Why the first day is the most important day in the employment

An effective onboarding event has three core elements, all of which must be present at the same time.

Connection to the story of the organisation. Not the mission and vision as they appear on the website, but the real story: how did the organisation become what it is? Which choices were made? Which moments were defining? That story gives new employees context and pride. And it helps them understand where you now expect them to contribute.

Connection to colleagues. A new colleague who knows three colleagues by name after the first week stands more solidly in the organisation than someone who has not really gotten to know anyone yet. The onboarding event is the moment to speed up those connections. Not via a quiz on company facts, but via formats that prompt real conversations.

Clarity about expectations and growth. What can I expect here? And what is expected of me? That certainty (both direction and perspective) significantly reduces the uncertainty of the first days. Not in the sense of repeating a job description, but by having leaders or colleagues describe what growing in this organisation actually looks like in practice.

Want to understand how onboarding events fit into the broader strategy for employee engagement? Read our article on employer branding events.

There are many formats for onboarding events. The choice depends on the culture, the number of new employees and the frequency with which you onboard. These are the formats we regularly run with success.

The origin-story session. An interactive session in which a founder or leader tells the story of the organisation, not as a presentation but as a conversation. Room for questions, personal stories, vulnerability. This is the format new employees remember most. Allow for 60 to 90 minutes.

Buddy quickfire conversations. New employees are paired with a buddy from a different department. In short conversations of five minutes they get to know each other's background, role and passions. Fast, energetic, revealing. Works especially well with larger groups of new employees joining at the same time.

The culture walk. A tour of the building, but one with stories. Not 'here is the kitchen', but 'this is the place where in 2019 we decided to do everything differently'. Locations and objects as anchors for cultural stories.

A project challenge on day one. Groups of new employees work together on a short challenge relevant to the strategy of the organisation. They present at the end. Double effect: new employees learn to collaborate and management gets fresh input. More on programmes that create engagement.

An onboarding event is also a logistical question. How often do you organise it? For how many people at once? At which moment in the employment?

Frequency. This depends on your intake. Organisations with 50 or more new employees per year can consider running monthly onboarding events. Organisations with a lower intake: per quarter, or at a fixed moment in the year for all starters of that quarter at once. The drawback of waiting too long: the first weeks have already passed and the critical connection period has been partly missed.

Group size. The ideal size for an onboarding event is 8 to 25 people. Large enough for dynamism and diversity. Small enough for real conversations. At larger organisations with high intake you can choose standardised formats that scale, supplemented with small breakout sessions.

Timing. The first day is the most powerful option, but not always realistic if not all starters begin at the same time. An alternative: an onboarding event in the first two weeks, combined with an informal 'look back' after 90 days. That combination (start and anchoring) works well to catch any doubt in the vulnerable first period.

Venue. Your own office works fine if it becomes a special experience. An external venue works better when you want to signal: this is special. A venue away from the office breaks routines and lifts the focus and recall of participants. Tips for finding a fitting venue.

An employer branding event costs around €200 to €500+ per person ex. VAT at 250 to 500 guests. For 500 to 1,000 guests you can count on around €150 to €400+ per person. For 1,000 to 2,000 guests on around €125 to €350+ per person. For more than 2,000 guests on around €100 to €300+ per person. All amounts excluding VAT, including venue, catering, entertainment and production.

An employer branding event focuses on (potential) employees. The price sits between a family day and a product presentation.

Live Impact organises onboarding events for organisations that understand the first impression counts. We do not build standard welcome days. We design a day that proves what your organisation promises as an employer.

We start with the core question: what should new employees believe, know and feel by the end of this day? That answer drives the choice of format, speakers, venue and the details that make the difference.

Our approach to onboarding events combines three disciplines: concept development (the story and the message), programming (formats that prompt real connection) and production (logistics, venue, catering, timing). All of it tailored to your organisational culture and your intake.

Want an onboarding event that lines up with your broader strategy for employee engagement? Read more on employee engagement via events. And on the broader employer branding context: employer branding events.

An onboarding event is the first proof that your organisation does what it promises. It is the day on which new employees discover whether they have made the right choice.

Call 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl. Or send us a message via the brief tool. We are happy to think along about a first day that lands.

Seriously fun.