The onboarding process: a review

Abstract

Purpose Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, most employees worked from their employers' offices, and new team members were integrated into their roles through standard onboarding procedures. However, in response to the pandemic, organizations quickly reestablished new remote onboarding strategies. As hybrid employment gains popularity, the onboarding process has been affected by the digital transformation (DT) phenomenon, and organizations must now implement remote strategies to onboard new employees. Design/methodology/approach In this context, by considering the major changes that happen in the field, the purpose of this article is to provide a literature review of the onboarding process (OP), using the context-interventions-mechanisms-outcomes framework. Findings The review identifies four mechanisms describing the complexity of the OP and the impact of DT: basic onboarding, advanced onboarding, integration of newcomers and remote onboarding. Originality/value The findings have implications for both HR professionals concerned with onboarding strategy, and researchers studying the OP.