What Is Employee Onboarding Software?
Employee onboarding software is a digital platform that automates the process of integrating new hires into your organization. It streamlines document collection, ensures compliance with employment regulations, and creates consistent onboarding experiences across all departments—from offer acceptance through the first 90 days.
Traditional manual onboarding is time-intensive, error-prone, and inconsistent. HR teams spend an average of 8-10 hours per new hire on administrative tasks like collecting forms, chasing signatures, coordinating with IT for equipment setup, and manually entering data into multiple systems. This time could be better invested in strategic initiatives like employee development, culture building, and retention programs.
Onboarding software addresses these challenges by centralizing the entire new hire workflow in one platform. It provides:
✓ Automated task assignment to HR, IT, managers, and new hires
✓ Digital forms with built-in e-signature capabilities
✓ Compliance tracking for I-9, E-Verify, W-4, and industry-specific requirements
✓ Integration with HRIS, payroll, and ATS systems to eliminate double data entry
✓ Real-time progress dashboards showing completion status
✓ Mobile accessibility for remote and frontline employees
✓ Welcome portals with training resources, policies, and company culture materials
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experience great onboarding. Yet many organizations still rely on spreadsheets, email, and paper forms—creating friction at a critical stage of the employee journey.
The transition from candidate to productive team member shouldn't feel chaotic. Modern HR onboarding software creates structure, reduces administrative burden, and ensures every new hire receives the same high-quality experience regardless of their department, location, or role level.
Onboarding software incorporates functions in a digital dashboard that enables employers and managers to monitor a new hire's progress. This software uses a platform that can display employment eligibility verification, compliance insight and tools, payroll information, employee benefits details, and many other functions. It may also contain a knowledge base where new employees can access training videos and guides that can help them get started in the company.
Not all onboarding platforms are created equal. Here are the essential capabilities that separate basic systems from comprehensive solutions:
The best onboarding experiences begin before day one. Preboarding—the period between offer acceptance and start date—is where engagement begins. HR Cloud Onboard provides new hires with immediate portal access containing:
Think of onboarding software as a centralized management system for your Human Resources department. The welcome portal should be user-friendly and engaging enough to reduce drop-off risk before and after starting with your company. It ought to serve as an information hub to facilitate communication between you and the new hire.
The welcome portal should include all details that new hires ought to know upon joining your team. It must relay to them the details of their first day of training, their job description and primary roles, office location, and the names of their primary contacts.
Visual content can also help guide new hires better. There should be an option to publish photos and videos for more interactive content on the portal. A quick welcome note from the CEO or a highlight reel of what they can expect when they work with your company can significantly improve their first-day experience.
Key elements include:
Personalized welcome messages from leadership
Office tour videos and parking information
Org charts showing their team structure
Early access to company policies and culture materials
Ability to complete I-9 Section 1 and W-4 forms digitally
This proactive approach reduces first-day anxiety and allows new employees to arrive prepared and excited rather than overwhelmed.
Preparing for the onboarding of new hires encompasses various departments, not just the HR. With this level of collaboration, it can be tricky to keep track of who has completed their assigned tasks. So, look for a software that has a task manager and checklist option to prompt action from the people involved.
You should be able to check whether IT has already set up the new employee's workstation, including laptop and email. It must also show you whether the finance team has prepared the payroll details of the new hire. Additionally, their direct supervisor must arrange introductions and check-in meetings as well, which they must be able to do from the app.
Onboarding involves multiple stakeholders: HR needs signed documents, IT must provision equipment and accounts, managers should schedule 1:1 meetings, and new hires need guidance on what to complete and when.
Quality onboarding software automates this coordination through:
Role-based workflows: Different checklists for full-time, part-time, contractor, or executive hires
If-then logic: If an employee selects "yes" to health insurance, automatically trigger benefits enrollment tasks
Automatic reminders: Email or Slack notifications when tasks are overdue
Parallel task processing: Multiple people can work simultaneously instead of waiting for sequential completion
For example, while a new hire completes their digital paperwork, IT receives an automated alert to prepare their laptop and email access. Their manager gets a notification to schedule first-week check-ins. Everything happens in parallel, cutting onboarding time by 60-70%.
