Preboarding: what it is and why it determines the first impression
Preboarding is the period before the first day on the job. This includes filling in personal details, preparing documents, approvals, access, first day plan and anything else that can be sorted out beforehand. The better the preboarding, the less stress and “last minute” follow up.
The main objective of preboarding: To get the new employee “up to speed” on the first day, so HR doesn’t put out fires.
What preboarding typically involves
- personal questionnaire + data check
- preparation of contracts, amendments, consents
- access and equipment settings
- first day plan and onboarding agenda
The most common problem
Preboarding often ends up in emails: attachments, different versions of documents, urgencies and missing reports. The result? The first day is more of a “what else is missing” instead of a “welcome”.
How SmartFP handles preboarding
SmartFP allows you to start preboarding as a controlled workflow (questionnaire → check → documents → e-signature → accesses). Everyone has clear steps, deadlines and status overview. Nothing falls behind and the first day really starts with onboarding, not tracking.