Remember your first day at a new job? The mix of excitement and nerves, the information overload, the struggle to even remember names and faces? Now flip the script. You’re the hiring manager, and it’s your new employee’s first day.
It almost does not matter what industry you work in today – from selling software to working in retail shops, PR companies, and anything in between – you need to approach hiring teams with more ‘focus’. You need new employees to adapt faster to your processes but without overburdening them with information and tasks. With this in mind, you need to onboard them with easy steps.
We’ve previously discussed using Zight’s screen recorder and screenshot app to improve employee training and onboarding, breaking the steps into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. Today, we’ll tell you what employee onboarding software to use to make the time easier.
Our guide will cover what employee onboarding is, why dedicated onboarding software is necessary, plus our picks for the best onboarding software.
Read on!
What is Employee Onboarding?
Employee onboarding is the process of integrating new hires into your organization. But it goes beyond simple welcomes and orientation to include:
- Paperwork completion
- Introduction to company culture and values
- Role-specific training
- Setting up necessary accounts and tools
- Introducing team members and key contacts
An effective employee onboarding process gives you the tools to help new hires become productive and confident in their roles as quickly as possible. But here’s the challenge: managing all these elements can be complex, especially as your team grows, which is where onboarding software comes in.
Employee onboarding software streamlines the entire process, offering benefits like consistency in training, efficiency, organization, compliance with local and international labor laws, and data-driven insights to improve your hiring process.
It’s simple – you get the right tools and no longer need to stress about upcoming onboarding processes. You can hire and train employees easily, which means higher employee retention rates and a better bottom line because you have productive teams.
Key Features of Onboarding Software
When choosing HR onboarding software, look for these essential features:
- Automated onboarding workflows so you can create customized paths based on role, department, or location. As such, you’ll ensure each new hire gets relevant information and tasks
- Document management to centralize all paperwork with digital signing capabilities. This streamlines form completion and storage
- Task tracking to assign and monitor onboarding tasks for new hires, HR, and managers. You will use clear dashboards to keep everyone on track.
- Learning management system (LMS) integration to incorporate employee training modules into the onboarding process for role-specific knowledge transfer
- Communication tools like built-in messaging or chat functions to facilitate easy communication between new hires and their teams
- Performance tracking so you can monitor new employee progress and gather their feedback to improve your onboarding processes
- Mobile accessibility will allow new hires to complete tasks and access information on the go
- Reporting and analytics: You should be able to generate insights on onboarding effectiveness and time-to-productivity to refine your process
- Integration. You want to choose software that integrates with your existing HR systems, payroll, and productivity tools
- Customization options to tailor the onboarding experience to reflect your company’s branding and culture
The Best Onboarding Software to train and Guide your New Employees
The best software for your organization will depend on your specific needs, team size, and industry. Let’s explore some top options that offer the best features.
1. Zight
You don’t need to look far when you need onboarding software for new hires. You can start with the tools you use daily and see how they can streamline your entire onboarding process. Zight is one such tool that you use for visual communication, so why not give it a try?
As your employee onboarding software, it works on Windows and Mac; you can even get it as a Google Chrome extension. You will also get it on a free plan or upgrade for just $7.95 a month to use the tool with no limitations. Zight also integrates with other tools you will use for onboarding. For instance, it integrates with Slack, which you can use for daily asynchronous communication, or Google Suite and Microsoft 365.
As a visual communication tool, you can store your training material in the cloud and share it with new hires quickly as links. Simply use Zight to create your training course and generate a shareable link that you can even share with non-Zight users with no fuss!
Here’s the best part – Zight is pretty intuitive. You won’t need to onboard your team to learn how to use your onboarding tool (meta, right?). Even your new hires can get Zight and start creating valuable content within minutes – whether they need clarifications or to offer necessary feedback.
It is the best screen recording and screenshot software and comes with important features you can use -independently or with other tools – when onboarding. These are:
i) Screen Recording
When training new employees the ‘old way,’ you need long blocks of text (think of a manual) to guide your training. That means you sat, researched, and typed all the steps, and you’re probably waiting to train employees physically or have them read through all that text. We call that the ‘old way’ because you don’t need to create a textual training manual any more.
You’re most likely hiring millennials and GenZs who prefer watching instead of reading. Know what this means? You have to meet these new employees where they are most comfortable. So, why not record training videos for them?