Paper-based onboarding is slow, error-prone, and difficult to track. Modern platforms offer:
Pre-populated forms: Employee name, address, and role auto-fill from your HRIS system
Mobile-friendly: Complete forms on smartphone or tablet
Field validation: Built-in rules prevent common errors (invalid SSN format, missing required fields)
Legally binding e-signatures: Touch-based signing on any device
Cloud storage: All documents accessible instantly for audits
HR Cloud's I-9 and E-Verify integration walks new hires through Section 1, validates entries, and alerts HR when Section 2 must be completed—all while maintaining full compliance with Department of Homeland Security requirements.
If you already have a Human Resource Information System (HRIS), you should be able to integrate the onboarding software you choose seamlessly. After all, the newcomer will soon become a full-fledged member of your team. Ensuring integration and compatibility with your current software helps you avoid having to encode employee data twice.
Any information stored on one app should be viewable on the other. For instance, a new hire's contact details should be available on your HRIS in real-time. On the other hand, new hires must be aware of their team profiles as they're typically organized in the HR system. In relation, the onboarding software must maximize the reporting relationships set by the HRIS to make delegating tasks and sending out notifications easier.
Data should flow seamlessly between systems without manual re-entry. Look for native integrations with:
HRIS platforms: People HRIS, BambooHR, Workday
Applicant Tracking Systems: Lever, Greenhouse, JazzHR, iCIMS
Identity management: Okta, OneLogin, Azure AD for automatic account creation
When a candidate accepts your offer in your ATS, their information should automatically populate in your onboarding system, create their employee record in your HRIS, and trigger payroll setup—with zero manual data entry.
HR Cloud is a Platinum ADP Marketplace Partner, meaning our integration with ADP Workforce Now is bi-directional, tested, and fully supported. New hire data syncs automatically, and any changes made in either system update both platforms in real time.
Employment compliance is complex and costly when mishandled. Employee onboarding software should provide:
I-9 completion tracking with alerts for Section 2 deadlines (within 3 business days of hire date)
E-Verify integration for automatic work authorization verification
W-4 and state tax form collection
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) screening
Background check coordination with providers like Checkr or GoodHire
Industry-specific compliance: Healthcare credentialing, education fingerprint clearances, DOT certifications
Every action is logged with timestamps and user identification, creating complete audit trails. If the Department of Labor requests your I-9 forms during an audit, you can produce them in minutes instead of days.
|
Aspect |
Manual Paper-Based Onboarding |
Automated Onboarding Software |
|
Time per New Hire |
8-10 hours of HR admin time |
2-3 hours of HR admin time |
|
Document Error Rate |
15-20% (missing signatures, incorrect info) |
<2% (built-in validation catches errors) |
|
Compliance Risk |
High (manual tracking, missed deadlines) |
Low (automated reminders, audit trails) |
|
New Hire Experience |
Inconsistent, paper-heavy, confusing |
Consistent, digital, self-service friendly |
|
Scalability |
Limited by HR team capacity |
Scales without adding headcount |
|
Remote Capability |
Difficult (mailing documents, wet signatures) |
Fully digital, accessible anywhere |
|
Cost per Hire |
$150-250 in HR labor costs |
$40-80 platform + minimal admin time |
|
Time to Productivity |
45-60 days to reach full productivity |
25-35 days (40% faster) |
|
90-Day Retention Impact |
Baseline (varies by company) |
82% improvement per Brandon Hall Group |
An employee's onboarding experience is crucial because it generates a strong first impression for both parties of the working relationship. The new hire can feel more at ease as they adjust and settle in with the overall business environment and operations, and the employers could also see through the skills and potential of their newly hired workers right off the bat.
The case for onboarding automation extends beyond convenience—it directly impacts your bottom line, compliance posture, and ability to attract and retain talent in competitive markets. Here are the reasons why investing in onboarding software is a smart choice for your organization:
Once you invest in this technology, there is no need to place too much administrative pressure on HR and managers. The Human Resource Department can solely focus more on Strategic Human Resource Management than dwelling on how to structure the onboarding program of new hires every time.
Too often, the HR team's time is consumed by preparing onboarding programs even for just a single new employee. They have to send, track, check, and file the necessary paperwork to welcome newcomers. When you automate this aspect of operations through a digital tool, you just have to set it up once and use it again for the next onboarding.
