Human Resources

Onboarding Programmes That Retain Talent

Many new hires decide in their first months whether they will stay. This course shows how to design onboarding that accelerates productivity and builds commitment: pre-boarding, first-day and first-week experience, role clarity, buddies and mentors, manager responsibilities, digital onboarding and measuring onboarding success.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Early turnover is costly and largely preventable. You will learn to design onboarding that helps people succeed and stay.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Onboarding journey design, case studies, checklist development and measurement planning.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the impact of onboarding on retention
Design pre-boarding and first-week experiences
Clarify roles and early goals
Set up buddy and mentoring support
Define manager responsibilities
Measure onboarding effectiveness

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

HR and onboarding coordinators
Talent acquisition professionals
Line managers
Learning and development staff
HR business partners

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Onboarding design
Experience planning
Manager enablement
Mentoring
Measurement

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Why Onboarding Matters

09:00–10:08Early turnover
10:08–11:00Productivity curve
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Productivity curve (continued)
11:45–12:53Current practice review
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Before and First Day

09:00–10:08Pre-boarding
10:08–11:00First day design
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45First day design (continued)
11:45–12:53Welcome practices
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 3First Months

09:00–10:08Role clarity and goals
10:08–11:00Buddy programmes
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Buddy programmes (continued)
11:45–12:53Check-ins
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 4Managers and Digital

09:00–10:08Manager checklists
10:08–11:00Digital onboarding
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Digital onboarding (continued)
11:45–12:53Remote hires
12:53–14:00Case study

Day 5Measuring

09:00–10:08Onboarding metrics
10:08–11:00Feedback
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Feedback (continued)
11:45–12:53Improvement
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

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