Zight’s screen recorder is an important addition to your tech stack. You can record explainers, how-to videos, and even product demos to show what you expect of your new hires. In most cases, a video is much better than text, as it allows new employees to pause, rewind, and rewatch as needed.
ii) Screenshot App
Gone are the days of long-winded explanations about where to find things on your company’s software. With Zight’s screenshot tool, you can capture exactly what new hires need to see. Add some annotations, and you’ve got a clear, visual guide that’s worth a thousand words.
You can capture a small screenshot or a full page or scrolling screenshot to highlight important parts of your company’s dashboard, show where to find crucial documents or point out key features in your product.
iii) GIF Maker
A full video is sometimes overkill, but a static image also doesn’t quite cut it. In this case, you may need Zight’s GIF maker to create short, looping visuals that are perfect for demonstrating quick processes or repetitive tasks.
Think about those little actions new hires need to do daily – logging into a specific system, submitting a timesheet, or accessing the company wiki. A GIF can show these processes in a few seconds, making it easy for newbies to grasp and remember.
iv) Webcam Recording
Let no one convince you otherwise, but onboarding is not just about processes and procedures – you must make new hires feel welcome and like they are part of the team. Zight’s webcam recording feature lets you add that personal touch, even in a remote setting.
Use it to record welcome messages from team leaders, quick introductions from coworkers, or casual chats about company culture. A personalized video will bridge the gap, especially for remote teams, to make new employees feel more connected from day one.
2. OneTeam
OneTeam is a superb employee onboarding software for deskless and frontline workers. You’ll get an all-in-one mobile solution that combines internal communications, training, and engagement features.
The software also has a user-friendly interface that lets you create custom onboarding experiences without much technical expertise. You can also tailor content delivery based on roles or departments so that new hires receive relevant information at the right time.
Key Features
- You can use targeting filters and phased content delivery to provide role-specific onboarding content
- The software allows you to distribute and access essential onboarding documents through an intuitive mobile app
- You’ll be able to create engaging onboarding modules using videos, images, and documents
- You can incorporate interactive quiz modules to check knowledge retention and boost engagement
- User access management: to control who should create and manage onboarding content with specific user permissions
- With this onboarding platform, you can monitor new employees’ progress through each module for optimization
- Automated reminders so you can set up deadline notifications to keep employees on track with onboarding tasks
Need to create customized employee onboarding programs? You can do so with OneTeam, especially if you have deskless employees. You can also integrate OneTeam with your existing WFM & HR systems like WorkDay, BambooHR, and more.
Pricing starts at €1,49 per user/month, where you get the most basic plan for onboarding fewer employees but also with essential communication features such as chat – plus a few onboarding courses, integration capabilities, and user roles.
3. HR Cloud
HR Cloud is another employee onboarding software that simplifies the process for hiring managers and new hires alike. You’ll get a powerful platform that automates and streamlines the entire onboarding journey, from offer acceptance to the first day and beyond.
The software provides smart checklists and customizable workflows, so you can create onboarding processes once and easily modify them for future use. This way, you’ll tailor the onboarding experience for different roles, departments, or employee types.
Key Features
- Automated workflows to eliminate manual data entry by automating e-form creation, e-approvals, background checks, benefits enrollment, and more
- E-Sign & E-Forms that enable easy document completion and signing for new hires
- Remote onboarding: You can use Kiosk Onboarding for remote teams or seasonal workers
- Compliance support: Ensure I-9 compliance with secure digital storage of employee records
- Integration capabilities: You can connect with major ATS, payroll solutions, and other HR tools
- Mobile access for employees to complete onboarding tasks on their phones
- Pre-boarding to allow new hires to start the onboarding process even before their first day
- Customizable admin rights: You can set up different access rights for multiple administrators
HR Cloud is ideal if you need a flexible onboarding solution that can handle various employee types and locations. It allows integrations with popular systems like ADP, Workday, UKG, and more for real-time access to employee profiles and payroll information.
Pricing depends on the size of your organization plus the tailored features you need for your HR teams. That said, they offer different plans, including the customizable Onboard Suite.
4. Continu
Continu is an employee onboarding platform that focuses on automating and streamlining the process from day one. You can create personalized onboarding experiences for new hires and combine automated workflows with ongoing training plus important real-time analytics.