Manual onboarding is a time sink. Consider what happens when you hire someone today:
Without software:
HR emails 8-12 separate forms to the new hire
New hire prints, completes, scans, and emails them back (often with errors or missing pages)
HR reviews each form, identifies errors, follows up via email or phone
HR manually enters data into HRIS, payroll system, benefits platform
HR files paper copies and uploads PDFs to multiple systems
Total time: 8-10 hours over 2-3 weeks
With onboarding software:
System sends one portal link to new hire
New hire completes all forms in 20-30 minutes with validation preventing errors
Data automatically syncs to HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems
All documents stored digitally with full audit trails
Total HR time: 2-3 hours over 2-3 days
For an organization hiring 50 employees annually, this represents 300-400 hours of recovered HR time—equivalent to adding a part-time HR coordinator without increasing headcount.
HR Cloud's automated workflows eliminate repetitive tasks, allowing your team to focus on strategic initiatives like developing managers, improving retention programs, and building company culture.
This software will lead to a standardized process, uniform details, and clear and distinctive job roles for their respective positions. You will have fewer chances of misinformation about their data and background. This way, you can also avoid confusion when it comes to their roles since the assignments and responsibilities are all published in the app.
Employment compliance can be tricky, but an onboarding software program can facilitate data collection and file management. The app can help your company stay abreast of the latest legal requirements. At the same time, it can offer step-by-step guidance and explanation to the user as they fill out forms.
I-9 compliance violations are expensive. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can fine employers $234 to $2,332 per form depending on violation severity. For a company with 100 employees, a single audit finding could result in $23,000 to $233,000 in penalties if multiple violations are discovered.
There are six key compliance data that your company should fulfill before a new hire begins their first day on the job:
Employee Information
You should collect the contact information of new hires, including their current mailing address and emergency contact person. You may also want to ask about their dietary restrictions, which is useful when planning for company outings and parties.
Tax-Related Forms
New hires must fill up W-4 and I-9 forms. These are for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Homeland Security, respectively. The former is for the Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, while the latter is to verify their employment eligibility.
E-Verify
The program is offered by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. It can facilitate the verification of employment eligibility for new hires. If your company has federal contracts, you may be required to participate.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
The WOTC provides tax incentives for employers that hire workers from various qualifying backgrounds. This includes summer youth employment, beneficiaries of food stamps or SSI, as well as disabled veterans.
Disability and Veteran Information
The government encourages employers to hire differently-abled people and veterans, as mentioned above, through incentives. You should collect this type of data from new employees if they qualify.
Employee Handbook and Signoff Sheet
Develop an employee handbook to ensure that new hires can get to know your company more. It should cover your history and culture as well as a checklist of their must-dos for the first day or week on the job. Don't forget to include the rules and regulations that they should follow, including dress code and social media usage. Moreover, they should also be made aware of disciplinary protocols for violating these policies. In addition, a signoff sheet is crucial for your HR's records since it can serve as an acknowledgment that the newcomer received the handbook and understood its contents.
Onboarding software with I-9 integration prevents these mistakes through:
✓ Built-in validation that won't allow form submission until all required fields are complete
✓ Automatic deadline tracking that alerts HR when Section 2 must be completed
✓ Document guidance showing new hires acceptable forms (List A, B, and C)
✓ E-Verify integration for automatic work authorization confirmation
✓ Digital audit trails with timestamps proving compliance
For healthcare organizations, HR Cloud's healthcare-specific features include credentialing workflows, license expiration tracking, and Joint Commission compliance tools—making it the preferred choice for hospital systems and medical groups nationwide.
First impressions matter. The onboarding experience sets the tone for an employee's entire tenure with your organization. According to Brandon Hall Group research, organizations with structured onboarding programs see 82% improvement in new hire retention and 70% faster time-to-productivity.
Poor onboarding drives attrition. Consider these statistics from Gallup workplace research:
17% of new hires quit within the first 90 days
33% of new employees start looking for a new job within the first six months
Replacing an employee costs 50-200% of their annual salary depending on role level
The financial impact is staggering. For a company with 100 employees, 20% annual turnover, and $60,000 average salary:
20 departures × $30,000 replacement cost (50% of salary) = $600,000 annual turnover cost
If onboarding improvements reduce turnover by even 20%, you save $120,000 annually
Great onboarding increases engagement, which directly correlates with retention. When new hires feel welcomed, supported, and prepared to succeed, they're far more likely to stay.
