or associated capabilities are often marketed aspart of the recruitment or TA suite of offerings.

ConclusionOrganizations can no longer afford to treat onboarding as a necessary costof business—something that needs to be done for compliance purposesand worked through as quickly as possible. Instead they should becapitalizing on the opportunity to kickstart their workforce experience,leveraging expertise from across HR domains to create a meaningfulimpact on new starters.

Onboarding solutions play a significant role not only to centralize andmanage process-related activities but also to help facilitate connectionswith the broader workforce and start to make the connection betweenwork, purpose, and meaning. Sitting at the nexus of so many of the criticalcomponents of a cross-functional talent strategy, onboarding and itsenabling technology present a unique opportunity to reflect the individualneeds of workers while simultaneously situating them within the broaderorganizational context, providing them with the necessary information toperform effectively in their new role.

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Key TakeawaysAThe rise of virtual work and an increased focus on workforce•experience are forcing organizations to redesign theironboarding programs.A strategic approach to onboarding includes a dual focus on•process efficiency and workforce experience , which solutionproviders can help support.A holistic organizational approach to onboarding includes•cross-functional collaboration across talent acquisition,learning and development, workforce experience, and HR.Onboarding solutions can be found across multiple HR•domains, and it is not uncommon for organizations toleverage multiple tools.There are four solution categories that support the process•of hiring, orienting, and immersing new talent: pure-playonboarding, talent acquisition, learning and digital adoption,and talent solution suites.

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EndnotesFive Top Findings for Elevating Workforce Experience, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Christina Rasieleski and Matthew Deruntz, 2019.1.2020 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Report: The social enterprise at work—Paradox as a path forward, Deloitte Insights, 2020.2.2020 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Report: The social enterprise at work—Paradox as a path forward, Deloitte Insights, 2020.3.Four Top Findings Make the Case for HR Technology Strategy, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Chris Havrilla, Erin Spencer, Charu Ratnu, and Jeff4.Mike, EdD, 2020.High-Impact Technology Strategy research, Deloitte Consulting LLP, 2020.5.The Talent Acquisition Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Denise Moulton, 2018.6.The Talent Acquisition Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Denise Moulton, 2018.7.The Workforce Experience Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Christina Rasieleski and Matthew Deruntz, 2019.8.The Workforce Experience Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Christina Rasieleski and Matthew Deruntz, 2019.9.The Workforce Experience Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Christina Rasieleski and Matthew Deruntz, 2019.10.Factors and Dimensions of the Learning Organization Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Dani Johnson and Elizabeth Barisik, 2017.11.The HR Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Jeff Mike, EdD, 2017.12.The HR Maturity Model, Deloitte Consulting LLP / Jeff Mike, EdD, 2017.13.

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http://humancapitalresearch.deloitte.com/article/five-top-findings-for-elevating-workforce-experience-7777/

http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/us43244_human-capital-trends-2020/us43244_human-capital-trends-2020/di_hc-trends-2020.pdf

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http://humancapitalresearch.deloitte.com/article/factors-and-dimensions-of-the-learning-organization-maturity-model-5307/

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Publication Date: August 14, 2020

Onboarding Solutions: Market Primer · onboarding experience—or the process of hiring, orienting,...

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