The platform allows you to segment content by teams so all new employees receive role-specific information. You can also import existing onboarding materials and export data summaries for analysis – a responsive design that lets new hires access training from any device to support remote and flexible work arrangements.
Key Features
- Automated workflows for delivering time-sensitive onboarding materials
- Segmentation capabilities for team-specific content
- Import/export functionality for training materials and data
- Real-time progress tracking and analytics
- Responsive design for multi-device accessibility
- Integration with tools like Okta, Google Analytics, and Google Drive
- Multilingual support with over 90 languages available
Continu is your best employee onboarding software if you want to boost engagement and completion rates during the hiring process. The platform claims to achieve a 92% average engagement rate and a 90% course completion rate, which is significantly higher than industry averages.
The pricing depends on how big your organization is, but you can choose between the Growth (less than 250 learners) and the Professional and Enterprise for larger organizations.
5. Atlas
Are you expanding internationally and struggling with onboarding global talent? Atlas offers an unconventional solution as an Employer of Record (EOR) platform that also streamlines the onboarding process for international hires. This software lets you onboard employees across multiple countries within the same day – it handles everything, from education verification to document authentication.
Atlas also provides a library of employment agreements verified by global law firms to ensure compliance with local laws in each country. The platform’s customizable contracts, available in both your preferred and the local language, and automated onboarding calendars make it an all-around solution for building and managing international teams better!
Key Features
- Same-day international onboarding capabilities spanning countries
- Customizable, locally compliant contracts with continuous regulatory updates
- Multifactor authentication for enhanced security on desktop and mobile platforms
- Education verification and document authentication services
- Automated onboarding calendars with key date tracking and updates
- Mobile app for on-the-go onboarding management
- Multilingual contract support for inclusive onboarding experiences
Atlas caters to various industries, including Financial Services, Technology, Life Science & Pharma, Non-Profit & NGO, Energy, Oil & Gas, Private Equity & VC, and Startup. Pricing starts at $49 per user/month.
6. Greenhouse
Are you looking to transform your new hire experience and boost retention rates right from the start? Greenhouse is an onboarding platform designed to get your new employees up to speed and productive faster while fostering a sense of belonging from day one.
With it, you can set 30-day onboarding goals, create a centralized resources hub, and also automate administrative tasks for internal teams to ensure a smooth integration process for every new team member, regardless of their role or location.
Key Features
- Customizable onboarding milestones and 30-day goal tracking for any role or location
- Centralized resources hub for new employees to access essential information
- Automated task management and reminders for internal teams involved in onboarding
- Pre-configured email flows to guide new hires through the next steps
- Role and location-specific task assignments and permissions settings
- Seamless information sync between Greenhouse Recruiting, Onboarding, and HRIS platforms
- Reporting tools to identify onboarding trends and areas for improvement
- New hire surveys to gather feedback and continuously enhance the onboarding process
Greenhouse’s onboarding solution integrates seamlessly with its broader hiring platform, which is ideal for companies already using or considering Greenhouse for their recruitment needs. You can choose between their Essential, Advanced, and Expert plans, with pricing determined by your specific needs.
7. Workable
Workable‘s employee onboarding software turns new hires into productive team members quickly. This platform builds on Workable’s applicant tracking system to create a seamless transition from candidate to employee.
You can prepare unique onboarding experiences for each role, department, and location. In addition, new hires get a central portal with everything they need – from welcome videos to e-signature documents. Your HR teams also benefit from customizable templates and a dashboard that tracks each onboarding journey.
Key Features
- Customizable onboarding templates for role, department, and location-specific processes
- Centralized portal for new hires with welcome messages, videos, and e-signature documents
- Employee profile creation integrated into the onboarding flow
- HR dashboard for real-time monitoring of onboarding progress
- E-signature functionality for streamlined document management
- Seamless integration with Workable’s Applicant Tracking System
- Tailored company information sharing based on team or department
- Automated workflows to reduce HR’s manual tasks
Workable’s onboarding solution is part of its broader HR platform, meaning it is ideal for companies seeking an end-to-end recruitment and onboarding system. You get a 15-day free trial, while pro plans with extensive features start at $149/month.
8. Skuad
It can be hectic when hiring and training global employees – not just the remote factor, but even understanding countries’ regulations. You need reliable and reputable HR software to onboard quickly and easily. Skuad is one of the best employee onboarding solutions.
