Onboarding vs. Training vs. Orientation - What are the Main Differences?

These three words come from HR, so this post compares them for new hires first. Most explanations compare two of them at a time; here all three sit in one table, with an answer to which comes first. Then comes the part they skip: the same three-way split applies when customers learn a software product, which is what the rest of this site covers.

What is the difference between onboarding, training and orientation?

Orientation is a one-time welcome, onboarding is the longer process of integrating a new hire, and training teaches the skills a job needs. They overlap and can run at the same time, but each has its own goal and its own finish line:

Which comes first? Orientation, as the first step of onboarding. Training starts during onboarding and never fully stops.

What is onboarding?

Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into an organisation. It helps new hires get familiar with the company's culture, values and policies, feel welcome, and get the tools and resources they need to succeed in their roles.

Onboarding usually begins before an employee's first day and can continue for several weeks or even months. During that time, new hires typically receive training on company policies and procedures, meet key stakeholders and learn how the company works.

What does onboarding include?

1. Information on conduct and policies: the code of conduct, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, and health and safety guidelines, so new hires understand what's expected of their behaviour and conduct.
2. Training on the company's systems and tools: learning the company's software, email and other technology is one of the quickest ways to make a new hire productive and part of the team.
3. Mentorship and coaching: pairing new hires with experienced employees who can guide and support them as they settle in. This helps most for people starting their first job.

What does onboarding look like in practice?

A new employee at a retail company might go through onboarding that includes a store tour, meetings with key stakeholders and training on company policies and procedures. They might be paired with a mentor or "buddy" who answers questions as they find their feet. Onboarding can also cover paperwork, background checks and security clearance.

What is orientation?

Orientation is a one-time event, usually on an employee's first day, that gives new employees the basic information about the company and their place in it. It covers company policies and procedures, benefits and what's expected in the job, so the new hire has what they need to start.

What does orientation cover?

1. Benefits and perks: pension plans, health insurance, holiday and other reimbursements, so employees know their options and the resources available. Clear policies on attendance, overtime and similar matters prevent misunderstandings later.
2. Policies and procedures: these give a framework for decision-making and keep tasks consistent. They also protect the company from legal risk and guide employees on appropriate conduct.
3. Values and culture: orientation shows new hires the company's values and culture and how they fit in, and invites them to adopt those values.

What does orientation look like in practice?

A new software developer at a technology company might attend orientation on their first day. They'd learn about the company's policies and procedures, benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off, and what's expected of them in the role, then meet their manager and other key colleagues.

What is training?

Training is the process of teaching employees the skills they need to do their job. It can be classroom instruction, online courses or on-the-job practice, and it goes beyond the first role: training also supports professional development and career progression.

Training also keeps a company within the law. Employees in regulated industries such as healthcare, finance and transportation need training on the relevant laws and regulations to keep the company compliant and its risks down.

When is training used?

Training starts once an employee is hired, usually alongside onboarding and orientation, and continues at any point in their time with the company, whether to learn new skills or keep current ones up to date.

What does training look like in practice?

A new customer service representative at a call centre might be trained on the company's products and services and on how to handle complaints and enquiries. The training might combine classroom instruction, online courses and on-the-job practice, such as handling mock customer calls under a trainer's supervision.

How do orientation, onboarding and training map to software products?

The same three stages exist when a customer adopts a software product, and keeping them apart helps for the same reason: each has a different job and a different finish line.

Two mistakes follow from mixing them up. One is treating a product tour, which is orientation, as the whole of onboarding. The other is sending new users to a training course before they've reached first value. For what good first-run onboarding looks like, see five great and awful user onboarding experiences.

Employees learning internal software sit in both worlds. Their onboarding belongs to HR, but their software training can happen inside the application itself, through digital adoption platforms. User onboarding vs employee onboarding covers that overlap.

Do you need all three?

Yes, for new hires. Onboarding, training and orientation are three distinct processes that often run together: orientation gives basic information about the company and the role, onboarding integrates new hires into the culture and values, and training gives them the knowledge and skills to do the job well. Knowing which is which lets you give each one an owner and a finish line.

If you're applying the same ideas to your product's users, start with 14 ways to improve user onboarding.