Onboarding Best Practices: Engaging New Hires Before Day 1

Hiring top talent is only the beginning—how you onboard them can make or break their experience with your company. A well-structured onboarding process doesn’t start on their first day; it begins the moment they accept the job offer. Pre-onboarding, the period between offer acceptance and the employee’s first day, is a critical yet often overlooked phase that can significantly impact retention, engagement, and overall productivity.

Successful companies that engage new hires early experience better long-term success. Here’s how pre-onboarding best practices can help you set up your new employees for success before they even step through the door.

Why Pre-Onboarding Matters

Many companies focus on formal onboarding that begins on an employee’s first day, but engaging them before Day 1 helps:

• Reduce first-day jitters – New hires feel more confident and prepared.

• Improve retention – Employees who feel welcomed early are more likely to stay.

• Enhance productivity – A well-prepared employee ramps up faster.

• Strengthen employer branding – A seamless onboarding experience reflects well on your organization.

With the right pre-onboarding strategy, companies can foster a positive first impression and ensure employees hit the ground running.

5 Best Practices for Pre-Onboarding Success

1. Send a Welcome Email (or Even a Package!)

The moment an employee accepts the offer, send them a warm, personalized welcome email to express excitement about their arrival.

What to include:

• A friendly message from their manager or CEO.

• A high-level agenda of what their first week will look like.

• Key contacts they can reach out to before their start date.

Pro Tip: Take it a step further by sending a welcome package with branded company swag, a handwritten note, or a personalized gift. This small gesture can create excitement and reinforce your company culture.

2. Provide Access to Essential Information

New hires often feel overwhelmed with logistics, paperwork, and systems they’ll need to learn. Get ahead by providing key resources before their start date so they can familiarize themselves at their own pace.

What to include:

• An onboarding checklist outlining what they need to complete.

• Links to company policies, training materials, or benefits information.

• A short welcome video or introduction to company culture.

Pro Tip: Use an onboarding portal or shared folder to organize all key documents in one place for easy access.

3. Assign a Pre-Start Buddy or Mentor

New hires are more likely to feel connected to your organization if they have a point of contact before their first day. Assigning them a buddy or mentor can ease the transition.

How this helps:

• Gives new employees a go-to person for informal questions.

• Helps them integrate into company culture faster.

• Reduces first-day anxiety by providing a familiar face.

Pro Tip: Encourage the assigned buddy to schedule a casual check-in call before Day 1 to answer any initial questions.

4. Get Administrative Tasks Out of the Way

Paperwork and HR tasks can bog down a new hire’s first day. Getting as much of this out of the way beforehand allows them to focus on learning their role instead of drowning in forms.

What to complete before Day 1:

• Employment contracts, tax forms, and benefits enrollment.

• IT setup (email account, software access, security credentials).

• First-day logistics (arrival time, office tour details, dress code).

Pro Tip: Use digital HR platforms like DocuSign or BambooHR to automate paperwork and make the process seamless.

5. Schedule a ‘Get to Know Us’ Call

One of the most effective ways to engage a new hire before their start date is through a short introductory call with their manager or team.

What this does:

• Sets clear expectations for the role.

• Builds early relationships with key stakeholders.

• Reinforces enthusiasm and excitement about the hire.

Pro Tip: If your company has multiple new hires starting soon, consider hosting a virtual meet-and-greet to introduce them to the leadership team and other employees.

The Bottom Line: Pre-Onboarding Sets the Stage for Success

First impressions matter, and an effective pre-onboarding strategy can make new hires feel valued, supported, and excited before they even start. Companies that invest in pre-onboarding experience higher engagement, faster ramp-up times, and improved retention rates.

By taking these simple yet impactful steps—welcome emails, early access to resources, mentorship, early paperwork completion, and introductory calls—your organization can create a world-class onboarding experience that keeps top talent engaged from the start.

Want to improve your company’s onboarding strategy? Impact helps organizations build seamless hiring and retention programs. Contact us today to learn more about our workforce solutions!