HR Cloud's employee engagement platform integrates with onboarding to: • Automatically post new hire announcements so team members can welcome them
Trigger recognition and rewards for completing onboarding milestones
Schedule pulse surveys at day 7, 30, and 90 to identify disengagement early
Connect new hires with mentors or buddies through your internal social network
This holistic approach ensures onboarding doesn't end on day one—it continues throughout the critical first 90 days when most attrition occurs.
As an employer who wants to track employment progress first-hand, using this software will allow you to effectively facilitate the employee's transition to become productive contributors to the company. A new employee can already see what tasks and responsibilities are ahead of them through the onboarding program. With training resources within reach, they can easily click back and refer to their guides and videos for processes that they need to master.
When new hires show up on day one to find their laptop isn't ready, their email doesn't work, or their workspace hasn't been prepared, productivity suffers. Onboarding software creates accountability through:
Automatic task assignment based on role
Escalation alerts when tasks are overdue
Centralized progress dashboards showing exactly what's done and what remains
Integration with communication tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams) for real-time updates
When IT receives an automated alert 5 business days before a new hire's start date, they have plenty of time to order equipment, create accounts, and configure permissions. When managers get calendar invites for scheduled check-ins, those meetings actually happen. The new hire experiences a seamless, professional process instead of chaos.
HR Cloud's task management supports conditional logic—if a new hire selects "remote employee," different tasks trigger compared to on-site staff. If they're hired as a contractor instead of W-2 employee, the system automatically routes different forms and skips benefits enrollment.
Aside from newly hired employees, this software also assists tenured or internally transferred employees. Many companies transfer employees to different departments for the sake of providing career opportunities and maximizing career growth. With this software, internal hires will have access to their newly added responsibilities, ensuring that they are guided through their new job roles.
They can automatically gain access to the organizational structure in their new departments. This way, they can identify their higher-ups, which is crucial when they have questions or concerns and their direct supervisor is on leave.
Internal transfers or promotions already know your company but need: • New role-specific training and expectations
Updated org chart showing new reporting structure
Introductions to new team members
Access permission changes (new systems, revoked from old systems)
Updated compensation and benefits (if applicable)
HR Cloud Onboard allows you to create separate workflows for "New External Hire" vs. "Internal Transfer," automatically skipping redundant tasks while ensuring role-specific requirements are met.
Onboarding quality shouldn't depend on which HR person handles it or whether your hiring manager is organized. Every new hire deserves the same comprehensive experience.
Manual processes introduce variability:
One HR coordinator sends a thorough welcome packet; another forgets half the forms
One manager schedules daily check-ins; another disappears for two weeks
One location has a smooth process; another location is chaotic
Standardization through software ensures:
✓ Every new hire receives the same documents, in the same order, at the same time
✓ Every hiring manager receives the same task list and reminders
✓ Every department follows the same compliance procedures
✓ Every role has a proven workflow that improves over time
This consistency is especially critical for organizations with multiple locations, high-volume hiring (retail, hospitality, healthcare), seasonal workforce fluctuations, or rapid growth requiring frequent hiring.
As you scale from 50 to 500 to 5,000 employees, your onboarding process shouldn't break. With software, you simply clone successful workflows and apply them to new departments, locations, or roles. Growth doesn't require proportionally more HR headcount—it requires better systems.
The pandemic permanently changed where work happens. Remote and hybrid arrangements are now standard, not exceptional. Yet many onboarding processes still assume physical presence.
Remote onboarding software eliminates these barriers:
✓ Digital forms with e-signatures complete from anywhere
✓ Mobile apps for smartphone completion of tasks
✓ Video training modules instead of in-person orientation
✓ Virtual welcome experiences with pre-recorded messages from leadership
HR Cloud's mobile app allows new hires to:
Complete all onboarding paperwork from their phone
Take photos of I-9 documents instead of scanning
Sign forms with touch-based signatures
Access training videos on-demand
Receive push notifications for pending tasks
For distributed organizations with employees across multiple states, time zones, or countries, digital onboarding isn't optional—it's essential.
