General
onboarding
What does onboarding mean?
The structured process of integrating a new employee, user, or customer so they become productive.
"Her onboarding takes two weeks before she's on live projects."
Origin
From 'bringing someone on board' a ship; HR and SaaS staple.
Frequently asked questions
What does onboarding mean?
It's the structured process of getting a new employee, customer, or user set up and productive, whether that's HR paperwork and training or a guided first-run in an app.
How long does onboarding take?
It varies. For a new hire it can run a couple of weeks before they're on live work; for software it might be a few minutes of guided setup.
Is onboarding just for employees?
No. The word is used for new hires, but tech companies also use it for the process of getting a new user or customer started with a product.
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