Onboarding
Onboarding is the process of turning an accepted offer into a working employee — collecting documents, creating accounts and access, and getting the person productive.
Also known as: employee onboarding, induction
It starts before day one. Documents, background verification and equipment all have lead times, and a process that begins when the person walks in produces a first week spent waiting for a laptop.
The measurable part is completion, not welcome. A checklist with owners and due dates makes it visible whether payroll has the bank details, whether IT has created the accounts, and whether the mandatory documents are actually on file — which is what an audit later asks about.
Onboarding quality shows up in attrition. The people most likely to leave inside a year are disproportionately those whose first fortnight was disorganised, and that is a cheaper problem to fix than the hiring it causes.
Handled in SignHR
Onboarding & Offboarding
Joining to exit in one flow: offer letters, digital joining forms, e-signatures, welcome workflows, clearance checklists, and full-and-final settlement.
See onboarding & offboardingRelated terms
Offer Letter
An offer letter is the document proposing employment — role, compensation, start date and key conditions — issued before the employee accepts and joins.
Appointment Letter
An appointment letter is issued after an employee joins and confirms the terms of employment — the document that governs the relationship, where the offer letter only proposed it.
Probation Period
Probation is an initial period of employment during which both sides assess the fit, usually carrying a shorter notice period and reduced access to some benefits until the employee is confirmed.
Experience Letter
An experience letter certifies that a person worked for an organisation — the dates, the role held, and sometimes a brief note on conduct — for use with future employers.