While many agencies understand that making a favorable first impression through the recruitment process is immensely important, it is often not reinforced during a new hire’s first year on the job. In contrast, the private sector increasingly leverages onboarding as a way not only to engage new employees, but also to retain them and accelerate their path to productivity. Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into an organization and equipping them to become successful and productive.

The federal government needs to share this focus and invest in effectively integrating its most valuable resource—its people.

While many agencies employ innovative tactics, almost all agencies interviewed have room to improve the way they integrate and acculturate new employees, most notably in using the onboarding process strategically. This report presents leading practices from federal agencies, key findings in current practices, recommendations for improvement, and tools agencies can use to improve their onboarding, including a strategic onboarding model.