How many of your new hires completed onboarding on time last quarter? Which tasks consistently cause delays? Where do new hires get stuck in the process? If you can't answer these questions, you can't improve your onboarding.
Onboarding software provides dashboards showing:
• Completion rates by cohort, department, or location
• Average time-to-completion for each task
• Overdue tasks flagged for follow-up
• Bottlenecks where new hires or stakeholders stall
• Compliance status (% with completed I-9s, tax forms, background checks)
This data-driven approach allows continuous improvement. If you notice new hires consistently take 3+ days to complete benefits enrollment, perhaps the forms are confusing and need simplification. If IT equipment setup is always the bottleneck, maybe you need to order equipment earlier or streamline account provisioning.
HR Cloud's analytics go beyond onboarding to track:
• New hire engagement scores (via pulse surveys at day 7, 30, 90)
• Time-to-productivity (how long until new hires reach performance targets)
• 90-day retention rates compared to industry benchmarks
• Manager effectiveness based on their team's onboarding experience
Not all platforms offer the same capabilities. Use this framework to evaluate vendors:
These are non-negotiables for any quality onboarding system:
Digital forms with e-signatures (mobile-friendly)
I-9 and E-Verify integration (compliance essentials)
Task automation and workflow builder (assign, track, remind)
HRIS and payroll integration (eliminate double entry)
Mobile app or responsive design (remote/distributed teams)
Document storage with audit trails (compliance and security)
Reporting dashboard (visibility into completion status)
If a vendor can't deliver these basics, keep looking.
These significantly improve effectiveness but aren't absolute requirements:
Preboarding capabilities (portal access before day one)
Conditional workflows (if-then logic for different employee types)
ATS integration (seamless candidate-to-employee transition)
Learning management integration (training module assignment)
Employee self-service portal (new hires can see what's next)
Manager dashboards (track direct reports' onboarding status)
Customizable templates (role-based or department-based variations)
These features separate good platforms from great ones.
These add polish but aren't deal-breakers:
Video welcome messages (personal touch from leadership)
Gamification (points, badges, leaderboards for completion)
Onboarding buddy system (pair new hires with experienced employees)
Multi-language support (for diverse workforces)
Custom branding (white-label portals with your logo and colors)
Offboarding workflows (reuse system for departures)
HR Cloud delivers all Tier 1 and Tier 2 features plus most Tier 3 capabilities—making it a comprehensive solution for organizations serious about onboarding excellence.
Employment law compliance is complex, varies by location and industry, and carries severe penalties for mistakes. Quality onboarding software doesn't just organize paperwork—it actively prevents violations.
The I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form is required for every new hire. Section 1 must be completed by the employee on or before their first day. Section 2 must be completed by the employer within 3 business days of the employee's first day of work.
Common mistakes that lead to penalties:
Completing Section 1 too early (before offer acceptance)
Completing Section 2 too late (after the 3-day window)
Missing or illegible signatures
Incorrect document information (wrong ID numbers, issue dates)
Discriminatory document requests (asking for specific documents)
How HR Cloud's I-9 solution prevents errors:
✓ Timing controls: Section 1 only becomes available after offer acceptance
✓ Automatic reminders: HR receives alerts when Section 2 deadline approaches
✓ Document validation: System checks SSN format, date logic, required fields
✓ Photo upload: Mobile app allows new hires to photograph their IDs
✓ E-Verify integration: Automatic submission to federal verification system
✓ Retention compliance: Forms retained for 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination
Different industries face unique onboarding compliance challenges:
Healthcare Organizations:
• License verification (RN, MD, NP, PT, OT licenses)
• Credentialing (hospital privileging process)
• Immunization records (required vaccinations, TB tests)
• HIPAA training (mandatory privacy training with signed attestation)
• Joint Commission compliance (competency validation)
• Background checks (often more extensive than other industries)
HR Cloud's healthcare solution includes pre-built workflows for credentialing, license expiration tracking (with automatic renewal reminders), and Joint Commission-compliant documentation.
Education Institutions:
• Fingerprint clearance (DOJ and FBI background checks)
• Teaching credentials (state certification verification)
• FERPA training (student privacy requirements)
• Child Abuse Mandated Reporter training
• Union requirements (salary placement, benefit elections per union contract)
Construction and Manufacturing:
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 training
• Equipment operation certifications (forklift, crane, etc.)
