6 Onboarding Practices to Embed Company Culture Early
Effective onboarding practices are crucial for embedding company culture from day one. This article explores innovative strategies that leading organizations use to immerse new hires in their unique work environments. Drawing on insights from industry experts, we'll examine six cutting-edge approaches that promise to transform the onboarding experience and strengthen company culture.
- Immersive Role-Play Fosters Startup Mindset
- Hands-On Training Cultivates Gardening Craftsmanship
- Gamification Boosts Employee Advocacy Participation
- Culture Shadowing Week Demonstrates Values
- Mentorship Approach Instills Community-Focused Service
- Remote Work Culture Emphasizes Self-Management
Immersive Role-Play Fosters Startup Mindset
At Spectup, onboarding new employees isn't just about getting them up to speed--it's about bringing them into a shared vision for what we're building together. I remember when we hired someone from Singapore who wasn't just new to the company, but new to startup consultancy altogether. During their first week, we had a cultural immersion session where they could meet the entire team to discuss Spectup's mission and our approach to bridging the gap between startups and investors. What stood out was how much they appreciated our "Startup Scenario" role-play exercise. In this, everyone on the team takes turns acting as founders facing challenges like failed product-market fit or running out of cash, while the new hire offers solutions. It's not just fun (and occasionally hilarious)--it immediately gets them thinking the way we do, balancing enthusiasm for ideas with the pragmatism necessary to solve startup-specific problems. We also pair each new hire with an experienced team member for their first month to act as a mentor, ensuring they feel supported while adapting to the fast-paced, solution-driven atmosphere of the company. This focus on integration through collaboration makes onboarding not just informative, but genuinely exciting.
Hands-On Training Cultivates Gardening Craftsmanship
At Ozzie Mowing & Gardening, onboarding is about more than just ticking boxes. It's about immersing new team members in the values that have made the business what it is today: respect for nature, pride in our work, and genuine care for our clients. When someone joins the team, I personally take them out on-site for the first week. We work side by side, and I walk them through not only how we approach each task technically, but also why we do it that way. They learn about soil health, proper pruning techniques, and plant care based on what's growing in each season. But more importantly, they see the way we speak with clients, how we listen, and how we take responsibility for each space we maintain. This hands-on approach builds a real sense of pride and accountability from day one.
One thing that really stands out in our onboarding is what I call the "Garden Walkthrough" exercise. It's something I developed after years of being trained by seasoned horticulturists and refining my own understanding through study and practice. I'll take the new hire through a completed project and have them tell me what they notice. They're encouraged to use all their senses. I'll ask them to explain what they see in the soil structure, how the plants are spaced, how the edging ties the design together. It turns into a great teaching moment and helps them understand that what we do isn't just maintenance, it's craftsmanship. That exercise has led to a much stronger team culture and consistently high standards across the board.
Gamification Boosts Employee Advocacy Participation
With our employee advocacy program, one of the hurdles we faced was getting employees to share work-related content frequently on their social media. Employees were leery because they feared their personal networks would become clogged or that they would appear to be making personal/company robot responses. So we really honed in on creating the right kind of content that they were willing to share. We also allowed employees to take ownership of their posts by giving them a green light to make tweaks before going public so their voice was heard. Eventually, we also included third-party industry content our employees could promote as interesting and worthwhile tidbits -- but not always about us.
We also made exceptions to how frequently and when employees could share content so that they had some control in their participation. The first step in encouraging participation was gamification, applying small rewards to the employees who were regularly engaging. It eventually accelerated the momentum, and employees were more open to participating over time. It made the program feel like an option versus something the employees just had to do in order to give their networks helpful information. In the end, we set up a more scalable and engaged employee advocacy program.
Culture Shadowing Week Demonstrates Values
We onboard new employees by making culture an integral part of the experience from day one, not just a slide in a presentation. Every new hire receives a personal walkthrough with a team lead who shares not only what we do but also *why* we do it the way we do. We tie real stories to our values—wins, mistakes, and lessons—and demonstrate how those values manifest in actual decisions.
One standout element is our "culture in action" shadowing week. New hires observe team huddles, creative reviews, and even client calls, not to study strategy but to witness how we communicate, give feedback, and celebrate wins. It's not about memorizing core values; it's about seeing them in motion.
That level of exposure helps people feel connected, not just informed. Culture isn't taught; it's absorbed, and the faster you immerse new hires in it, the more naturally they'll adopt and carry it forward.
Mentorship Approach Instills Community-Focused Service
At our self-storage facility, onboarding new employees is about more than just learning the systems—it's about helping them understand our role in the community and the standard of service we aim to provide. From day one, we focus on making sure new team members feel welcomed, supported, and connected to our values, which center around reliability, respect, and responsiveness.
One element that stands out in our onboarding process is the hands-on, mentorship-style approach. Instead of just handing off a manual or checklist, we pair new employees with an experienced team member who walks them through daily operations, customer service scenarios, and even small maintenance routines. This helps new hires learn the "why" behind what we do—not just how to do the job, but how to do it in a way that reflects our commitment to customers and our local community.
We also take time to explain how their role fits into the bigger picture. Whether it's making sure a customer has a clean, ready-to-use unit or responding quickly to a question, every task connects to someone's peace of mind. That mindset helps new employees feel a sense of ownership from the start, and it creates a culture where people are invested in doing good work, not just clocking in.
Remote Work Culture Emphasizes Self-Management
At BeastBI GmbH, we don't rely on long culture decks or formal onboarding sessions to explain our values—we lead by example. As a fully remote company, we treat freelancers and employees alike, and we operate in a fast, solution-oriented, and highly self-managed environment.
Our culture isn't something we talk about much—it's something we live daily. If someone joins the team and doesn't naturally align with this mindset—especially in terms of being self-driven and organized—it becomes clear very quickly, often within the first project or month. And if it's not a good fit, we part ways respectfully and directly.
One element that stands out in our onboarding is that expectations are clear through action, not explanation. Everyone around you is living the culture, so it's easy to understand what's expected. We've also learned that fit can change over time, and when it does, we're not afraid to say goodbye on good terms.
