The urgency to fill open roles is matched only by the complexity of getting new hires up and running. But for many organizations, the onboarding process remains stuck in the past – slow, manual, and riddled with opportunities for error.
Instead of welcoming new employees to a quick start, HR teams and new hires alike are stuck in piles of emails, PDFs, and paperwork. Documents are sent as attachments, downloaded, printed, signed, scanned, and sent back. It isn’t exactly uncommon that they’re often returned with missing signatures or a portion not returned, at all.
The result?
Delays in start dates, frustrated new hires, and HR teams scrambling to track what’s done and what’s still outstanding.
This isn’t just a minor inconvenience. Inefficient onboarding means lost productivity, compliance risks, and a poor first impression that lingers long after day one.
The Traditional Onboarding Headache
A lot of organizations find the onboarding process to be anything but seamless. HR teams typically email a stack of PDF forms to the new hire, who must then download, print, sign, scan, and send each document back. Every step introduces an opportunity for confusion or error, since forms may be missed, signatures could be forgotten, or attachments are lost in overflowing inboxes.
This paper-driven approach isn’t just inefficient. It’s stressful for everyone involved.
New hires that are excited to get started end up getting dragged down in massive amounts of paperwork and unclear instructions. And hiring managers end up with critical roles remaining unfilled.
Meanwhile, HR staff are left chasing down missing documents, sending reminders, and manually tracking completion status across spreadsheets or email threads. The result is a frustrating cycle of delays and miscommunication, which can push back start dates and undermine the excitement of joining a new team.
Why Manual and Email-Based Processes Fall Short
Manual and email-based onboarding processes might seem straightforward, but the reality is that they’re riddled with inefficiencies that quickly add up.
Issues like lack of clear communication, information overload, and fragmented systems all end up leaving HR and new employees frustrated. It’s all too easy for forms to go missing, for signatures to be skipped, or for emails to get buried in crowded inboxes. Just 12% of employees reported that their organization did a good job with the onboarding process.
The lack of a centralized, automated system means there’s no easy way to track progress or ensure every requirement is met before a new hire starts.
Lack of Clear Communication and Support
When onboarding relies on scattered emails and disjointed instructions, clear communication is often the first culprit of a disastrous onboarding process.
New hires may be unsure which forms are required, where to find them, or how to complete each step. Without a single, organized platform, questions go unanswered and confusion grows. This is especially true for new hires that are remote or unfamiliar with the organization’s processes.
On the other hand, HR teams find it tough to provide timely support while they juggle multiple threads and try to track down missing information. This doesn’t just delay start dates for new employees, it sets them up for a bad start from day one.
Technology Integration and Fragmented Systems
Onboarding doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
It requires coordination between HR, IT, payroll, and other departments. When each group uses its own tools and platforms, the process quickly becomes fragmented.
New hires end up dealing with delays getting access to necessary systems, equipment, or credentials. This takes place while requests fall through the cracks because of disconnected workflows.
As a result, HR teams spend valuable time manually updating spreadsheets or transferring information between systems. This means the chance of errors and omissions is a lot higher. Without seamless integration, onboarding remains a frustrating process that hinders efficiency and leaves both staff and new employees frustrated.
How You Can Move to a Digital Onboarding Process
The challenges of HR onboarding are clear: manual, email-based processes create confusion, slow down hiring, and introduce unnecessary risk for both HR teams and new employees.
Lost documents, missed signatures, and endless follow-ups are just some of the symptoms of an outdated approach that simply can’t keep pace with today’s demands for speed and a positive new hire experience.
VisualVault’s QuickPack HR Packet solution consolidates all your onboarding documents into a single, secure digital packet. This lets new hires review, eSign and return everything online – no printing, scanning, or emailing needed.
HR gains real-time visibility into every step of the process through an intuitive dashboard, while automated reminders keep candidates on track and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Completed documents are securely archived and easily accessible for compliance and audits, giving HR peace of mind and freeing up valuable time for more strategic work.
Book a demo today to see how VisualVault can help set up QuickPack for your organization.