Preboarding
Preboarding is an important stage in the employee journey, ensuring a smooth transition from the job offer to the first day of work.
Ensuring good preboarding is the step before onboarding and part of an overall strategy to maintain a strong employer brand and company reputation.
See also: Crossboarding | Offboarding | Onboarding | Reboarding
What is preboarding?
Preboarding covers the period from the moment a candidate accepts a job offer to their first day of work. This phase is meant to prepare the new employee, reduce uncertainty and ensure they feel welcome and valued from the start. Through preboarding, you can introduce the company culture, share important information and ease the administrative process so the new employee is ready to perform their best from day one.
- Benefits and advantages
Why preboarding is important
Preboarding plays a crucial role in engaging new employees and ensuring they feel part of the company even before their first day of work. Here are some key reasons why preboarding is important:
- Increases belonging: Introduce company culture early and create a sense of belonging.
- Reduce uncertainty: Provide new hires with necessary information and prepare them for their first day.
- Improve efficiency: Handle administrative tasks in advance, making startup less stressful and allowing more time for core tasks.
- Minimizes dropout: Increases the likelihood of the employee showing up motivated and ready to start.
- Tips and tricks
Try our 4 concrete preboarding initiatives
1. Send a welcome email
Send a personalized welcome email that includes a plan for the first week. This makes the new employee feel welcome and gives them a good understanding of the company culture, making the start-up easier.
2. Insights into company information and culture
Give the new employee insight into the company's mission, values and culture. Share relevant codes of conduct and videos in advance to help build an understanding of what the company stands for.
3. Introduction to colleagues
Arrange virtual or physical meetings where the new employee can meet their future colleagues. If you've already planned a social event before the new employee starts, you may want to invite them along. This will provide a fun opportunity to get to know your future coworkers in an informal environment before the first day of work.
4. Early allocation of IT access and equipment
Make sure the new employee is given the necessary IT access and equipment before day one. This ensures they can start working efficiently from the start.
- FAQ
Frequently asked questions about preboarding
Preboarding is the period between a new employee's acceptance of a job offer and their first day of work. Preboarding includes activities that prepare the employee for their new role.
Preboarding increases employee engagement, reduces uncertainty on the first day and decreases the risk of new employees leaving before they start.
Activities can include sharing company information, introducing the team, assigning IT access, and sending a welcome email before startup.
Use digital platforms to disseminate information, schedule virtual meetings and make sure new employees have access to necessary tools and equipment before day one.
Preboarding happens before the first day of work and focuses on preparation and introduction, while onboarding begins on the first day of work and is about training and integration into the role.