For users, employees or anyone using a tool, digital product, or entering a company for the first time, a speedy and seamless onboarding process is crucial. First impressions count. As former freelancers who would often take up lengthy contracts with large multinational companies, we've seen some pretty shocking onboarding systems in the past (or should we say a complete lack of them entirely!).
Whether someone is opening a banking app for the first time or stepping into a new company as a hire, their first experience is a defining one. Great user experience (UX) design helps guide them through a product or service they're unfamiliar with. It should make complex systems feel intuitive and welcoming. UX in onboarding isn't just about fancy interfaces – it’s about understanding how people may feel or react, removing friction, and building trust early.
The principles of good UX, which are clarity, empathy, consistency and feedback – translate effortlessly into both product and employee onboarding. Companies that use UX to design intuitive and engaging first steps are able to reduce churn and create lasting connections.
Digital product onboarding: when UX is the difference between confusion and conversion
Imagine you’ve just downloaded a banking app. You’re anxious about logging in, unsure about security, and still wonder whether or not you've even chosen the right bank for your needs. A well-designed onboarding flow eases this worry with short steps, encouraging microcopy and friendly visuals.
Take Monzo, a UK-based digital bank. The app greets users with a fast and friendly sign-up process that feels more like a conversation than a chore. You can clearly see indicators that show where you are in the onboarding journey, along with helpful prompts and friendly human language. In less than five minutes, users understand what they’re signing up for and how to use the product. That’s UX design removing obstacles and building confidence.
Or consider Duolingo, the language learning app. From the moment users launch it, they’re nudged through a gamified journey, with small goals, rewards and simple choices.
Great UX lets digital products tell users that they are seen and understood at every stage of their interaction.
Employee onboarding: good UX creates a less-stressful first day
The same UX principles apply when onboarding people into a company. Too often, new employees are met with lots of paperwork and forms to fill out, vague instructions and siloed support. But what if onboarding was treated more like a product launch?
Forward-thinking HR teams now use journey mapping straight out of UX playbooks to chart a new employee’s first weeks. This includes everything from signing an offer letter to understanding team dynamics and business goals.
An onboarding experience for employees should be created based on common human emotional states. Having a new job can be a lot to get your head around, so creating a connection with a new hire is the best way forward. Instead of being bogged down in paperwork, new workers are immersed in a company’s culture through peer-led tours, welcome lunches and storytelling sessions that are all undertaken step by step.
Designing with empathy: the core of UX-led onboarding
Both user and employee onboarding share one need: emotional reassurance. People are stepping into something unknown. UX design calls for us to meet them there with empathy.
A user landing on a financial dashboard for the first time should be greeted with explanations, not jargon. A new hire opening their digital welcome pack should feel guided, not overwhelmed. Even small touches like tone of voice, illustrations or diagrams and sequencing of information can dramatically affect confidence.
Less is more
Clutter is a killer – whether in an app or an employee intranet. One of UX design’s superpowers is simplifying information without stripping meaning.
For instance, in a banking app, it's good practice to refrain from giving the user all of the features upfront. Instead, reveal functionality as the user explores it. This progressive disclosure reduces cognitive overload and keeps users engaged.
Employee onboarding can do the same. Rather than dropping a week’s worth of tasks on a new hire’s plate, consider a time-released onboarding system. Content that unfolds over the first 30 days with check-ins and clear pathways ensures that they feel comfortable, and will also make them feel more inclined to stick around in their new role.
Continuous improvement: iteration as a UX principle
The best onboarding isn’t static. It adapts based on real feedback.
Just as product teams use analytics to refine onboarding flows, HR teams can collect insights from new employees and evolve their approach. UX encourages iteration through listening, adjusting and refining. When onboarding is treated as an ongoing system rather than a one-off checklist, it improves continuously.
Companies like Shopify take this seriously. They A/B test internal onboarding materials just as they do product features – because employee experience is still a user experience. New hire feedback is the only way to optimise and improve the process.
Experience and expectation
Ultimately, whether it’s a user or a new team member, people come in with expectations. They’ve seen your marketing, read your reviews, or have spoken to a recruiter or company representative. Your onboarding must live up to the promise. That’s where UX shines. It helps create harmony between what was promised and what’s delivered.
For digital products, that might mean a slick, minimal UI that reflects your brand’s tone. For new employees, it means reinforcing company values at every step – from the offer letter to the first meeting.
A seamless onboarding experience says that thought has gone into it, and that you care.
The takeaway
UX design isn’t just a tool for product teams. It’s a mindset that organisations can adopt across the board. By applying UX principles to onboarding, companies show they’re serious about experience – not just efficiency.
When users feel empowered, they stick around. When employees feel supported, they stay longer and contribute more.
So whether you're designing a mobile app or welcoming your next new hire, remember: onboarding is a beginning. Make it count—with UX at the core.