The platform simplifies hiring international talent- it covers 160+ countries, so you can onboard new employees digitally in minutes. The software generates locally compliant contracts, collects necessary documents, and helps with work device distribution. It also integrates with Skuad’s global payroll system to guarantee a smooth transition from hiring to payment!
Key Features
- Digital onboarding across 160+ countries, which means quick setup for new hires anywhere
- Locally compliant contract generation tailored to each country’s employment laws
- Automated document collection – to streamline gathering and accessing all your onboarding documents
- Work device issuance support to ensure new hires have the necessary equipment
- Country-specific benefits packages to attract and retain global talent
- Compliance automation for local employment laws, thus reducing legal risks
- Integration with Skuad’s global payroll for seamless employee management
- Employee self-service portal for easy document submission and information updates
Skuad suits companies expanding globally or hiring remote international workers. Pricing starts at $199 for full-time employee hiring and onboarding.
9. Deel
Deel‘s onboarding platform streamlines hiring international employees across 150+ countries – it is one of the best Employer of Record services that allows your company to hire and onboard global talent without setting up local entities.
The software handles all aspects of compliant onboarding, from generating localized contracts to managing country-specific documentation and benefits- the platform actually transforms international hiring into a 5-minute process.
The system also flags real-time compliance updates – so when a country changes its labor laws, minimum wage, or benefits requirements, you’ll know immediately.
Key Features
- 5-minute onboarding for any location, thus cutting hours of admin work
- Country-specific document collection aligned with local laws
- Live alerts on regulatory changes affecting your global team
- A dedicated support team for each new hire to smooth the transition
- Self-serve platform for managers to oversee onboarding progress
- Integration with HR tools like BambooHR for seamless workflows
You need Deel if you’re expanding globally or hiring remote international workers and you don’t want to set up local entities. You can get started on a free Deel HR Plan for onboarding functionalities or upgrade at $20 per month to set career pathing frameworks for your best hires.
10. Connecteam
You must seek the best talents to drive productivity and company growth when hiring. That’s why, when onboarding hires, you also want to offer the best employee training to get them set up with your operations fast. If this is what you need right now, there couldn’t be a better move than getting dedicated employee onboarding software that offers the best training and onboarding features. We recommend Connecteam for several reasons.
Firstly, Connecteam’s mobile-first approach caters perfectly to businesses with non-desk employees. New hires can complete their onboarding journey from their smartphones, thus eliminating paperwork and desktop constraints. In addition, you will streamline communication from day one by adding hires to relevant chat groups and giving them access to a company directory.
Key Features
- Mobile-friendly onboarding workflow for independent completion
- Digital document collection with automatic organization
- Comprehensive knowledge base for instant information access
- Automated chat and contact integration for new hires
- Employee timeline for milestone tracking
- Feedback surveys to refine the onboarding process
- Company newsfeed for welcoming new team members
- Reliable integration with time tracking and scheduling tools
Connecteam offers a 14-day free trial, so you can test-drive its features before committing. After that, you can start with the Basic plan for $0 and get limited features for life or more comprehensive pro plans that start at $29 a month for 30 users.
11. Cegid HR
Cegid HR Talent Management offers a competency-based approach to get your new employees up to speed and contributing faster.
The platform puts skills at the center of your onboarding process – it helps you identify and fill skill gaps in new hires so they receive targeted training from day one. The system also aligns employee aspirations with your business needs to set the stage for long-term retention and growth.
Key Features
- Skills mapping for tailored onboarding plans
- Performance tracking to identify high-potential new hires early
- Internal communications portal for quick team integration
- Automated talent review for strategic role matching
- Salary benchmarking tools for fair compensation setup
- Expertise referencing to guide skill development
If you want to onboard to create a high-performance culture from the start, this software could be a good bet. On top of hiring and onboarding, you also get solutions for other HR functionalities, finance, retail, and fashion. You can get pricing details upon request, but it usually ranges around €159.00 monthly.
12. BambooHR
BambooHR is yet another employee onboarding software that’ll help you complete essential paperwork quickly through electronic signatures and customizable preboarding packages. You can set up welcome emails and IT checklists in advance, an organized approach that addresses the critical first six months when employees decide whether to stay.
You’ll enjoy efficient onboarding to increase new hire retention and productivity. Personalize the experience with templates for different roles, departments, and locations, and automate task assignments so new hires can complete pre-start activities at their own pace.
