9 Best Employee Onboarding Software Systems for HR Teams in 2023

Starting a new job can be incredibly exciting, but also nerve-wracking. As an HR professional, you play a crucial role in welcoming new hires and making them feel supported during this transition. Implementing a structured onboarding process ensures employees get up to speed quickly and feel engaged from day one.

Transitioning from old pen and paper onboarding to modern onboarding software can seem daunting. The key is finding tools that streamline onboarding while still providing the personal touches that set your organization apart.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore:

The business case for investing in onboarding software
Must-have features to look for
The top 9 solutions and their key strengths
Insights and recommendations from HR experts
Best practices for rolling out new onboarding tech

Let’s get started!

Why You Should Invest in Onboarding Software

Moving manual forms and paperwork online isn‘t the only benefit of onboarding software. Advanced tools provide data-driven insights, ensure compliance, and create structure for your program.

Drive New Hire Retention

Structured onboarding results in:

50% greater new hire retention [Aberdeen Group]
2x more likely to stay on the job 3 years [Sapling]

See Faster Time to Productivity

Employees who experience well-designed onboarding are:

67% more likely to reach full productivity faster [Sapling]
60% more engaged [Digitate]

Take the Burden Off HR

HR admins spend 13 hours per hire on redundant paperwork [Freshteam]. Onboarding software eliminates manual work through:

Automated template sending
Digital document collection
Electronic signatures
Seamless IT system access setup

Ensure Workplace Compliance

Onboarding software helps:

Provide required legal disclosures
Collect signatures on critical documents
Track acknowledgment of policies and codes of conduct

These benefits all ultimately add up to significant cost savings from increased retention and faster productivity.

Now that we‘ve made the case, let‘s look at how to pick the right software for your needs.

What to Look For in Onboarding Software

With countless tools on the market, it can be tricky evaluating options apples-to-apples. Here are the 8 must-have features to look for:

Customizable Onboarding Workflows

The system should provide:

Flexibility to tailor onboarding paths for different locations, roles, and departments.
Personal welcome plans using new hire data like name, position, manager etc.

Pre-boarding

Make prospects‘ first impression positive by:

Sending welcome info after offer acceptance
Allowing new hires to complete forms before day 1
Giving a peek into company culture pre-hire

Task Management

Clear visibility into required onboarding steps through:

Checklists with due dates
Automated reminders to new hire and stakeholders
Tracking of task completion

Document Collection

A central place to securely collect, track, and store new hire docs like:

Offer letters
Tax forms
HR paperwork
Company policies

Training Content

Directly provide neccessary training resources through:

Videos
Documents
External links
Quizzes to confirm understanding

Collaboration Tools

Ways for new hires to engage and connect with teams like:

Messaging or chat features
Polls or surveys to collect feedback
Newsfeeds for company announcements

Analytics and Reporting

Actionable insights through:

Dashboards tracking completion rates
Tools to identify bottlenecks
Data on time-to-productivity

Mobile Access

Ensure flexibility by providing:

Native mobile apps, or
Responsive web dashboards that adapt to any device

These elements all contribute to a complete onboarding platform. Now let‘s look at 9 of the top solutions on the market and how they meet these criteria.

Top 9 Onboarding Software Platforms for HR

After extensively evaluating dozens of solutions, these 9 onboarding systems consistently rise to the top in terms of features, flexibility, and ease of use.

1. BambooHR

BambooHR is one of the market leaders in HRIS systems with strong onboarding capabilities built-in.

Key Features:

100+ HR templates accelerate onboarding setup
Automated checklist reminders keep managers and new hires on track
Customizable welcome workflows by department or location
Mobile app for document signing and task tracking
Seamless integrations with other HR systems

Ideal For: SMBs seeking an all-in-one HRIS with great onboarding features out of the box. BambooHR makes it easy to create structured onboarding processes without extensive configuration.

Pricing: Starts at $99/month for up to 50 employees

2. Sapling

Sapling focuses solely on crafting exceptional onboarding experiences. Their platform aims to provide new hires all the people, resources, and tools needed to succeed.

Key Features:

Custom branded portals with interactive content
Structured yet flexible workflows tailored to each new hire
Knowledge management system for easy access to policies and docs
Ongoing employee engagement through milestones
Real-time progress reporting for managers

Ideal For: Fast-growing startups that want onboarding to reflect their culture. Especially well-suited for remote or hybrid teams.

Pricing: Starts at $8 per employee per month

3. Kin HR

Kin takes a unique video-first approach to onboarding. The platform makes it easy to record personalized videos that humanize the experience.

Key Features:

Easy video recording and sharing options
Video messaging and calendar integrations
Customizable video guides from leadership, HR, and teammates
Async video allows new hires to watch at their own pace
Analytics on video engagement

Ideal For: Remote companies focused on building connections and rapport between existing and new team members. Especially powerful for distributed teams across locations.

Pricing: Free up to 5 employees. $149/month up to 20 employees.

4. FactoHR

FactoHR provides an agile HRMS with built-in onboarding automation. It aims to digitize manual processes.

Key Features:

Customizable onboarding checklist builder
Digital document collection from new hires
HR workflows like PAF creation and IT setup
Task assignment to hiring managers
Seamless integration with their ATS

Ideal For: Growing companies that want onboarding tied directly into their recruiting and HR systems. The unified platform delivers a consistent experience.

