Summary. Your employee onboarding software implementation process doesn’t have to be complex. Success starts with clear goals, the right team, and well-prepared content. Avoid common pitfalls like unclear KPIs, missing stakeholders, and messy data by planning ahead. A smooth rollout can be achieved with an onboarding implementation checklist that includes defining measurable goals, assembling a cross-functional team, prepping templates and documents, cleaning and migrating data, configuring workflows, training users, and testing with a pilot group. Key features to leverage include custom workflows, e-signatures, IT automations, pre-boarding communications, and manager check-ins. Post-launch, continuous support, feedback collection, and process refinement are essential. With the right partner like Omni, fast-growing teams can streamline onboarding and deliver standout employee experiences from day one.
Rolling out employee onboarding doesn’t have to be complicated, and the results are worth it. With the right software and support, you can get up and running quickly and see real impact.
According to Digitate, employees who did not have a positive onboarding experience are twice as likely to look for a new job shortly. For fast-growing teams, it's a big win to invest in the right employee onboarding.
In this guide, we’ll break down the entire implementation process, show you how to avoid common missteps, and walk through the features that will help you get the most out of your employee onboarding software implementation process.
Common Pitfalls with Employee Onboarding Software Implementation
Before we dive into the roadmap, let’s talk about a few common mistakes that can trip teams up during implementation. The good news? With a bit of planning and the right employee onboarding software implementation process, these are easy to avoid:
Unclear goals and KPIs
One big mistake is jumping in without clear objectives or success metrics. If you don’t define what your “success” looks like (e.g., shorter time-to-productivity or improved 90-day retention rate), you risk misalignment. Avoid this by defining onboarding goals and key performance indicators right from the start.
Not assembling a dedicated team
Implementing new software is a team sport. A common pitfall is leaving the implementation to one person or not involving the right stakeholders. Without buy-in from IT, hiring managers, and leadership, you might encounter oversight of important requirements. The fix: bring the right folks in early. When everyone’s involved, adoption becomes easier.
Read next: Your Guide to Successfully Pitching HR Software to Leadership
Poor preparation of content and data
Another frequent issue is going into the employee onboarding software implementation process without your onboarding materials ready. This includes not having your orientation schedules, training ideas, or HR documents (like W-4s, NDAs, and employee handbooks) organized. Similarly, messy or incomplete employee data can bog down the process. Avoid this by preparing your content in advance and tidying up your data.
Learn more: 8 Key Onboarding Documents for Your New Hire Journey
Employee Onboarding Implementation Checklist
Now you know what to avoid; let’s walk through the onboarding implementation checklist that will ensure you cover all your bases:
1. Define onboarding goals and KPIs
You first need to start with clarity on what you want to achieve. Meet with key stakeholders (HR leaders, founders, and team managers) to define the goals of implementing onboarding software.
- Are you trying to reduce manual admin work?
- Improve new hire retention or ramp-up time?
Identify 2-3 primary goals. For each goal, choose a KPI or two to measure success.
For example, if the goal is to “improve new hire retention,” the KPI could be a 90-day retention rate. If the goal is “faster productivity,” the KPI might be time to full productivity (perhaps measured by manager assessment or objective milestones achieved).
2. Assemble an implementation team
Remember what we said about implementation—you don't do it solo. Form a small project team to drive the employee onboarding software implementation. Typically, HR will lead, but you can also include representatives from IT (for any technical needs), a hiring manager or team lead (to provide input on what new hires need), and possibly an executive sponsor if available.
Assign clear roles: one person works with the vendor, another handles data, and another manages training. This way, every angle is covered.
Read more: Navigating HR System Implementation: From Selection to Adoption
3. Prepare onboarding templates and documents
Next up on your onboarding implementation checklist is to prepare onboarding templates and documents. When configuring your employee onboarding software, take this time to gather the information, policies, and documents needed and create the content that will live in it.