• Drug testing (often pre-employment and random)
• Safety training (job-specific hazards)
When evaluating onboarding software, verify the vendor has experience in your industry and offers templates aligned with your specific compliance requirements.
One size doesn't fit all. Effective platforms support workflows tailored to different hire categories:
External new hires need comprehensive onboarding covering:
• Company mission, vision, values, and culture
• Organizational structure and key leadership
• All new hire paperwork (I-9, W-4, direct deposit, benefits)
• Department-specific orientation and training
• Systems access and account provisioning
Internal transfers or promotions already know your company but need:
• New role-specific training and expectations
• Updated org chart showing new reporting structure
• Introductions to new team members
• Access permission changes (new systems, revoked from old systems)
• Updated compensation and benefits (if applicable)
Remote onboarding requires additional considerations:
Logistics:
• Equipment shipping (laptops, monitors, peripherals)
• Home office setup guidance
• IT support for remote connectivity (VPN, software installation)
• Shipping address verification
Engagement:
• Virtual welcome meetings (Zoom/Teams introduction calls)
• Digital team introductions (video messages, intranet profiles)
• Remote culture building (virtual coffee chats, online team activities)
• Early connection to communication channels (Slack, Teams)
Compliance:
• State-specific tax withholding (based on where employee lives, not HQ)
• Workers' compensation coverage (varies by state)
• Remote work agreements (home office safety, equipment responsibilities)
Before you can proceed with the onboarding process, it is important to hire a suitable candidate for your company first. Hiring and recruitment are separate processes that could be improved and expedited through automated tools and methods that can easily filter prospects.
Consulting firms like M&A Exec Search can help match your company's goals with the right executive aspirant to ensure that your new employee can meet specific qualifications and standards. Once you find the right candidate for key positions in your company, that's when you can proceed to go through the onboarding process.
With hundreds of vendors in the market, selection can feel overwhelming. Follow this structured evaluation process:
Small businesses (1-50 employees):
• Prioritize ease of use and affordability
• May not need complex workflows or extensive customization
• Look for platforms that bundle onboarding with HRIS and payroll (better value)
Mid-market companies (50-500 employees):
• Need more sophisticated workflows (multiple departments, locations)
• Require strong integration capabilities (existing HRIS, payroll, ATS)
• Benefit from customization options (branded portals, role-based workflows)
Enterprise organizations (500+ employees):
• Demand enterprise-grade security (SOC 2, GDPR compliance)
• Need multi-location, multi-language support
• Require robust reporting and analytics
Your onboarding platform must talk to your existing systems:
Critical integrations:
1. Payroll: ADP, UKG, Paylocity, Paychex
2. HRIS: Your current system of record for employee data
3. ATS: Lever, Greenhouse, iCIMS, JazzHR
Important integrations:
4. Single Sign-On: Okta, OneLogin, Azure AD, Google Workspace
5. Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, email
6. Background checks: Checkr, GoodHire, Sterling
HR Cloud offers 30+ native integrations including platinum-level partnerships with ADP and UKG.
Request demos from 3-5 shortlisted vendors. Have actual HR team members (not just leadership) attend and provide feedback. They're the daily users—their input matters most.
Evaluate:
• How intuitive is the portal?
• Can a non-technical person complete onboarding independently?
• Is mobile experience truly usable or just "responsive"?
• How quickly can you onboard a new employee (end-to-end setup time)?
Look beyond sticker price to understand true costs:
Direct costs:
• Monthly/annual subscription fees (per employee or flat rate)
• Implementation/setup fees
• Integration fees (for custom connections)
Value returns:
• Time savings per onboarding (hours recovered × HR hourly rate)
• Reduced turnover (prevented departures × replacement cost)
• Compliance risk reduction (avoided penalties)
Use HR Cloud's Onboarding ROI Calculator to model your specific scenario.
Employee data is sensitive. Verify vendors maintain:
SOC 2 Type II certification (annual audits of security controls)
GDPR compliance (for international employees)
Data encryption (at rest and in transit - minimum AES-256/TLS 1.2)
Regular penetration testing
Single Sign-On support
HR Cloud maintains SOC 2 Type II certification, GDPR compliance, and undergoes annual third-party security audits.
