Optimizing Onboarding Processes

Earlier this year, we made a big bet. Instead of hiring 2–3 junior People Ops generalists to keep up with our growth, I proposed something different: one senior person, solely dedicated to AI, automation, and systems. The business case was simple. We were scaling fast, our workflows were manual, and adding more people to broken processes wasn't going to fix anything. We needed to build our way out, not hire our way out. Leadership said yes. We made the hire in February. It's been about 2 months. Here's what's been built: 🤖 PeopleBot — An AI HR assistant, live in Slack and Glean, that answers Tier 1 HR questions 24/7. Benefits, leave policies, onboarding how-tos, instantly without a ticket or a DM to our team. 🎯 TalentHub — An AI assistant for recruiters and HRBPs. Comp band lookups, job family mapping, tier determination, all self-serve. No more manually cross-referencing spreadsheets. ✅ Offer Compliance Check Agent — Automatically reads new offers and replies with in/out-of-band comp validation by ladder, level, and tier. Offers are verified before they ever reach a signature. 📋 Automated Offboarding — Built a Google Apps Script to auto-generate separation agreements and connected the Jira offboarding ticket to a structured workflow. HRBPs push a button. The paperwork follows. 📊 People Tech Stack Tracker — A full audit of every tool we own: cost, renewal dates, owners, what we're paying for but not using. Decision-ready for leadership. 🛡️ ADA Accommodation Coordinator Agent — Guides People Ops through accommodation requests end-to-end, drafting communications, tracking deadlines, and maintaining compliance. ⚙️ Automated Employment Verifications — US employees are now fully automated through via Rippling. And she's also running a company-wide AI tips series to help the whole organization actually use the tools we're paying for. 2 months in and a completely different People Ops function. Not just from one person but from some great momentum, subject matter expertise, and a cultural shift to work smarter, not harder. We didn't need more hands. We needed to build the systems that make everyone's hands free so we can get more done. I'm really proud of what this team has built so far in 2026 and we're just getting started. 🚀

🎢 Onboarding UX Playbook (+ Decision Trees). Practical techniques for better onboarding UX, design patterns, kits and Figma templates — on mobile and desktop. 🚫 Users often skip tutorials/walkthroughs entirely. 🚫 Never block the UI with full-page onboarding modals. 🚫 Avoid long multi-step tutorials with 5+ steps. ✅ Ask customers what goals they are trying to achieve. ✅ Allow users to hide walkthroughs and restore them later. ✅ Focus on bringing users to first success moments fast. ✅ Structure your onboarding suggestions in bite-sized chunks. ✅ Explain features when users slow down or make mistakes. ✅ Show features when users lose time with repetitive tasks. ✅ Prevent failure with an early warning system for new users. ✅ Collapsible checklists work well for onboarding. ✅ Personalized onboarding works even better. ✅ Design sets of filters, templates and empty states. ✅ Show starter kits based on user’s profile and interests. ✅ Consider short video guides and email drip campaigns. Good onboarding can’t be generic. It has to be relevant and valuable. Define your user segments first. Design a set of presets to help them get to success moments faster. Think of the questions you need to ask to customize their experience. Think about filters and presets they might need. Onboarding tutorials often appear once and get instantly dismissed, nowhere to be found again. Allow users to find them when they need it. Bring them up when users slow down or make mistakes. And test the discoverability of your features continuously. If a feature is obvious, you might not need to explain it at all. And if it isn’t, perhaps onboarding won’t solve this problem either. Useful resources: How to Choose Onboarding Methods and Components, by NewsKit 👍 Methods: https://lnkd.in/eWn5FPWA Decision Tree: https://lnkd.in/e8TmMDFf Design Patterns: https://lnkd.in/ed7HjzkW Onboarding UX Playbook, by Eleana Gkogka https://lnkd.in/edcDfMFG Complete Onboarding UX Guide (free eBook), by Intercom https://lnkd.in/eAxT6ZM4 User Onboarding Best Practices, by Taras Bakusevych https://lnkd.in/eRwr2tEc Guide to Onboarding, by Phil Byrne https://lnkd.in/esEavgw7 How Spotify Organizes Onboarding in Figma, by Barton Smith, Cliona O'Sullivan https://lnkd.in/ei434tqq Mobile Onboarding Wireframe Flows (Figma template) https://lnkd.in/ekhzWFJz UX Onboarding Patterns, by Eve Weinberg https://lnkd.in/e7_M4kDv #ux #design