Some basic process materials to add to your onboarding implementation checklist include:
- Company policies and documents
- Welcome email templates
- New hire checklists
- Forms to be signed (such as tax forms, direct deposits, NDAs, etc.)
- Day one or week one agendas
- New hire training plans
The goal in this step of your onboarding implementation checklist is to have all your content ready to plug into the system, saving you time during configuration.
Looking to expand your onboarding resources? Check out our templates and guide for inspiration!
4. Migrate data
Software implementation is a perfect time to clean up your employee data in preparation for migration. That’s why it’s important to include this step within your onboarding implementation checklist. Gather everything you’ll need from current records to new hire info from your ATS or HRIS.
If you’ve been using spreadsheets, export and format that data according to the new system’s templates. Take the time to remove duplicate entries, fix inconsistencies and ensure key fields are complete. When you’re ready, import the data into the new platform. Most onboarding software allows CSV uploads or has import tools. Although tedious at first, thorough data cleaning and ensuring accurate records during the migration will benefit you in the long run.
With Omni, our dedicated employee onboarding software implementation team will be with you every step of the way, ensuring all important employee data is migrated accurately and efficiently across platforms.
5. Configure and personalize employee onboarding software
Next up on the onboarding implementation checklist, tailor the software to fit your onboarding process. This step is where you’ll tweak settings, create workflows, and upload content to make the platform truly yours. Start by setting up custom employee onboarding workflows in the system.
Most employee onboarding software, like Omni, allows you to define a sequence of tasks for each new hire (often based on templates or by department/role). Take advantage of this. Configure task lists for, say, “New Sales Hire” or “New Engineering Hire” that include all relevant steps like paperwork, equipment setup, and orientations.
6. Provide training
As you near launch, invest time in training those who will use the system the most. Start with your core HR team or whoever will administer the employee onboarding software implementation process. Make sure they’re comfortable adding new hires, triggering workflows, and running reports.
You can use a variety of training methods, either based on preference or role.
- Conducting a demo for a team that requires more hands-on experience.
- Written guides for employees who prefer to read.
- Short video tutorials for busy managers.
- Q&A sessions for the wider team.
7. Test with a small pilot group
Before you roll out the employee onboarding software implementation across the entire organization, do a trial run. Select a small pilot group to go through the new onboarding process. Ideally, this could be 1-2 upcoming new hires, or if you don’t have any new joiners, consider doing an internal test with a team member posing as a new hire.
Have your HR teams, IT, and managers use the software as they would in a real scenario: assign tasks, complete forms, and check workflows. Watch closely, gather feedback, and tweak before the full launch.
8. Roll out to all new hires
Now it’s go-live time. Once you’re confident in the setup (and have applied any lessons from the pilot), deploy the employee onboarding software for all incoming new hires.
Integrate it into your hiring process so that as soon as someone accepts an offer, the new system kicks in. For instance, HR or the recruiter should now initiate the onboarding program for that person in the software rather than using a manual process.
9. Provide support
Employee onboarding software implementation shouldn’t be the end of the journey. Post-implementation makes sure users have support resources as they use the system. Both the HR team and managers must be available to answer questions in the first few weeks.
You must also encourage an open-door policy where managers can ask, “How do I do X in the new onboarding tool?” without feeling silly. It can help to identify a couple of users who can act as internal support while leveraging your vendor’s customer support.
Omni’s award-winning support team is readily available to guide you through necessary software updates, resolve issues, and ensure your onboarding process complies with regulatory requirements according to your time zone so that you can focus on your business and initiatives that truly matter.
10. Monitor, collect feedback, and refine
The final (ongoing) step in your onboarding implementation checklist is to continuously improve your onboarding process using the software’s analytics and user feedback. Track the KPIs you set in step 1 and other processes involved in the implementation, and use reports and analytics to refine your process.
Over time, your employee onboarding software will help you drive consistently higher engagement and retention, and you’ll have the data to prove it.