While this guide is vendor-neutral, it's important to understand why HR Cloud Onboard stands out in a crowded market.
HR Cloud's workflow engine features:
• Drag-and-drop builder (no coding required)
• If-then conditional logic (different paths based on employee data)
• Parallel task processing (multiple stakeholders work simultaneously)
• Dynamic due dates (calculated from start date or previous task completion)
• Role-based permissions (control who sees and edits what)
Customers report creating new workflows in 15-20 minutes after initial setup.
As an ADP Platinum Marketplace Partner and UKG Labs Partner, HR Cloud maintains the highest-quality integrations in the industry.
What this means for you:
✓ Bidirectional sync: Changes in either system update both automatically
✓ Real-time data transfer: No delays, no manual file exports
✓ Dedicated support: Both HR Cloud and ADP/UKG provide implementation assistance
HR Cloud's ADP integration specifically:
• Pulls new hire data from ADP immediately upon offer acceptance
• Pushes completed onboarding data back to ADP for payroll processing
• Syncs benefits elections, tax forms, and direct deposit info
For Healthcare:
• Credentialing workflows with privileging committee tracking
• License expiration monitoring with automatic renewal reminders
• Primary source verification documentation
• HIPAA training attestation with annual re-certification
• Joint Commission readiness
Healthcare organizations using HR Cloud include hospital systems, medical groups, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies.
HR Cloud's mobile app delivers:
✓ Full functionality (not just "view-only")
✓ Document upload via camera (photograph ID for I-9, certifications)
✓ Touch-based signatures (e-sign from phone or tablet)
✓ Push notifications (never miss a pending task)
✓ Biometric login (Face ID, Touch ID for security)
This matters especially for frontline workers, field employees, healthcare staff, and remote teams.
Onboarding doesn't end on day one. HR Cloud combines onboarding with employee engagement tools:
Day 1-7: Complete paperwork, access training, set up workspace
Day 7: First pulse survey - "How was your first week?"
Day 30: Second survey - "Are expectations clear?"
Day 90: Comprehensive review and goal alignment
This integrated approach identifies disengagement early when it's still reversible.
Buying onboarding software is the easy part. Implementing it successfully requires planning and stakeholder alignment.
Week 1-2: Discovery and Configuration
• Kickoff call with vendor implementation specialist
• Stakeholder interviews (HR, IT, hiring managers)
• System configuration: User roles, permissions, email templates
• Integration planning
Week 3-4: Content Migration and Workflow Building
• Upload existing documents (handbook, policies, forms)
• Convert paper forms to digital
• Build workflows: 3-5 templates for most common roles
• Configure e-signature settings
• Set up integrations
Week 5-6: Testing and Training
• Pilot testing with volunteer employees
• Identify bugs or workflow issues
• Train HR administrator
• Train hiring managers
• Create internal documentation
Week 7+: Go-Live and Optimization
• Launch first live onboarding
• Gather feedback
• Refine workflows
• Expand adoption
Total time to full adoption: 6-8 weeks for most organizations
HR Cloud's implementation: Averages 2-3 weeks due to pre-built templates, dedicated specialists, and extensive automation.
Track these metrics:
Efficiency Metrics:
• Time-to-onboard: Days from offer to fully onboarded
• HR hours per hire
• Completion rate: % finishing on time
• Overdue task rate
Quality Metrics:
• Form error rate
• Compliance rate: % with complete I-9s, tax forms
• New hire satisfaction scores
Business Impact:
• 90-day retention rate
• Time-to-productivity
• Turnover cost reduction
• Compliance penalty avoidance
HR Cloud's analytics dashboard tracks these metrics automatically.
With an onboarding software, your newly hired employees will have a smooth-sailing and stress-free transition. Employers can also take advantage of this organized and automated process. This is because they no longer need to rely on many personnel, particularly with the HR, to train and keep track of new hires on their behalf.
Your new employee will be able to take their place in your organization promptly and more efficiently. This way, they can contribute their skills and knowledge to your company and provide you with more value and returns within a short time.
Manual onboarding is a relic of the past—time-consuming, error-prone, and incapable of meeting modern workforce expectations. In an era where 69% of employees decide whether to stay with a company based on their onboarding experience (SHRM research), you can't afford to get it wrong.
