Treating New Hires as Customers: The Paradigm Shift in Onboarding

Imagine a world where new hires are treated like customers, with the same level of attention and personalized care. This is the paradigm shift happening right now in the world of onboarding, and it’s changing the landscape of employee engagement and learning and development forever.

The Importance of Onboarding

Careful onboarding can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful hire. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least 3 years if they experience great onboarding. It’s essential to invest time, effort, and resources in making sure that new hires feel welcomed, valued, and prepared to contribute from day one.

The #1 place for Learning Leaders to learn from each other.

Get the data & knowledge you need to succeed in the era of AI.


We're an invite-only community for L&D leaders to learn from each other through expert-led roundtables, our active forum, and data-driven resources.

Apply to join LHQ

Treating New Hires as Customers

One innovative approach to onboarding is to treat new hires as customers. This means providing personalized and engaging experiences, anticipating their needs, and being responsive to their feedback. By treating new employees like customers, companies can foster greater engagement, loyalty, and overall satisfaction.

“When we think of our new hires as customers, we make it our mission to provide exceptional service at every touchpoint,” says a seasoned L&D professional. “This means creating a tailored onboarding program that addresses their unique learning needs and encourages them to take an active role in their development.”

Benefits of the New-Hire-as-Customer Approach

1. Personalized Learning: By tailoring the onboarding program to each individual’s needs, companies can help new hires develop the skills and knowledge they need faster and more effectively. This leads to increased productivity and employee retention.
2. Increased Engagement: Providing new hires with engaging and relevant content can help foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and commitment. This can lead to higher levels of engagement and motivation throughout their tenure at the company.
3. Better Feedback Loop: By encouraging open communication and feedback with new hires, companies can continuously improve their onboarding process and make sure it remains relevant and effective in meeting the needs of new employees.

Real-World Example: A Leading Technology Company

One leading technology company adopted the new- hire-as-customer approach and saw impressive results. They designed a comprehensive onboarding program that included personalized learning paths, interactive content, and regular check-ins to ensure new hires felt supported and heard. As a result, the company saw a significant improvement in its employee engagement and retention rates.

“We’ve seen a dramatic shift in our new hires’ attitudes and enthusiasm since implementing our customer-centric onboarding program,” shares another L&D professional. “The level of engagement and commitment we’re seeing from our new employees is a testament to the power of treating them as customers.”

Revolutionize Your Onboarding with Learnexus

Ready to make a paradigm shift in your onboarding process? Learnexus is here to help. Our freelancer marketplace for Learning and Development provides access to a pool of highly skilled professionals who can help you design and implement a world-class onboarding program that treats new hires as customers. With Learnexus, you can save up to 47% in costs and eliminate procurement issues with a single master services agreement.

Discover the power of treating new hires as customers and revolutionize your onboarding experience with Learnexus. Connect with our expert L&D freelancers and start creating a personalized, engaging, and effective onboarding program today.