On boarding or Onboarding?

By Dan Doherty

Question: Is the process of integrating newly hired employees into your organization “on boarding” or “onboarding”? What about “on-boarding?”

The term "onboarding" was first used by management experts in the 1970s.
The term “onboarding” was first used by management experts in the 1970s.

Answer: The practice of ramping up your new hires should be referred to as onboarding (without a space). 

Onboarding is the process through which a new employee is integrated into an organization and its culture – with the end goal of greater productivity and higher retention. 

According to Wikipedia, this term originated in the 1970’s from management experts.  Today, onboarding is a broadly accepted term, and continues to be a vital area of Human Resources (HR) management across all organizations.

A well-defined onboarding process is increasingly valued as a strategic tool that allows newly hired employees to contribute faster and more effectively. When done well, it enables organizations to be more competitive, grow faster, and realize higher profits. 

 

Want to develop a great onboarding process for new hires?

Clearly defined onboarding process steps can help your business ramp up new hires quickly and make them productive sooner.

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What is On Boarding and How Is It Different From Onboarding?

"Onboarding" is the process of ramping up newly hired employees. "On boarding" refers to getting on a ship, train, or airplane.
“Onboarding” is the process of ramping up newly hired employees. “On boarding” refers to getting on a ship, train, or airplane.

Sometimes the process of employee onboarding is misspelled as “on boarding.”

It’s important to make the differentiation that the term “on board” is an adverb and prepositional phrase that typically refers to boarding any type of transport vessel or agreeing to something

And while employee onboarding is sometimes shortened to the verb onboard (example: “we will formally start to onboard our new accounting hire on Monday.”) just be sure to keep the “on” and the “board” together to use it in reference to the actual onboarding process. 

Lastly, don’t hyphenate on-boarding – the hyphen is not necessary.

 

Want a free onboarding process checklist?

Our free employee onboarding checklist will ensure you are following best practices for all essential planning, tasks, and onboarding documents.

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More Onboarding Resources 

Now that you understand in the semantics of onboarding, you’re ready learn more about how to a successful onboarding process at your company.