Employee onboarding software isn't just about digitizing paperwork—it's about creating exceptional first impressions, ensuring regulatory compliance, and setting new hires up for long-term success.
HR Cloud Onboard delivers the automation, compliance tools, and engagement features you need to onboard employees 3X faster while improving retention by 82%.
Key advantages:
✓ 2-3 week implementation (industry fastest)
✓ Platinum ADP partnership (seamless payroll integration)
✓ Healthcare and education expertise (pre-built compliance workflows)
✓ Mobile-first design (4.5+ star rated app)
✓ Integrated engagement platform (onboarding + culture + recognition)
✓ Dedicated support (implementation specialist, ongoing account management)
Whether you're a 50-person startup scaling rapidly, a 500-employee mid-market company replacing spreadsheet chaos, or a 5,000-person enterprise needing multi-location coordination—HR Cloud has the tools and expertise to transform your onboarding.
Ready to see it in action?
Schedule a personalized demo to experience how HR Cloud can streamline your onboarding process, reduce administrative burden, and improve new hire retention.
Or calculate your ROI to see exactly how much time and money you'll save by automating onboarding.
Your next great hire is waiting. Give them an onboarding experience they'll remember—for the right reasons.
Employee onboarding software is a digital platform that automates the process of integrating new hires into an organization. It centralizes tasks like document collection, e-signatures, compliance tracking (I-9, W-4), training assignments, and employee data management. The software creates structured workflows that guide new employees through orientation while ensuring HR teams stay compliant and organized.
Onboarding software reduces administrative burden on HR teams by automating repetitive tasks, ensures consistent experiences for all new hires, improves compliance with employment regulations, speeds up time-to-productivity for new employees, and increases retention rates. Companies using structured onboarding software see 82% improvement in new hire retention and 70% faster time-to-productivity according to Brandon Hall Group research.
Key features include: (1) Welcome portals for new hire self-service, (2) Task management with automated workflows, (3) Digital forms and e-signature capabilities, (4) Integration with HRIS, payroll, and ATS systems, (5) Compliance tracking for I-9, E-Verify, and other regulations, (6) Mobile accessibility, (7) Progress tracking and analytics, and (8) Customizable templates for different roles and departments.
Onboarding software pricing varies based on company size, features, and implementation complexity. Small business solutions typically start at $3-8 per employee per month. Mid-market platforms range from $8-15 per employee per month. Enterprise solutions may require custom quotes. Many vendors like HR Cloud offer bundled pricing that includes onboarding, HRIS, and engagement tools for better value.
Onboarding software focuses specifically on the new hire integration process, from offer acceptance to day one and beyond. An HRIS (Human Resource Information System) is a broader platform that manages all employee data throughout the entire employment lifecycle, including payroll, benefits, time tracking, and performance management. Many modern platforms like HR Cloud combine both capabilities.
Yes, modern onboarding software is designed to support remote and hybrid workforces. Key features include: digital document signing without in-person meetings, virtual welcome portals accessible from anywhere, mobile apps for on-the-go access, video training modules, and automated communication workflows via email, Slack, or Teams.
Implementation timelines vary by vendor and complexity. Simple platforms can be set up in 2-3 weeks with minimal customization. Mid-complexity implementations typically take 4-8 weeks. Enterprise deployments may take 8-12 weeks. HR Cloud's typical implementation timeline is 2-3 weeks from kickoff to go-live.
Essential integrations include: (1) Payroll systems (ADP, UKG, Paylocity) for seamless data transfer, (2) Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to transition candidates to employees, (3) Identity management (Okta, OneLogin) for automated account provisioning, (4) Communication tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams), and (5) Learning Management Systems for training.
Compliance features include: automated I-9 and E-Verify processing with built-in validation, digital storage of employment eligibility documents with audit trails, automatic reminders for expiring certifications, pre-built templates for W-4 and state tax forms, WOTC screening workflows, and industry-specific compliance tracking for healthcare, education, and government contractors.
Organizations typically see: 60-70% reduction in onboarding administrative time, 82% improvement in new hire retention, 50% faster time-to-productivity, and 90% reduction in paperwork errors. For a 100-employee company with 20% annual turnover, the time savings alone can justify the investment within 3-6 months. Use HR Cloud's ROI Calculator to estimate your specific savings.