Key Employee Onboarding Software Features to Configure
Modern onboarding software comes packed with features, but a few core ones make the biggest impact. Here are the top features to configure during your employee onboarding software implementation process (and why they matter):
Custom onboarding workflows
Tailor the process to your needs. Every team’s onboarding process is different, so set up custom workflows that match your roles, locations, or departments. A good example to start with is automated workflows to send out offer letters to new hires. This helps to keep things consistent while staying flexible for what each new hire needs.
E-signature documents
There's nothing wrong with ditching the paper and pen to go digital. Rather than emailing PDFs or handing out paper packets, using e-signatures, new hires can review and sign everything right in the platform. If you use Omni, it's easy to send, sign, and store documents securely.
IT checklist automation
You should know that onboarding isn't just HR forms; there’s often a heavy IT component—think accounts, laptops, emails, and access.
With Omni, you can set up pre-boarding checklists for your IT team so everything’s ready before day one. This cuts out any last-minute scrambles.
Pre-boarding communication flows
The period after a new hire signs their offer but before day one is a golden time to build excitement and reduce first-day jitters. Take advantage of this time to send automated welcome emails and prep materials that ease nerves and build excitement. With our employee onboarding software, you can schedule pre-boarding messages so new hires feel ready and already part of the team.
Manager check-ins
A successful onboarding isn’t just an HR affair; the hiring manager and team play a pivotal role in integrating the new hire. Your software should be able to assist with scheduling manager check-ins and assign tasks to managers, too. Regular touchpoints help new hires integrate faster and feel like they truly belong.
Best Practices for a Smooth Employee Onboarding Software Implementation
To wrap up, let’s highlight a few best practices that will ensure your employee onboarding software implementation not only goes smoothly but also delivers lasting benefits:
Partner closely with your software provider
You don’t have to do this alone—nor should you. One of the best moves is to fully leverage the resources and support your vendor offers. Engage your provider’s implementation specialists early, ask questions, and let them guide you through best practices since they’ve helped many other clients and know what works.
“The onboarding experience was awesome. The support team was answering really fast; the structure of onboarding was very helpful with templates and clear steps. Omni even reminded us about deadlines and handled things like uploading public holiday calendars for all our countries.”
— Andrei Perevalovi, Head of People Products at Virtual Internships
See how: Virtual Internships Cut Global HR Costs by 60% with Omni
Communicate clearly
Implementing new software is a change, and good change management principles apply. Communicate early and often with all stakeholders about what’s coming and why. You should also clearly articulate to managers and current employees how the new onboarding system benefits them.
Learn more: 18 Communication Barriers in the Workplace
Start small and keep iterating
For a smooth implementation, it can help to start and then progressively improve. First, nail the fundamental workflow (the core HR documents and key tasks that every new hire needs). Focus on making that solid and user-friendly. Once that’s running smoothly, you can layer in extras like HRIS integrations down the line.
Launch Your Employee Onboarding Software in Days with Omni
Manual employee onboarding is time-consuming, inefficient, and difficult to scale, especially for fast-growing modern teams.
With Omni, you can say goodbye to repetitive admin work and deliver a seamless experience from day one, impressing your new hires with a modern, branded onboarding journey that sets the tone for long-term success.
Omni makes it easy to recruit, onboard, and guide your employees with secure information storage, automated communications, and fully customizable employee profiles that amplify your employee brand and ensure an accurate and efficient onboarding experience.
Get ready to create a remarkable first impression with Omni's superior onboarding experience. Whether your new hires are in-office or remote, Omni enables you to craft a modern, virtual onboarding journey that amplifies your employer brand and leaves a lasting positive impact.
Tired of spreadsheet checklists and email follow-ups? Download our free onboarding toolkit to get started, or if you’re ready to take it to the next level, book a personalized demo to see how Omni can transform your employee onboarding software implementation process and boost retention from day one!
