Research: Linking Onboarding Experience Design to 90-Day Ramp-Up Effectiveness in Knowl...

Research question: How does the design of the onboarding experience influence new employees’ ramp-up effectiveness within the first 90 days in knowledge-intensive organisations?

Background & Motivation: The onboarding phase is critical for new hires’ adaptation, performance, and long-term retention, especially in knowledge-intensive sectors. Effective onboarding can accelerate employees’ integration and productivity, reducing turnover risk and improving organisational outcomes.

Research Gap: While prior studies outline onboarding best practices, there is limited empirical research on how specific onboarding design elements—such as structured socialisation, mentorship, digital training platforms, and early feedback—quantitatively affect employees' ramp-up speed and effectiveness in their initial 90 days.

Approach & Expected Contribution: This study will use a mixed-methods approach, combining a survey of recent hires with HRIS performance data and semi-structured interviews, to examine the relationship between onboarding design features and 90-day performance metrics. Regression analysis and thematic coding will be applied to identify the most impactful onboarding interventions.

Why it Matters: Findings will help HR leaders optimise onboarding programmes for faster employee integration, improved early-stage performance, and reduced early attrition, contributing to both scholarly understanding and practical people-analytics strategies.