When we start a new job, we have two types of questions. Questions that we ask our new colleagues, and ones we silently answer alone. Chief among the latter is the question: “Do I belong here?”
Cultivating an onboarding experience where the answer to that question is an emphatic “yes” should be on the radar of anyone who owns onboarding — and for many organizations, that responsibility sits with learning and development (L&D).
New employees are typically bombarded with handbooks, eLearnings and company presentations as they navigate their first days and weeks at “New Job Inc.” And yet, many companies, in my experience, struggle to build belonging into the experience in a meaningful way.
We cannot be told that we belong, of course. We need to feel that we belong — by feeling connected to others while also feeling connected to ourselves. The tension between attachment and authenticity is named beautifully by psychiatrist Gabor Mate, in his book “The Myth of Normal.” He explains that belonging is experienced when we’re both attached and authentic.
Onboarding is a key moment when, consciously or unconsciously, new hires are quietly assessing whether they fit the culture they’ve signed on to join.
Belonging Is Designed, Not Declared
I went through the stellar onboarding process at LinkedIn twice. Sidenote: They call those of us who leave and come back boomerangs, which is a compassionate reframing of “leaver’s remorse.”
One of the company values at LinkedIn is “Relationships Matter,” and their onboarding process truly puts that value to work, with a razor-like focus on helping you build connection in your early days at the company. I experienced firsthand how positively relationship-centered onboarding can be for a person’s success in a new role — and how powerfully it answers that unspoken question of belonging.
Research from Gallup found that a meagre 12% of employees strongly agree that their company did a great job of onboarding them. From my experience, the companies that do this well make connection a deliberate part of the agenda — and they design for it intentionally.
So, what does this mean for onboarding design? And more specifically, how can L&D help signal that new employees do belong in your culture, beyond giving them a branded T-shirt and a badge?
Here are some ways to effectively land the message.
Fostering Authentic Connection During Employee Onboarding
1. Curate the Onboarding Cohort
Belonging is built on relationships. New employees are inherently connected — they’re at the starting line of a new chapter together — but they may need a nudge to create connection that’s more meaningful. L&D can carve out time in the onboarding agenda for individuals to connect on a human level (i.e., making space for real conversations, shared experiences and open discussions).
2. Design More Authentic Leadership Sessions
Inviting leaders to share an overview of their function is common in onboarding. Using those moments to create belonging is rare. L&D can support leaders to share not just what they do, but who they are through personal storytelling. When leaders talk about what they care about, what they value and how they arrived where they are, they become infinitely more relatable. Encourage leaders to be open about the challenges ahead, and what they’re personally working on. Leaders being human is one of the strongest signals that it’s safe for others to be too.
3. Share Employee Resources Intentionally
Simply posting a list of employee resources and resource groups (LGBTQ+, Parenting, Women in Business, etc.) isn’t enough. How those resources are introduced matters. When companies clearly explain what’s available and why it exists, they demonstrate social support is recognized as part of the employee experience. Having a representative from HR or L&D walk new employees through how to access support and answer any questions signals that the company cares about employee well-being. More importantly, it normalizes using those resources, making it more likely that new hires will turn to them when they need support.
4. Calendar Continued Connection
Companies often invest enormous budget into onboarding and then hope the investment sticks. L&D can extend the experience through simple, cost-free touchpoints. Onboarding check-in calls, where cohorts are encouraged to share their wins, questions and challenges, help sustain belonging beyond day one. Another nice touch is to celebrate the end of onboarding, bringing the cohort together (even virtually) to mark the milestone.
5. Make Social Networks Easier to Navigate
Many companies assign a buddy to new employees. To make the relationship effective, the parameters must be clear. For example, meeting weekly for 30 minutes during the first three months to discuss challenges or questions. Having a person to go to — who isn’t their manager — is critical when confusion inevitably arises. Research from Microsoft found that new hires with buddies were 23% more satisfied with their onboarding experience after their first week than those without buddies.
Moving Forward
Starting a new job is a stressful experience. The quicker someone feels like an insider rather than an outsider, the faster they will stop silently wondering if they belong — and start performing at their best.
So, I’ll leave you with one simple question: How can L&D better signal that new hires belong in your company?