💥 Fincrime Mythbusters 💥 Myth#22 ~ Know Your Customer (KYC) ❌ Myth: We know our customer. 🔸 We onboarded them under a robust CDD framework. 🔸 We screened sanctions, PEPs and adverse media. 🔸 We applied a risk rating. 🔸 We completed EDD where required. 👉 File signed off. Governance satisfied. So yes - we know our customer. ✔️ Reality: You knew your customer at onboarding – (once upon a time) The risk is dynamic, these day customer identities are fluid. A low-risk customer can quietly become: 🔸 A money mule recruited via social media 🔸 A layering account in a wider laundering chain 🔸 A synthetic identity maturing over years 🔸 A scam exit account used for romance or investment fraud 👉 And often documents never change, the risk does. ⚖️ UK Regulations ♦️ Under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, regulation 28 mentions that firms must conduct ongoing monitoring, including scrutiny of transactions and keeping CDD information up to date. ♦️ The FCA is clear on CDD – it is not a one-time, tick box exercise, but an ongoing, risk-based requirement that must be applied throughout the customer relationship. 👉 Where does ‘I know my customer’ fail? 1️⃣ Mule evolution A student account opened legitimately in 2024. By 2025, it is receiving high-velocity inbound payments from unrelated third parties, immediately transferred onward. ➡️ The onboarding file? clean ➡️ The behavioural profile? completely different 2️⃣ Synthetic identity risk Fraudsters combine real and fabricated data, for example; genuine NI numbers, manipulated addresses, thin-file credit histories. The identity builds credibility slowly and then a coordinated bust-out across institutions. ➡️ Documents pass checks ➡️ The identity itself is engineered 3️⃣ Account opened to move proceeds of crime Investment fraud victims are instructed to move funds through ‘trusted’ accounts. These accounts may belong to coerced individuals or compromised customers. ➡️ The original purpose? personal account ➡️ The current role? criminal conduit. 👉 What real ‘Knowing Your Customer’ should look like? ✔️ Continuous behavioural monitoring ✔️ Cross-team intelligence sharing (KYC + Fraud + AML + Sanctions) ✔️ Dynamic risk re-scoring ✔️ Vulnerability flag ✔️ Data-led trigger reviews (not just periodic reviews) ✔️ Clear first-to-second line escalation pathways ✋ There is a massive change from asking ‘Was the onboarding compliant?’ instead it should say ‘Did we see the risk evolving?’ ⚔️ Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Criminals don’t fear chaos, they exploit it. Fragmented controls are their ladder. #FinCrimeMythbusters #AML #fraud #scams #silos #financialcrimeprevention   (Image credit: ChatGPT, words are mine)

