Exploring the Experience of New Hire Onboarding in Manufacturing: An Action Research Study

Date of Award

5-1-2025

Degree Name

Ed.D. in Leadership for Organizations

Department

School of Education and Health Sciences

Advisor/Chair

Corinne Brion

Abstract

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of new hires during the onboarding process. As organizations seek to improve employee retention, engagement, and performance, the onboarding process must solidify the employee’s relationship with the company starting day one. Despite the critical nature of the onboarding of a new hire, many disconnects remain in understanding and then acting upon the experiences and perceptions of new hires as they navigate this process. The purpose of this action research study was to reveal the essential meanings behind the personal accounts that define the onboarding experience from the perspective of those directly involved—the new employees and their supportive peers and leadership. This action research contributes to the existing body of knowledge for new hire onboarding. This research adds value by providing a different perspective of the onboarding process from a variety of individuals within a manufacturing organization. Manufacturing is not investigated frequently for new hire onboarding practices in research. This research serves to expand what is available in the current literature. Using a phenomenological approach, multi-staged interviews were conducted with 10 new hires who had one year tenure with the organization. Participants were asked to describe their experiences, challenges, and the ways in which they made sense of their organizational integration. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common themes and patterns within the lived experiences of the participants. Findings portrayed the new hire experience as a multifaceted process that significantly influences their sense of belonging, role clarity, and overall job satisfaction. Key themes identified include the importance of interpersonal relationships with colleagues and managers, the role of communication in fostering clarity, and the emotional impact of feeling either supported or isolated during the onboarding phase. The study also highlights the variability in onboarding experiences, and how despite consistent missed steps, new hires felt confident in the organization, their role, and related well to their peers. This suggests a common organizational culture that was instilled and unifies the employees, despite onboarding shortcomings. The perspective of new employees, offering insights into how organizations can enhance the onboarding experience to improve employee engagement, retention, and performance, provide important pieces for steps forward to improve the overall outcome. The study also provides insight for researchers and practitioners in the fields of human resource management, training and facilitation, and organizational development. Insights such as the importance of setting clear job expectations, providing specific goals for training and development during onboarding, establishing the relationship between employee and manager during the onboarding period, and initiating employee engagement are all key elements of the new hire onboarding experience that are addressed in this action research. While this research was particular to the manufacturing industry, the takeaways are relatable to many industries and environments.

Keywords

new hire onboarding training manufacturing

Rights Statement

Copyright 2025, author.

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