Discover how fostering relationships, delivering just-right information, and tailoring experiences to each role can turn confusion into confident action. Progression – not perfection – is the goal.

I watched my one-year-old confidently crawl toward my office this morning. This milestone didn't happen overnight. At his own pace, he's morphed through all imaginable variations of this skill: the initial belly rolls to the determined army crawl, the backward hustle to the tripod ninja – and finally, the four-point classic! This now makes every corner of our apartment accessible. 
 

This developmental milestone reminds me of what exceptional onboarding can look like in the workplace. As a learning designer, I've witnessed impressive transformation when organizations get employee onboarding right. That pivotal moment when confusion transforms into clarity and hesitation gives way to confident action isn't accidental – it's engineered through thoughtful design.  

 
Here are three hacks that work every time. 

Make It a Connected Journey  

Connection serves as both anchor and accelerator, motivating new team members to engage while providing the psychological safety needed to contribute meaningfully. When new hires build relationships across the organization, they gain both practical support and emotional reinforcement.

Pro tip: Avoid isolated experiences focused on technical or procedural knowledge. Instead, make it a social journey by integrating team connects or leveraging mentorship. 

Make It Bite-Sized 

There's often a temptation to front-load training content, assuming that exposure equals retention. However, this is one of the least effective ways to help individuals thrive. Give Goldilocks Guidance – one of Cognician's Transformation Tactics – works better. It's about providing not too much, not too little, but just the right amount of information to spur action. 

Pro tip: Avoid overwhelming new hires with the 75-page welcome deck. Instead, consider ways to: 

  • Chunk content: Organize your information into meaningful, manageable bite-sized experiences. 
  • Provide spaced repetition: Revisit and reinforce key need-to-knows at strategic milestones. 

Make It Relevant 

Every role is unique, and onboarding should reflect that. Great onboarding emphasizes elements that are immediately relevant to the new hire's position. This relevance makes the onboarding process more engaging, accelerates productivity, and builds confidence from day one. 

Pro tip: Transform your approach by designing tailored onboarding experiences that resonate with specific roles and responsibilities. Incorporate interactive elements that encourage active participation rather than passive consumption. 

This is what I've found truly makes a difference. Just like learning to crawl, exceptional onboarding is about progression, not perfection – crafted thoughtfully, one step at a time. If you're curious to explore more, our Onboarding Quest offers a guided path for designing onboarding that truly moves people.