I will admit that one of the most omitted aspects of creating a new feature (or product) is making sure the user knows how to use it. At the same time, you can only make one first impression. How to make it great? Let's face it: It's very hard to onboard users. People have very little time right now and are used to instant gratification. Thus, if the product requires some effort to use, you may see a very upset user on the other end. At the same time, not all products can be reduced to a single button called "solve my problem". So, how to onboard a new user in a way they actually engage? 1) Start with a great text copy There is nothing worse than a technical copy that is not written with your client in mind. Separate it into easy-to-complete steps so the user can learn and move to the next step easily. Remember, the user is not an expert yet like you are. Also, invest into professional translations, so the copy is great for everyone! 2) Set the production value of onboarding materials very high If your onboarding videos look and feel professional, you will build your brand image and user confidence. While creating such videos used to be expensive, nowadays tools exist that will help you automate and speed up the process, such as this post's partner: Guidde! Guidde allows you to create how-to videos quickly based on the screen recording of the process you wish to document. Using AI, Guidde will automatically generate the storyline with highlights, and add text to voice and multiple CTAs, saving you many hours of work. 3) Make it easy to repeat training People forget or skip onboarding steps accidentally. If it is difficult to access the training materials again, you might avoid a lot of user frustration. Not to mention support calls or tickets that could have been avoided. 4) Add micro onboardings While onboarding is associated with getting the user started using a product, that can also apply on a feature level. Take this into account when planning a new release, so it's stellar and accessible from day one! 5) Make it easy to speak to human support While your onboarding will surely be great, a lot of your users will prefer to talk/write to a human being. Make it easy to find contact info. Bonus: monitor the issues that come with this. Rather than hide support contact, eliminate the causes that led to those calls in the 1st place. Thus: 6) Care for onboarding funnel as a product Monitor onboarding usage and later client engagement. Look for steps/materials in dire need of improvement and monitor the metrics once those are introduced. As I said earlier, you can only make one first impression! Make it count :) So, did you find this useful? How do you build your product so that it's welcoming to new users? Sound off in the comments! #productmanagement #productmanager #onboarding

🔎 When analyzing the onboarding processes of various companies from a DEI perspective, I have noticed that some organizations understand the importance of having a buddy system, providing DEI training during onboarding, and introducing new hires to ERGs. However, there are also overlooked foundational steps that can drive significant change: 💡 Step 1: Conducting a DEI Audit of an Existing Process Before designing your inclusive onboarding program, it is crucial to conduct a DEI audit of your current process. This audit involves assessing your onboarding materials, procedures, and practices through a diversity and inclusion lens through employee personas. It helps identify any gaps, biases, or exclusions that may exist, enabling you to make targeted improvements. 💡 Step 2: Developing Pre-Onboarding Resources Pre-onboarding plays a vital role in setting the stage for an inclusive onboarding experience. Create materials that introduce new hires to practical information, but also your organization's culture and DEI initiatives. Providing this information in advance helps new hires familiarize themselves with your commitment to DEI and sets expectations for their onboarding journey. 💡 Step 3: Designing an Inclusive Onboarding Program for the First Year Extend the onboarding process beyond the initial few days or weeks to encompass the entire first year of a new hire's journey. This extended timeline allows new hires to deepen their understanding of your organization, build relationships, and fully integrate into the company culture, fostering a sense of belonging. 💡 Step 4: Training Onboarding Facilitators and Buddies While many organizations recognize the importance of training onboarding facilitators, they often overlook the significance of training buddies in DEI. These people play a crucial role in supporting new hires and shaping their onboarding experience. Provide comprehensive DEI training to both facilitators and buddies, empowering them to create an inclusive and supportive environment. This training should cover topics such 🧠 unconscious bias, 💬 inclusive communication, 🗺 cultural competence, ensuring that they can effectively guide new hires through the onboarding process in an inclusive way. ________________________________________ Are you looking for more practical tips and DEI content like this?  📨 Join my free DEI Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtgdB6XX