Pricing: Starts at ₹5000 per month for up to 75 employees

5. WalkMe

WalkMe offers a digital adoption platform that provides in-system guidance and training.

Key Features:

In-app walkthroughs for any system that show users how to complete tasks
Step-by-step guidance flows with annotations
Contextual assistance through AI and machine learning
Advanced analytics on engagement

Ideal For: Large enterprises with complex systems. WalkMe makes training new hires on multiple platforms easy by embedding it directly in the tools.

Pricing: Custom quote based on needs

6. Zenefits

Zenefits provides a popular HRIS with built-in onboarding designed around compliance and data centralization.

Key Features:

Custom onboarding templates for each department
Calendar integration showing required onboarding tasks
Digital forms for tax, benefits, company policies
Automated syncing of new employee data across HR systems
Inventory management for company asset assignment

Ideal For: Larger companies looking for deep HRIS integration and compliance management. Zenefits‘ focus on data syncing eliminates repetitive form entry.

Pricing: Starts at $8 per employee per month

7. Paycor

Paycor delivers a robust HRIS with stellar onboarding tools for mid-sized businesses.

Key Features:

Customizable task workflows by location or position
Pre-boarding portal for completing forms before day one
Automated org chart integration
File sharing and e-signature capabilities
Seamless integration across Paycor suite

Ideal For: Companies that want a unified HR tech stack on one trusted platform. Tight integration creates an easy experience managing employees pre- and post-hire.

Pricing: Custom quotes based on company size

8. Betterworks

Betterworks offers performance management with onboarding functionality baked in. Their focus is goal alignment from day one.

Key Features:

Onboarding plans aligned to OKRs and company goals
Peer mentoring and collaboration
Progress tracking against established benchmarks
Surveys and feedback collection

Ideal For: Results-driven companies that want to intertwine onboarding and performance. Betterworks creates accountability and alignment from the start.

Pricing: Starts at $5 per employee per month

9. Deputy

Deputy provides integrated scheduling and onboarding tools, great for deskless workforces.

Key Features:

Templates for equipment assignments, compliance docs, and training
Mass onboarding capabilities for hourly workers
Location-based setup and permissions
Time and attendance tracking

Ideal For: Companies with large frontline workforces. Deputy makes location-based, mass onboarding seamless.

Pricing: Starts at $2.50 per user per month

This list highlights the diverse capabilities and strengths of today‘s top onboarding systems. Make sure to evaluate your organization‘s unique needs, culture, and processes as you determine the best fit.

Now let‘s look at insights from HR experts on strategies for success.

Expert Insights on Onboarding Software Implementation

Transitioning from manual to digital onboarding requires forethought and change management. Here are tips from HR leaders who have led the charge to onboarding software:

"The biggest mistake is just purchasing software and expecting it to solve everything automatically. You have to invest time understanding needs and customizing." – Mary Abbajay, President of Careerstone Group

"Getting managers bought into onboarding software is critical. They are stakeholders that will directly use the system. Involve them early and get their input." – Anil Aggarwal, CEO of Milestone Inc.

"Start small, learn fast. No need for a big bang company-wide rollout on day one. Choose one team or location and expand gradually." – Matthew Kassel, CPO of Onboarding.com

"Even after launch, keep iterating. Use feedback and data from the platform to continually refine your onboarding experience." – Liam McHugh, Head of Growth at FactoHR

These experts highlight the need to customize onboarding software to your people and processes while managing change thoughtfully.

Now let‘s look at best practices to ensure your implementation succeeds.

How to Roll Out Onboarding Software Efffectively

Once you‘ve selected your platform, here are some proven best practices to drive adoption:

Get executive buy-in – Having leadership vocal about support helps with change management
Document your current state – Map out all stakeholders, systems, and steps involved in your current onboarding process end-to-end
Clarify your ideal state – Define what optimal onboarding looks like for your company once the new system is implemented
Clean up outdated paperwork – Eliminate redundant forms and ensure you‘re starting clean
Develop training resources – Create guides, videos, and quickstart materials for admins, hiring managers, and new hires on how to use the system
Start small – Rollout the software for just one department first before expanding company-wide
Track results and gather feedback – Monitor analytics and solicit input from stakeholders early and often to refine the process
Automate incrementally – Don‘t try to digitize and automate every process on day one. Focus on high-impact tasks first.
Update processes iteratively – Use the lessons learned during initial rollout to progressively improve the experience. Onboarding never truly ends!

Key Recommendations and Takeaways

Here are my key recommendations for HR professionals evaluating onboarding software:

Prioritize flexibility – Look for platforms that allow you to easily tailor onboarding paths and content without complex configuration
Drive engagement – Interactive elements like videos, celebrations, and peer networking fuel ongoing participation
Integrate tightly – Select tools that connect seamlessly with your HRIS, ATS, and communication platforms
Enable automation – From template sending to task reminders, automation drives efficiency
Use data to improve – Analytics should provide insights to refine your program long after launch
Involve stakeholders early – Get input from executives, managers, and employees to drive buy-in
Start small, think big – Pursue incremental rollout, but with the end-goal of organization-wide adoption

With the right software partner tailored to your people and processes, you can create onboarding that engages employees for the long-term. Your new hires will be set up for success and your entire organization will reap the benefits.

If you have any other questions as you evaluate onboarding platforms, don‘t hesitate to reach out! I‘m always happy to offer my insights as an HR technology advisor. Good luck with your search and future onboarding initiatives.