TL;DR
Many organizations still treat onboarding as something that begins on an employee’s first day. But in reality, the employee experience starts much earlier.
Preboarding, meaning the period between a signed contract and day one on the job, plays a major role in shaping confidence, engagement, and long-term retention. Without structured communication during this phase, uncertainty grows, excitement fades, and new hires are left feeling disconnected before they even begin.
There is no doubt that strong onboarding matters and can potentially even fix these negative feelings. But why risk new hires getting them in the first place?
Overview
- What the difference is between preboarding and onboarding
- Why the period before day one matters more than many companies think
- What employees expect during preboarding
- Why onboarding alone cannot fix a weak start
- How structured preboarding creates a smoother employee journey
- What you can do to improve both preboarding and onboarding
What is the difference between preboarding and onboarding?
Preboarding and onboarding are often grouped together, but they refer to two different stages of the employee journey.
Preboarding covers the period between a candidate signing their contract and their first day at work. It is the phase where companies prepare new hires before they officially begin.
Onboarding, on the other hand, starts once the employee joins the organization. It focuses on helping them settle into their role, understand processes, meet colleagues, and become productive over time.
The problem is that many organizations place almost all their focus on onboarding while overlooking the experience leading up to it. Yet for employees, the journey very clearly does not begin on day one. Their perception of the company starts forming long before they walk through the door.
Why the period before day one matters more than many companies think
The time between signing and starting a new role is often filled with excitement, but also uncertainty.
For many employees, communication becomes limited during this phase. And when updates, guidance, or contact disappear, enthusiasm can quickly turn into doubt.
According to our Nordic HR Report 2026,
- 61% of new hires hear little or nothing from their future employer between signing the contract and their first day
- while 98% say receiving information beforehand helps them feel more prepared,
- and 75% want to learn more about the company and team before they start.
These numbers highlight an important reality: employees do not simply wait passively for day one to arrive. They actively form impressions during this period.
Without structured preboarding, organizations risk creating unnecessary uncertainty before the employment relationship has properly begun. New hires may feel disconnected, question their decision, or arrive less confident and engaged than they otherwise would have.
What employees actually expect during preboarding
Employees rarely expect perfection before their first day. But they do expect communication, clarity, and reassurance.
In many cases, small touchpoints make the biggest difference. Receiving practical information, understanding what the first week will look like, meeting future colleagues, or simply feeling acknowledged can significantly reduce uncertainty.
Employees often want answers to questions such as:
- What should I expect on my first day?
- Who will I work with?
- How does the company communicate and collaborate?
- What do I need to prepare beforehand?
- Where can I find practical information?
Preboarding is not about overwhelming new hires with administrative tasks. It is about helping people feel informed, welcomed, and connected before they arrive.
When organizations fail to provide this clarity, employees are often left to fill the gaps themselves. And uncertainty tends to grow in silence.
Why onboarding alone cannot fix a weak start
Many organizations invest heavily in onboarding programs, workshops, introductions, and training sessions. These initiatives are valuable, but they cannot always undo the effects of a poor preboarding experience.
If employees spend weeks feeling forgotten or disconnected before joining, their first impression has already started forming long before onboarding even begins.
Engagement is built gradually and so is trust.
A smooth onboarding process becomes significantly more effective when employees arrive already feeling prepared, informed, and emotionally connected to the organization. Without that foundation, onboarding can feel reactive rather than supportive.
This is why preboarding and onboarding should not be treated as separate experiences. In reality, they are two closely related and connected experiences that naturally move from one to the other with time.
How structured preboarding creates a smoother employee journey
Structured preboarding helps organizations stay present and consistent throughout a phase where engagement is often at its most fragile.
Rather than relying on scattered emails, manual follow-ups, or inconsistent communication, organizations can create a more connected and predictable experience for every new hire.
This can include:
- automated communication flows
- practical checklists and task management
- introductions to teams and company culture
- access to learning materials and resources
- clear timelines and expectations before day one
For HR teams and managers, this also reduces administrative pressure and helps ensure that important steps are not missed during busy hiring periods.
At the same time, employees gain something equally important: confidence. And when people feel confident and supported before they start, they are more likely to arrive engaged, motivated, and ready to contribute from day one onward.
What’s next?
Preboarding and onboarding are not separate experiences. They are part of the same employee journey, and more organizations are starting to treat them that way.
At Talentech, we help organizations:
- create structured journeys from preboarding through onboarding
- maintain engagement between offer acceptance and day one
- deliver more consistent experiences across teams and locations
- reduce manual administration for HR and managers
- help new hires feel prepared, connected, and confident before they even begin
Want to see how a more connected onboarding journey could work in your organization? Explore how our onboarding solution can help you here.
Or, if you prefer, talk to us and see how it could work in your organization.
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