First impressions count and when it comes to employees joining a new organization, gaps in the onboarding process are leaving some new hires underwhelmed and disengaged.

That’s according to a new report by TalentLMS and BambooHR, based on a survey of 1,156 U.S. employees hired in the past year.

While 73% of new hires surveyed said they were somewhat satisfied (40%) or very satisfied (33%), the research found that satisfaction levels were unevenly distributed and there were “clear warning signs of where onboarding programs are falling short.”

Among the top challenges cited by respondents during onboarding, adjusting to company culture, values or style of work (28%), feeling overwhelmed with new information (27%), and fitting in and building new connections with coworkers (25%).

Speaking exclusively to UNLEASH, Roza Tapini, VP of People & Culture at Epignosis, parent company of TalentLMS, says that the results show “the message is clear; onboarding has outgrown its checklist era.”

“Today’s onboarding is a mixed bag. Solid at the surface, but shaky underneath. Most new hires report high satisfaction, but cracks show underneath,” she adds.

Tapini highlights the finding that more than one in three (39%) workers had second thoughts during the onboarding process – rising to 49% among Gen Z workers, while almost one quarter of all new hires cry in their first week of onboarding.

This, Tapini says, is most likely due to the challenge of adapting and making meaningful connections during onboarding.

“The findings call for a rethink across the board. New hires need more than logins and checklists,” she explains.

They’re looking for cultural clarity, meaningful connections, and a sense of belonging. And they’re forming judgments fast. Gen Z deserves particular focus. For them, onboarding isn’t just a process, it’s a proof point.”

Gen Z turn to AI instead of people for support

The use of AI is proliferating throughout organizational processes, and onboarding is another area where the impact of the technology is being felt, although it has yet to become a standard practice.

Nearly half (41%) of new hires surveyed said AI was part of their experience – 30% stated it was helpful while 11% said while helpful, it was also “difficult to use or understand.”

The research also found that 60% of new hires did not receive any training on how to use AI during the onboarding period, meaning they may have been handed tools that they do not know how to properly use.

Gen Z and Millennial new hires were most likely to find AI in onboarding helpful, with Gen Z most likely to turn to AI for support instead of humans (44%).

At the same time, they were the most likely to say that the onboarding process lacked human interaction (41%).

Tapini highlights that while Gen Z hires may be turning to AI, that “may not be by choice”, as human support “fell out of reach.”

“Here’s the fix: Pair tech with people. Set up real-time human checkpoints (think “on-call” onboarding buddies or Slack huddles that aren’t just for IT emergencies),” she tells UNLEASH.

“Make it crystal-clear who to ask, when, and how. And train managers to actively show up. If AI is the fallback, human support needs to be the default.”

She adds that assumptions that Gen Z new hires want more technology and tools must be avoided, and that the role of meaningful, human interaction shouldn’t be underestimated.

“Organizations that combine AI’s precision with human warmth will not only win their loyalty but also create onboarding that feels like the beginning of a meaningful journey, and not a transaction,” Tapini states.

Winning hearts and minds from day one

Examining the underlying reasons why onboarding efforts fall flat with new hires, the research found that culture and connections are where problems often arise.

When considering what drivers were behind a sense of belonging during onboarding, respondents highlighted three main themes: feeling welcomed by the team (53%), manager support (48%) and clarity around job roles and expectations (47%).

To facilitate these drivers of belonging, Tapini recommends that organizations should move to weave culture and social bonds into onboarding “from day one”, not just in “lofty mission statements, but in real talk.”

This could take the form of open conversations with experienced colleagues and peer mentors capable of “decoding the unspoken rules”, or creating feedback loops that encourage new hires to speak up – something that Gen Z particularly connect with as it is a “north star for feeling they belong”.

She also highlights the value of having specific onboarding sessions on company culture and values that present and extol behaviors that promote this for new hires.

Ultimately, she says, organizations cannot let “social connections be a happy accident” because “admin tasks don’t win hearts – culture does.”