onboarding

noun

on·​board·​ing ˈȯn-ˌbȯr-diŋ 

ˈän-

1

: the act or process of orienting and training a new employee

… good onboarding leads to higher employee engagement and greater retention rates.

—Joyce E. A. Russell

2

: the act or process of familiarizing a new customer with one's products or services

Customer onboarding primarily involves answering customers' questions and addressing their concerns so they have a smooth, positive experience with your product or service.

—Aaron Agius

3

: the act or process of converting data to digital form

While many retailers are coming to terms with the need for data onboarding and management, there is still a massive chasm between collecting data and using it to the fullest advantage.

—Larisa Bedgood

onboard

ˈȯn-ˌbȯrd 

ˈän-

transitive verb

onboarded; onboarding

The workflow chart that was pinned to the wall was an excellent orientation for me, as a new employee, and anyone else being onboarded.

—Jill Duffy

It's easy to forget how difficult hiring people is and getting them onboarded and effective in their job.

—Sue Gilbert

Once a customer is onboarded, they can immediately start using the account for remittance payments …

—Richard Gluyas

Examples of onboarding in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Support Employees’ Families One thing leaders can do is include an employee’s spouse or partner in hiring and onboarding. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

The mentoring program is designed to enhance the onboarding of new educational support professionals and provide ongoing professional growth opportunities for returning staff, while the leadership academy invests in the growth of staff to prepare more leaders, Xagas said. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2025

Building a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility—and where it’s embedded in your onboarding, daily operations, and leadership decisions—creates the kind of trust that can’t be faked. —Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025

Regarding onboarding and implementation, besides the usual plug-and-play, expAInd takes a more thoughtful approach. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for onboarding

• according
• affording
• awarding
• keyboarding
• recording
• rewarding
• skateboarding
• snowboarding
• boarding
• cording
• fording
• hoarding