Onboarding with e-learning – give new employees a good start

Onboarding is the process in which a new employee gets to know the organisation, colleagues, tasks and culture. Good onboarding gets employees up to speed faster, improves well-being and increases the chance that they stay. Even so, the introduction is often rushed, with new starters getting slightly different information depending on who has time.

This is where e-learning can make a big difference – not as a replacement for colleagues, but as a solid foundation throughout the process.

Benefits of onboarding with e-learning

• Everyone gets the same: Values, rules and procedures are communicated consistently, regardless of department or location.
• Up to speed faster: New starters can take parts of the introduction before their first day – and return to it later.
• Less time for managers: What is repeated every time no longer has to be explained from scratch.
• Documentation: You can see who has completed, and when – important when the introduction covers safety and legal requirements.
• For all types of employees: Including shift workers, staff at customer sites, remote workers and temporary staff.
• Scalable: The same programme can be used for one or a hundred new employees – also in several languages.

What belongs in an onboarding course?

A good onboarding programme is usually split into short modules, for example:

1. Welcome: the organisation’s history, values and who does what.
2. Practicalities: systems, access, working hours and where to find help.
3. Health and safety: the rules and procedures that apply in your workplace.
4. The job: the most important tasks, procedures and quality requirements for this particular role.
5. Follow-up: a short test and a conversation with the manager about what to work on next.

Combine digital with personal

E-learning works best when combined with personal contact. Let new employees take the general introduction online, and use the time with their manager and colleagues for what needs a conversation: questions, on-the-job training and getting to know each other.

Measure the effect

A learning platform can show completion and test results. Combine this with a short evaluation after the first few weeks: what was useful, what was missing? That way the programme improves with every new employee.

How to get started

Start with what needs to be said to every new employee – every time. That is usually the best place to begin with e-learning. If you already have material such as presentations, manuals or videos, it can often be used as a starting point.