Onboarding video

1. 'Hi [name]! Welcome to [company]. I'm [name] from [department].'
2. 'Something I wish I knew when I started is [tip].'
3. 'The best thing about working here is [specific example].'
4. 'Looking forward to working with you!'

Onboarding starts before the first day of work

The period between the signed contract and the first day of work is the most underrated part of onboarding. The new hire has said yes, but knows no one, doesn't know what to expect and is still open to other offers. A couple of short video greetings in this period — from the manager and from the team — change the whole start.

A preboarding video doesn't need to be more than 30–60 seconds: "Hi, we're looking forward to having you. On your first day you'll meet me at reception, and then we'll grab a coffee with the team." Sent in a welcome email, it gives the new hire faces to look for and lowers their shoulders before day one.

For hiring managers this is also insurance: candidates who feel expected actually show up. 20% of new hires quit within the first 45 days — whether someone stays is decided before and during the very first weeks.

What new hires actually wonder about

Most onboarding programs answer the formal side thoroughly — system access, safety, the employee handbook — and skip the things new hires dread asking about. This is where short videos from colleagues complement the documents:

"Who will I be working with?" — short greetings from the closest colleagues. "What happens the first week?" — the buddy explains what the first days look like. "What are the unwritten rules?" — lunch culture, dress code, when people actually go home. "How do I get help?" — who to ask about what, and that asking is welcome.

The rule is one video per question, 30–90 seconds per video, all in vertical 9:16 format that can be watched on a phone. A series of short videos gets watched to the end — one long video does not.

Example: an onboarding series of five videos

A complete onboarding series can be collected in a week with Gobi Autopilot — one email invitation per contributor, and each video is filmed in the browser in a few minutes:

1. The manager's welcome (30 sec) — "we're excited, here's the plan for your first day". 2. The buddy on the first week (60 sec) — what happens, and what nobody expects you to know. 3. A colleague on the culture (60 sec) — what it is actually like to work here. 4. Practical info from HR (90 sec) — access, payroll, insurance; the formal side, but with a face. 5. "What I wish someone had told me" (60 sec) — from someone who was new a year ago.

The series is reused for every new colleague and updated video by video when something changes — you never have to re-produce everything because one name changed.

The effect: confidence sooner, less early attrition

New hires who have "met" the team on video before starting spend their first weeks contributing instead of decoding. They know who to ask, what is normal and how the culture works — information that otherwise sits in the walls and takes months to pick up.

For the organization the gain shows up at both ends: faster time to productivity at the start, and lower attrition in the critical first period. With Gobi Analytics you see which videos get watched and for how long — so you know what lands and what needs improving.

Onboarding video is closely related to internal communication with video: the same low threshold for filming short, vertical videos is what makes both work in practice.

What is an onboarding video?

A short video from colleagues welcoming the new hire, explaining the culture, routines, or sharing practical tips.

When should new hires watch onboarding videos?

Ideally before their first day, as part of preboarding. Send the link in the welcome email.

Can onboarding videos be reused?

Yes. General culture and routine videos can be used for all new hires. Team-specific videos are updated as needed.

Does video replace traditional onboarding?

No, it supplements it. Video provides a personal first impression that documents and emails cannot match.