5 steps to make your onboarding experience perfect for Instagram

We bet your company’s onboarding experience is one of a kind. In fact, it’s most likely jam-packed with unique aspects that make it perfect for public display on Instagram. There’s always room for more festivities and other “getting to know you” elements, though, and that’s what we’re here to help with! 

Your new hires should have an onboarding experience to remember. Plus, the experience itself when posted online should contribute to your employer branding strategy; this means enhancing hiring efforts, drawing new recruits, and strengthening retention at a record rate. After all, our research does show that 19% of potential hires scroll through social media to understand a company’s culture before signing a contract or applying to a company. It’s best to make a great online impression. 

Luckily, HR leaders know how to perfectly pair Bob with swag and first-day activities to create the type of experience your people want to Instagram and show off to their friends. Since Instagram outreach is crucial, with stories attracting followers like no other, we think it’s great (not just best!) practice to combine Bob and personalized onboarding feature with external extras, resourced and implemented by HR. Here are 5 steps to making an onboarding experience that is sure to take over Instagram: 

#1: Give ‘em great SWAG

Start your new hire’s first day with everyone’s favorite way to be welcomed – SWAG! Whether it’s socks, hoodies, a water bottle, or a daily planner, swag always makes its way onto Instagram in both posts and stories. Solid company swag also boosts morale, motivating people to represent the company they now work for. 

Sharing swag with your people is a surefire way to increase brand recognition on Instagram, where you can attain extensive audience reach through advocacy, and it’s a low-cost budgeting tactic for creative marketing efforts. Audiences who see that you prep your people with special gifts and gadgets will feel pumped up and want to work for you. Who doesn’t love yo see that your new hires now love where they work and are proud to showcase it? 

#2: Shout ‘em out!

You need to introduce your people to the rest of the company. Networking and getting connected ignites a sense of belonging and inclusivity, so why not turn it into an Instagrammable experience? Start off by sharing posts and stories that highlight team icebreakers, first-day coffee breaks, first-time meetings, and the initial welcome your new hire receives as they walk into the office doors. 

Go the extra mile with Bob. Use Shoutouts to introduce your new hire company-wide, and create a poll to play a game that includes everyone from every site. Don’t forget to take advantage of personalized onboarding flows to introduce your new hire to teammates and key people digitally, even before they have a chance to see them in person. It’s always important to put a face to name ahead of time. 

#3: Get ‘em up and on tour

First, get your people on Bob! That means setting up their personalized profiles, highlighting their superpowers and hobbies, and helping them view the Org Chart. After you’ve got them acquainted with the company and its people using these features, give them uncensored access to your company’s Instagram account… 

Let the new hire do a story takeover, and go on a tour across the company offices. Play a game where the new hire has to talk to three different people and ask a “question of the day” or get fun facts to share live on Instagram Stories. During the takeover, also have the new hire point out their favorite part of their new workplace and show off where their team is sitting. There’s no better way to get personal (and relatable!) online. 

#4: Take ‘em out on the town

Find out what your new hire likes to eat and take them out for a team lunch during their first week. Not only is it the perfect opportunity for an Insta post, but it’s a great way for people to bond and get to know each other better. It’s no secret that team-building takes time, but you need to be proactive about it. Maybe you’ll even be wearing some of that new hire swag in the photo opps. Or, you can stay inside and get creative with a build-your-own pancake breakfast to new hire’s first day off on the right foot. We don’t know whats more Instagrammable than that. 

#5: Bring ‘em to a club

As you know, your new hire can log into Bob and see all of their coworkers’ superpowers and hobbies. We know you’ve already put together a club or offsite where people sharing the same hobby can come together and enjoy the activity as a unit! Have your new hire assimilate further by joining in on one of those clubs or a relevant offsite, Instagramming the experience the whole way through. Who doesn’t love to see what a company yoga class looks like or what the piece of work the book club is discussing now?

In case you haven’t noticed, Instagram is fun! It’s a shareable experience that only optimizes your onboarding process by creating lasting memories and improving your branding strategy. Help new hires feel right at home from their first day on the job by making them feel special online. Show off their swag, make them a lunchtime priority, and tour the office as many times as it takes while depending on Bob for all the details that make them unique.