First days should feel like the start of an exciting journey, not an uncomfortable first date where you’re desperately searching for conversation topics. We all know that nervous feeling of starting a new job, whether that’s in the office or working remotely, with hundreds of questions you don’t know who to ask.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Smart HR teams are moving beyond the basic “here’s your log on” approach to create meaningful first experiences that actually get people excited about their new role. This initial positive momentum, however, needs to be sustained through an onboarding process that truly sticks.
The real HR challenge: Onboarding that sticks
Despite the crucial importance of first impressions, many onboarding processes overwhelm new employees with excessive information instead of fostering a welcoming start. It’s less “here’s the coffee machine” and more “here’s the entire company history since 1903, good luck!”. This can leave new team members feeling more bewildered than buzzing to get started. Yes, knowing about health insurance and bike-to-work schemes is important, but when you’re just trying to find your feet, it can be overwhelming.
For HR, this initial contact is crucial; a rocky start for the employee often foreshadows a strained working relationship, yet the traditional one-size-fits-all onboarding approach just doesn’t cut it anymore. HR teams know this, but they’re caught between wanting to give new hires a personalized experience and managing the mountain of paperwork that comes with each new starter.
That’s why having a digital workspace that really fits your company’s personality is invaluable. With tools like Ichicraft Boards, you can create an onboarding experience that feels personal and purposeful. Here’s how…
1. You can create a truly personalized experience
Think of Ichicraft Boards as the ultimate in new employee onboarding software, which allows you to personalize the new hire experience, making them feel like they’ve stepped into a space designed just for them, wherever they’re based. That’s the Ichicraft Boards advantage – flexibility that lets you craft a digital welcome that is so spot-on, it instantly makes them feel prepared and connected, setting the stage for a confident start.
We know that HR teams love how this personalization actually makes a difference in real life. From countdown widgets that build excitement for key onboarding events, keeping new hires engaged and looking forward to what’s next to news widgets that make sure people get news they actually care about – no more sifting through irrelevant updates. And you know that frustrating “which system was that again?” moment? Gone. Our app launcher puts everything important just one click away. It’s all about making those first few weeks smoother and helping new team members hit the ground running.
2. It saves time and resources
With Ichicraft Boards, you can finally say goodbye to tedious HR admin work. Just set up your templates once – customized for different roles and teams – and let the platform take care of welcoming each new hire with a personal touch. No more reinventing the wheel every time. No more getting bogged down with repetitive tasks.
And whilst onboarding-related tasks are managed through the onboarding widget, HR teams can even create a separate board as the go-to place for everything onboarding-related. Our clients tell us how this makes the onboarding experience for new starters so smooth and intuitive because it just clicks.
3. A strong start fuels long-term success
The benefits of personalized new employee onboarding go way beyond making HR’s job easier. When new hires feel like their onboarding experience was built just for them, they’re more engaged right from the start, they’re less likely to leave in those crucial early months, and they get up to speed much faster.
Ichicraft Boards also help you extend that personalized touch beyond the initial weeks by scheduling an onboarding check-in around the 100-day mark, or any other time frame that fits the company’s rhythm. This provides a valuable opportunity for HR to proactively reach out, gather feedback on the employee’s initial experience through a targeted questionnaire, and address any emerging needs.
4. Security & simplicity go hand-in-hand
Getting new employees up and running smoothly requires HR and IT to work hand in hand, particularly when it comes to balancing security needs with user-friendliness. That’s where Ichicraft Boards really shines – it fits naturally into your existing Microsoft 365 setup, so you can rest easy knowing all your new hire information stays safe and compliant.
We’ve made sure setting up Ichicraft Boards is hassle-free, so your IT team won’t get bogged down with a complex deployment. And here’s something we feel strongly about: your data should always remain under your control. We’ve built security into our DNA from day one, not tacked it on as an afterthought. The result? A solution that just works, giving both HR and IT exactly what they need.
Onboarding worth talking about
Starting a new job should feel exciting, not overwhelming. That’s why great onboarding matters so much – it sets the tone for everything that follows. By giving each new hire their own personalized digital workspace and using straightforward onboarding tools, you’ll help them hit the ground running while taking pressure off your HR team.
Think about it: when someone feels personally welcomed and can easily find what they need, those first-day jitters turn into first-day wins. No more fumbling through paperwork or wondering what to do next. Ready to make every first day memorable?
Let’s talk…
