We’ve all seen it. A new hire walks into the office, excited to start their first day... and ends up stuck waiting for a laptop, unsure where to go, and staring at a login screen that doesn’t work. Not exactly the warm welcome anyone hopes for.
According to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree that their company does a great job onboarding new hires. That’s a lot of room for improvement—and a big opportunity to make things better with the right IT setup.
At Layer 2, we help many of our clients smooth out this exact process. From having laptops ready to go on day one to helping automate the HR and training sides of onboarding, we work behind the scenes so your new hire feels supported from the start.
Why Onboarding Matters
The first 90 days of a new job set the tone for everything that follows. According to SHRM, nearly 1 in 3 employees who leave within their first six months say poor onboarding played a role in their decision. For your business, that’s not just a people problem—it’s a costly one.
But good onboarding does more than just reduce turnover. It builds confidence, connection, and clarity. With the right tools, it’s easier than you might think to create a great experience for both your new hires and the teams supporting them.
Where Traditional Onboarding Falls Short
Let’s be honest, the old way isn’t cutting it anymore. Most onboarding experiences still involve:
- Endless forms to fill out
- Repeating the same info in multiple systems
- Confusing handoffs between departments
- Delays getting access to tools and accounts
It’s not just frustrating for the employee—it’s draining for HR and IT, too. Fortunately, modern IT solutions can eliminate most of these pain points.
How IT Can Improve the New Hire Experience
Here’s how better tech can turn onboarding from chaos into calm.
1. Get Started Before Day One
Once the offer is accepted, onboarding should begin. Preboarding with IT support can include:
- Setting up email and account access
- Sending digital welcome kits and intro videos
- Completing paperwork online
- Sharing a schedule for the first day
- Inviting the new hire to Slack or Teams channels
We often help our clients preconfigure laptops and ship them directly to the new hire, so everything’s ready to roll on day one.
2. Automate the Busywork
Nobody enjoys entering the same info five times. Automation takes care of the repetitive stuff like:
- Syncing employee data across systems
- Assigning compliance training
- Kicking off background checks
- Sending automated reminders
Less manual entry means fewer mistakes and more time to connect with your new team member.
3. Make Training Easy and Engaging
Paper packets and boring videos aren’t exactly inspiring. With a modern learning platform, training can include:
- Interactive videos and quizzes
- Simulations and gamified content
- Role-specific paths so people only see what’s relevant to them
We can help integrate learning tools that work on any device and even track progress to keep things moving.
4. Bring Everything Together in One Place
A central onboarding hub makes life easier for everyone. Instead of digging through emails, new hires get a single place to:
- View their schedule
- Read policies and documentation
- Access tools and resources
- Connect with key team members
It’s cleaner, faster, and shows that your company is organized and ready.
5. Use Data to Keep Improving
Want to know how long it takes someone to ramp up? Or which training module people keep skipping?
Analytics can track:
- Time to productivity
- Task and training completion rates
- Feedback scores from new hires
- Drop-off points in the process
That data gives you real insight into what’s working—and what’s not.
Make It Personal
Every new hire is different. Some want lots of structure. Others prefer to explore on their own. IT tools can help personalize onboarding by factoring in:
- Role and department
- Prior experience
- Learning preferences
Whether it’s assigning a mentor, customizing training, or setting reminders, you can create a tailored journey without sacrificing consistency.
Support for Managers, Too
Managers play a huge role in onboarding, but they’re juggling a lot. We can help set up systems that support them with:
- 30, 60, and 90-day check-in prompts
- Reminders to complete onboarding tasks
- Easy feedback collection
That way, managers stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed—and new hires get the support they need.
Where IT Comes In
Those first few days on the job don’t have to be awkward or frustrating. When your IT systems are set up to support people—not just processes—onboarding becomes something everyone feels good about.
We love working with companies to make this happen. Ready to make a better first impression? Let’s talk.