Key Features
- Customizable onboarding templates for various job types and departments
- Automated task assignment for new hire pre-start completion
- Electronic signatures for paperless document processing
- Personalized new-hire packets with team introductions
- “Get to Know You” email highlighting common interests
- Mobile app for on-the-go onboarding management
BambooHR fits your needs if you want to engage new hires faster with less administrative work. It adapts well to small and mid-sized businesses and can support larger organizations. The pricing is around $108 per month for 20 employees.
13. Trainual
Trainual lets you onboard new hires and documents your business processes – it is a central hub for your company’s knowledge, procedures, and training materials. With the software, you’ll capture tribal knowledge, create standardized onboarding experiences, and ensure consistency across your operations.
You get a user-friendly interface that lets you quickly build out your company playbook, and you can even use AI-powered tools and industry-proven templates to generate content efficiently. Trainual connects every role and responsibility to specific standard operating procedures (SOPs), making it easy for employees to understand their duties and how to perform them.
Key Features
- AI-assisted content creation for faster documentation
- Customizable templates for various business processes
- Electronic tracking of training completion and comprehension
- Mobile-friendly interface for on-the-go access
- Integration with popular HR and messaging apps
- Role-based access control for targeted information sharing
- Interactive content options, including screen recordings, GIFs, videos, quizzes, and tests
- Automated reminders for uncompleted training tasks
This software works well to systematize your business operations and create a scalable onboarding process. You get a 7-day free trial to test the platform, while pricing starts at $249 per month.
14. Click Boarding
With Click Boarding, you get employee onboarding software with a mobile-first, cross-device platform that balances experience, scalability, and compliance.
With its onboarding features, you can aim for employee retention – especially with seamless, guided experiences that engage new hires from day one. It’s a good automation tool that frees your HR team to focus on human connections while ensuring consistency and compliance across all employee transitions.
Key Features
- Mobile-first design for seamless cross-device access
- Proprietary eSignature capability for secure document handling
- Self-service configuration for HR teams
- Pulse surveys to monitor new hire sentiment
- Workflow orchestration for consistent processes
- Automated benefits and 401K paperwork processing
- SOC2 Type 2 Compliance for data security
- Goal-setting tools aligned with performance evaluations
- Remote-friendly onboarding capabilities
- Integration capabilities with existing HR tech solutions
- Employee lifecycle support beyond initial onboarding
- Real-time analytics for tracking onboarding effectiveness
Click Boarding is ideal if you’re looking to create a modern, compliant onboarding experience that directly impacts employee retention.
15. Eddy
How does effective employee onboarding in 45 days sound? This is a good timeline for your new team members to gel as a band for better output and productivity. Eddy is the best onboarding software for this.
Eddy transforms the crucial first 45 days of employment with a digital, mobile-ready onboarding journey that sets the stage for long-term retention. It’s an all-in-one HR platform that creates a welcoming, efficient onboarding experience that eliminates manual data entry and streamlines the process for new hires and HR teams. You’ll allow new employees to self-onboard before their first day so they can hit the ground running from day one.
Key Features
- Paperless onboarding with digital form completion and e-signatures
- Online I-9 verification for managers and admins
- Customizable new hire packet templates
- Task assignment for team members involved in onboarding
- Progress tracking for new hire task completion
- Integration with other HR functions like payroll and time tracking
- Mobile-friendly interface for on-the-go access
- Customizable employee handbook with e-sign capability
You can get Eddy if you want to make your first impression on new hires and reduce early turnover. You can create a free account or opt for pro pricing plans that start at $5/month per employee (with a $50/month base).
Wrapping Up
Effective onboarding is crucial for getting new hires up to speed and feeling part of the team. So, consider any of the tools we’ve discussed and leverage these dedicated features, whether it is hire packet templates, remote onboarding, or the chance to use interactive onboarding content and simplify your HR processes.
Still, you don’t need to complicate the process – you can use Zight in place of all other onboarding software above. With it, you get a communication tool that nicely doubles as onboarding or training software. With visual communication, team collaboration, and productivity features, you will get your new employees accustomed in no time!
Remember, regularly check in with new hires and their managers even after picking your software. What’s working? What’s not? Then, use this feedback to refine your onboarding content and processes. Maybe those long screen recordings need to be broken into shorter chunks, or perhaps you need more GIFs for quick references.
