What if onboarding wasn’t about information, but about human connection?
“Belonging is not a feeling to be discovered; it’s an experience to be designed.”
Imagine being a new graduate stepping into your first professional role. You’ve got the job, the laptop, the logins, and the schedule of induction sessions. But somewhere between the welcome presentation and the e-learning modules, you still feel like an outsider. You know what to do — but not who you are here with.
This feeling is more common than organisations realise. Research shows that the first few weeks in a new role shape long-term engagement, confidence, and performance. According to a 2023 report by Gallup, employees who feel a strong sense of belonging early on are over twice as likely to describe themselves as engaged and committed. For graduates entering work for the first time, this foundation is critical (Gallup, 2023).
Onboarding as the foundation of belonging
Traditional onboarding tends to prioritise information: policies, systems, compliance, and task processes. These are necessary, but they do little to build the emotional connection that underpins belonging. When onboarding focuses solely on knowledge transfer, new graduates can leave induction weeks feeling informed yet isolated.
Belonging, however, is the true predictor of early career success. Studies in organisational psychology reveal that a strong sense of connection within the first 90 days increases retention by up to 50% (Allen, 2020). Humans are wired for connection — and when that need is met, motivation, trust, and collaboration naturally follow.
From orientation to integration
Many organisations are now reframing onboarding as integration. Rather than asking, “How quickly can we get new joiners up to speed?” they’re asking, “How quickly can we help them feel part of something?”
The difference lies in the design. Instead of leading with information-heavy inductions, effective onboarding journeys build shared experiences. For example:
- Peer networks and buddy systems that match graduates with near-peers to share informal insights and social support.
- Storytelling sessions where leaders and alumni share personal journeys, mistakes, and lessons learned — humanising the culture.
- Collaborative challenges that place new joiners in cross-functional groups to solve real business problems together.
- Community rituals, such as shared lunches, reflection sessions, or ‘first month wins’ celebrations, that reinforce inclusion.
When these experiences are intentional, information finds its place within the connection, rather than overshadowing it.
The psychology behind connection-led onboarding
Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) highlights three psychological needs at work: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Most onboarding processes cover the first two — teaching graduates what to do and how to do it — but neglect the third. Relatedness, the feeling of belonging and being valued, is the emotional anchor that transforms compliance into commitment.
Graduates who feel connected early display higher adaptability, seek feedback more openly, and recover faster from early setbacks. According to research by Deloitte (2022), belonging not only boosts engagement but also correlates with a 56% increase in job performance and a 50% reduction in turnover risk.
Practical ways to design for belonging
- Start before day one. Create pre-start communities or mentoring introductions that help graduates feel seen before they even arrive.
- Humanise the first week. Replace half the PowerPoint sessions with team interactions, tours, or coffee chats with senior leaders.
- Use stories, not slides. Invite colleagues to share personal experiences of learning, challenge, and growth.
- Embed reflection. Encourage graduates to discuss what belonging means to them and how they can co-create it.
- Measure connection, not completion. Move beyond checklists and track how included people feel through pulse surveys or focus groups.
Building the bridge between culture and performance
Belonging isn’t a soft concept — it’s a strategic driver. When graduates experience genuine connection early on, they’re more likely to collaborate, innovate, and stay. In other words, the real outcome of onboarding is not knowledge retention but human retention.
As organisations continue to compete for talent, creating onboarding experiences centred on connection is one of the most powerful levers for long-term engagement. The question isn’t whether to make onboarding more human — it’s how soon you can start.
How MDA Training is reimagining onboarding through human connection
At MDA Training, we believe onboarding should feel like the start of belonging, not just employment. Our graduate and early careers programmes are built around shared experience, reflection, and connection. Rather than front-loading information, we design immersive learning journeys that help new joiners feel part of the organisation from day one. Through experiential activities, facilitated discussions, and real business challenges, graduates discover how their values align with those of the organisation — creating the emotional engagement that drives performance.
We’ve seen first-hand that when graduates connect meaningfully with colleagues, mentors, and purpose, they stay longer, contribute faster, and grow stronger. If your organisation is looking to rethink onboarding and strengthen its culture of belonging, we’d love to partner with you.
References
- Allen, D. (2020). The new onboarding imperative: Connection before compliance. Journal of Organisational Behaviour.
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist. (Older than 5 years)
- Gallup. (2023). State of the Global Workplace Report.
- Deloitte. (2022). The Value of Belonging at Work.
- Harvard Business Review. (2021). Onboarding Isn’t Enough — Here’s How to Make New Employees Feel Included.