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

How do I build a 12-month roadmap for a recruit using their production and my company playbook? Let me share a quick story. One of the leaders I coached was struggling to onboard a new hire effectively. They had great potential but didn’t quite understand how they fit into the big picture. As they dove into the role, the rookie felt lost and overwhelmed, leading to a few early missteps. We worked together on a solution. Instead of just assigning tasks based on numbers and quotas, we flipped the script. We created a detailed 12-month roadmap aligning their production goals with our company playbook. This wasn’t just about selling; it was about grasping our vision and understanding how their contributions would make an impact. Here’s how you can do the same: Start by identifying key production milestones for the recruit, breaking them down into manageable quarterly goals. For each quarter, align these objectives with specific elements of your playbook — training modules, key projects, or team collaboration opportunities. Ensure that each milestone has clear, actionable steps and reasons behind them, so the recruit knows not just what to do but why it matters. Also, keep communication open. Regular check-ins will help you both stay aligned and pivot if necessary. This framework works because it transforms the onboarding experience from a transactional series of tasks into a collaborative journey. When recruits see how their efforts support a greater vision, they’re not just going through the motions; they’re genuinely invested in the success of the team and the company. A meaningful onboarding process can set the stage for long-term engagement and high performance. Let’s make sure our new hires feel they belong and can see the roadmap to their success right from the start.

The first 5 minutes on your app can make or break user retention. Is your onboarding a source of excitement or friction ? The onboarding experience is overlooked. I tested 100s of B2B software. Too often, onboarding is just a way to gather necessary information and marketing data. And new users get lost, frustrated, impatient and churn before they even see value. Does this sound familiar : • Too many steps to initial value realization • One-size-fits-all approach to diverse use cases • Lack of contextual guidance within the product Now try something like this : 1. Identify 3-5 key user personas 2. Create streamlined onboarding paths for each persona 3. Use in-app tooltips and videos tailored to each path 4. Set up early win alerts to celebrate quick victories 5. Trigger human outreach for users who stall in their journey The goals is to reach Faster time-to-value and higher activation rates. Let me know : What is the best onboarding experience you have had ? 💕 —————— 🧐 Want to audit your B2B product onboarding experience for free ? 🔗 Click the link in the bio

Signed up for 100+ SaaS products in the last 6 months. These are the 8 best examples of AI onboarding I’ve seen this year. Not hype, real AI used to onboard users in seconds. Took a few hours to put the onboarding flows on a Figma board, with some notes covering exactly how these companies use AI to get users to value faster. Here’s how they are using AI to cut time-to-value down to seconds 👇 1. Relay.app (Context > Content) Instead of asking 20 questions, Relay asks for your LinkedIn URL. The AI scans your profile and auto-configures your agents and workspace instantly. 2. Gamma (Execution > Guidance) Gamma doesn't teach you how to use the editor. It asks for a topic and generates a full slide deck for you in seconds. No more relying on "empty states." 3. Figma (Just-in-Time Education) Figma analyzes your behavior in the canvas. If you get stuck or pause too long, the AI suggests the specific plugin or feature you need right in that moment. 4. Zapier (Outcome > Templates) Templates have taken a back seat. Now, a Copilot ingests your desired outcome and builds the workflow for you. It uses your initial app selections to predict exactly which prompts you need first. 5. Notion (Conversational Setup) They replaced the static "welcome wizard" with an active AI chat. It uses natural language to configure your workspace behind the scenes. 6. Miro (Zero-Click Canvas) The first screen is a chatbot asking, "What are we working on?". It builds the board structure for you before you even learn the UI. 7. n8n (Teaching by Showing) The "Try an AI Workflow" option demonstrates a working example first, teaching you how to interact with the agent while giving you a feeling of immediate progress. 8. Instantly.ai (Embedded Support) While the main tour is traditional (tooltips), the real power is hidden inside. As you navigate, AI agents surface to handle complex setup tasks, proving you don't need to be "AI-Native" to be effective. Onboarding is evolving. → From: Teaching users how to use your interface. → To: Teaching AI what the user wants to do. Think I’m exaggerating? Watch your growth rate when competitors can activate users in seconds, while you do it in minutes. I compiled screenshots of all 8 flows into a Figma Board so you can see exactly how they work. I’m also covering how to do AI onboarding in a live workshop with Mickey Alon next week (Jan 28). Comment "AI Onboarding" below and I'll send you the link for both. 👇