How Culture Is Shaped in Onboarding
Building a Human-Centered Foundation for Scalable Growth
A few years ago, I joined a new company eager to contribute and grow. On my first day, I was handed a laptop and a long list of logins—but no introductions, no context, and no real sense of where I fit. There was no onboarding plan, no intentional touchpoints, and no one checking to see how I was doing. I spent weeks trying to make sense of the company’s systems and culture, piecing together insights from conversations and old chat threads. I eventually found my rhythm, but it took far longer than it should have—and by then, I had already internalized a subtle but powerful message: connection and clarity weren’t priorities here.
That experience shaped how I now approach culture as a talent consultant. Whether your team is five or seventy-five people, onboarding is where your culture comes to life. It’s where new hires learn not just what to do—but how to be part of your company. For mission-driven startups, especially those scaling quickly, the onboarding process is one of the most powerful (and often overlooked) tools for embedding values, trust, and belonging into the fabric of the business.
1. Make Onboarding a Cultural Experience, Not an Administrative Process
According to research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), organizations with structured onboarding programs see 50% greater new-hire productivity and 58% more likely to be with the organization after three years. Yet, most startups treat onboarding as paperwork and IT setup rather than as an experience that reflects who they are.
To shape culture intentionally, onboarding should immerse new hires in your company’s story—its mission, values, and ways of working. Share the “why” behind decisions, introduce the team through personal connections, and model behaviors that align with your culture. The first few weeks should feel like an invitation to join something meaningful, not a checklist to get through.
2. Connect the Individual to the Mission from Day One
In 2023, employees in the U.S. continued to feel more detached from their employers, with less clear expectations, lower levels of satisfaction with their organization, and less connection to its mission or purpose, than they did four years ago. (Gallup). For founders, this means onboarding isn’t just about teaching processes—it’s about helping people see how their role contributes to the broader vision.
Start with storytelling. Share why you founded the company and what impact you hope to make. Then, link their day-to-day responsibilities to real outcomes. When people understand the “why” behind their work, they don’t just execute—they engage with care, curiosity, and ownership.
3. Build Connection and Belonging Through Relationships, Not Roles
One of the most significant predictors of new-hire success is whether they feel a sense of belonging early on. When people feel like they belong at work, they are more productive, motivated, engaged and 3.5 times more likely to contribute to their fullest potential, according to our research at the Center for Talent Innovation. (Harvard Business Review). Startups may overlook this as they scale, focusing on efficiency over connection.
Create space for intentional relationship-building in your onboarding plan. Pair new hires with culture ambassadors or peer mentors, host informal “coffee chats,” and encourage leaders to check in personally during the first 30 days. These small actions build psychological safety and reinforce the message that people matter here.
4. Train Leaders to Be Culture Carriers
In startups, culture lives and breathes through managers. They are the bridge between leadership vision and employee experience. Yet, without guidance, even the most well-intentioned managers can send mixed cultural signals. According to McKinsey & Company, in coming years, effective people management will require an increased focus on employee engagement, development, satisfaction, and productivity; more fluid allocation of skills to the most value-adding tasks; and a greater emphasis on human-centric leadership.
Equip managers with the tools and language to lead onboarding conversations that reflect your values. Offer short training sessions or coaching on feedback, communication, and inclusion. When managers embody the culture intentionally, every onboarding experience becomes a consistent and powerful extension of your leadership philosophy.
5. Reflect, Measure, and Evolve the Experience
Just like your product or customer journey, onboarding should be a living system that grows with your company. Gather feedback after 30, 60, and 90 days to understand how new hires are experiencing culture and where clarity or connection might be missing. These customized strategies and ways to receive feedback ensure that every new hire experiences continues to evolve.
Use that data to iterate—not to create more process, but to deepen alignment between what you say your culture is and how it actually feels to join your team.
Onboarding as a Catalyst for Culture and Leadership
Onboarding isn’t a one-time event; it’s your first opportunity to show new hires what leadership looks like in your company. When done intentionally, it becomes a powerful signal of care, clarity, and commitment to both people and purpose.
As your startup grows, investing time and thought into onboarding isn’t a distraction from scaling—it is scaling. Culture compounds just like capital does, and the return on investing in your people from day one is exponential.
If you’re ready to design an onboarding experience that reflects your mission and strengthens your team’s foundation, we offer complimentary consultations for founders and leaders exploring how to scale with humanity and purpose. Together, we can build the systems, rituals, and leadership practices that make your culture not just something you talk about—but something your people feel every day.
About the Author:
Victoria Boyle is a Principal Consultant & Coach at Transformational Talent Solutions. With 15 years of experience in Human Resources, she has led enterprise programs, strategies, and teams for Fortune 100 & 500 companies as well as start-ups. Victoria holds a BA in Human Development from California State University with additional certifications in health and wellness coaching and human-centered design thinking. She is deeply passionate about supporting individuals and teams in achieving their professional and personal aspirations.