Editorial
Starting a new job should be an exciting moment in any career — a fresh opportunity, new challenges and a chance to contribute to something bigger. But too often, that excitement is dampened by the frustrating reality of onboarding.
The very first interactions employees have with IT and HR systems set the tone for their experience, and when those interactions are slow, complex or confusing, they create an immediate barrier to productivity. Both HR and IT must work to ensure new hires have a smooth welcome, including all of the training, equipment and tools they need to hit the ground running.
Having been in an EUC role for decades, I’ve had a front-row seat to the hurdles companies face. It has been incredibly frustrating to see how solutions can be hard to find. Both IT and HR departments are often stuck in reactive mode when it comes to onboarding, dealing with little information and even less time (what do you mean they start today??!!).
From getting application access to managing timelines, there are dozens of onboarding challenges where HR and IT could benefit from a closer working relationship.
The Pain of Poor Onboarding
Think back to your own onboarding experiences. Did you sit in front of a new laptop, struggling to get past a login screen because you didn’t know your password, or worse – your ID wasn’t set up yet? Did you have to hunt down someone in HR to find out why your benefits portal wasn’t accessible? Did you spend your first week submitting tickets and waiting for approvals instead of actually learning your role?
This is the reality for too many employees. In a world where we can order a car ride in seconds or stream a movie instantly, being stuck in an onboarding process that requires five different logins, redundant paperwork and multiple approvals isn’t just frustrating, it’s unacceptable.
A study by Glassdoor found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. Yet, many companies still rely on outdated processes, manual workflows and IT systems that fail to deliver a positive experience.
If an employee’s first experience with IT and HR is filled with obstacles, it sends a message that the company doesn’t prioritize ease of work.
The Role of AI and Automation in Onboarding
Instead of navigating a maze of forms, emails and tickets, new hires should experience an onboarding process that feels intuitive, personalized and frictionless.
So, how do we fix this? AI, process automation and Digital Employee Experience (DEX) platforms are transforming the way companies are onboarding employees. Here are five ways they can help your teams.
1. AI-Driven Provisioning
Every new employee has different needs. A software engineer requires access to development environments with elevated rights, while a marketer needs design tools and analytics platforms. Instead of forcing all new hires through the same rigid process, AI can analyze the role, department and function to preconfigure access to the right applications, tools and resources from day one.
Imagine logging in for the first time and having everything set up — your laptop pre-configured, your email and collaboration tools ready, and a guided walkthrough of what you need to do next. DEX with embedded AI can even predict common issues and proactively provide answers before employees have to ask.
2. Process Automation for Seamless Access
One of the biggest complaints from new hires is how long it takes to gain access to critical systems. Often, IT and HR teams rely on approval-based processes that create bottlenecks. Automating access management ensures that the right permissions are granted automatically based on role and function, reducing the need for manual intervention.
A DEX platform with intelligent automation can:
- identify and auto-provision accounts and software licenses before day one;
- detect and resolve access issues proactively;
- monitor for delays and escalate unresolved issues automatically; and
- follow up with the employee to check for progress or problems.
- With these capabilities, new hires don’t have to wait for IT to catch up; they can start working immediately.
3. Virtual Assistants for Instant Support
New employees often have basic questions: “How do I set up my email signature?”, “Where do I find my payroll information?”, “How do I connect to the VPN?” Instead of submitting a ticket and waiting for a response, AI-powered virtual assistants can provide instant answers and guide these employees step by step.
Digital assistants don’t just reduce IT and HR workloads; they also enhance the employee experience. By handling repetitive questions and requests, they free up human support teams to focus on more complex issues that require a personal touch.
4. Accelerated Technology Adoption
A full-function DEX platform goes beyond fixing access issues; it also helps employees adopt new tools faster.
Many companies introduce collaboration platforms, cloud applications, security policies and now AI capabilities without giving employees the guidance they need to use them effectively. The result? Frustration, low adoption rates and unnecessary helpdesk tickets.
By integrating in-app guidance, contextual prompts and personalized training, DEX platforms help employees get up to speed quickly. If an employee struggles with a feature, the platform can detect friction and offer real-time assistance, ensuring they become proficient users faster.
The Business Impact of Better Onboarding
Companies invest heavily to attract top talent, but if the onboarding experience is poor, they risk losing those hires before they even have a chance to contribute.
Research from Gartner shows that employees with a positive onboarding experience are more committed to the company and 9x less likely to leave. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that organizations with structured onboarding saw a 60% year-on-year improvement in revenue.
A strong onboarding process powered by AI, automation and a DEX strategy delivers measurable benefits, including:
- Higher retention: Employees who have a smooth onboarding experience feel more engaged and are less likely to leave.
- Faster time to productivity: New hires start adding value sooner when they don’t have to navigate IT roadblocks.
- Reduced IT and HR workload: Automation and AI-driven support decrease ticket volume and improve service efficiency.
- Improved employee satisfaction: A seamless, intuitive onboarding process sets a positive tone for the entire employee experience.
- Higher employee commitment: More dedicated employees are proven to result in revenue improvements.
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The onboarding process is more than just a checklist; it’s also an opportunity to show employees that the company values their time, productivity and experience. The technology exists to make onboarding seamless, yet many companies still rely on outdated processes that frustrate employees from day one.
By embracing AI, automation and a proactive DEX strategy, organizations can turn onboarding into a competitive advantage. Instead of leaving new hires waiting, struggling and submitting tickets, companies can create an experience that is fast, intelligent and empowering.
A new employee’s first impression of a company many times comes from their early interaction with IT and HR. And that impression should be one of efficiency, not frustration. It’s time to rethink onboarding and give employees the smooth, consumer-grade experience they deserve. Because when employees start strong, they deliver stronger results.
Editor's Note: Dig into other onboarding questions:
- Does Your Onboarding Program Need a Reset? — Harness technology and foster inclusivity to empower the next generation of digital natives to thrive in the modern workplace.
- PG&E's Spencer Mains on Why IT Needs to Be Part of Onboarding — PG&E's Spencer Mains joins Three Dots to discuss the vital role of IT integration in employee onboarding.
- Digital Onboarding Is About More Than Just Technology — A seamless digital onboarding experience is about knowing where and how to use technology where it matters most.
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