The moment a candidate accepts your offer, the clock starts ticking. Pre-boarding—the period between offer acceptance and the first day—is your opportunity to build excitement, reduce anxiety, and set new hires up for success before they even walk through the door.
What is pre-boarding, and why does it matter?
Pre-boarding is the process of engaging and preparing new employees between offer acceptance and their first day of work. It's the bridge between recruitment and onboarding—a period that can make or break a new hire's initial experience.
Why it matters:
- Reduces first-day anxiety by setting clear expectations
- Builds excitement and makes new hires feel valued
- Saves time on day one by handling logistics in advance
- Reduces early turnover (poor pre-boarding contributes to 90-day exits)
- Demonstrates professionalism and organization
The pre-boarding timeline
Effective pre-boarding happens in stages:
Immediately after offer acceptance (Day 0):
- Send offer acceptance confirmation and welcome message
- Provide start date and first-day details
- Share company handbook or culture guide
1-2 weeks before start date:
- Send pre-boarding survey (dietary restrictions, workspace preferences)
- Request information for account setup
- Order equipment and create accounts (email, tools, systems)
- Schedule first-week meetings and assign onboarding buddy
- Share first-week schedule
3-5 days before start date:
- Confirm all accounts are active and tested
- Verify equipment delivery
- Send detailed first-day schedule with parking/transit info
- Remind them what to bring (ID, forms, etc.)
Day before start date:
- Send friendly reminder with start time and location
- Express excitement about their arrival
Essential pre-boarding activities
1. Welcome communication
Send a personalized welcome email from their manager within 24 hours of offer acceptance. Include:
- Personal introduction and excitement about them joining
- Start date, time, and location details
- What to expect in the first week
- Contact information for questions
2. Information gathering
Send a pre-boarding survey to gather:
- Dietary restrictions (for team lunches)
- Workspace preferences
- Emergency contact information
- T-shirt size (for swag)
- Any questions or concerns
3. Account and access setup
Create and test all accounts before day one:
- Email, Slack/Teams, project management tools
- Code repositories, design tools, analytics platforms
- Building access, parking permits, VPN access
- Verify all accounts are active and permissions are correct
4. Equipment and workspace preparation
For office employees:
- Configure laptop/computer, monitors, peripherals
- Set up desk with supplies and welcome materials
- Prepare access cards and business cards
For remote employees:
- Ship equipment 1-2 weeks early with tracking
- Provide setup instructions and IT support contact
- Test video call setup
5. Documentation and resources
Share before day one:
- Company handbook and employee directory
- Organizational chart and team structure
- Process documentation and style guides
- Link to company wiki and knowledge base
6. First-week schedule
Provide a detailed day-by-day schedule including:
- Meeting times and attendees
- Training sessions and team introductions
- Office tour (if applicable) and lunch plans
- Key milestones
7. Onboarding buddy assignment
Assign and introduce an onboarding buddy before day one. Share contact information and schedule the first meeting.
8. Welcome package
Send a welcome package with company swag, welcome letter, handbook, and office supplies. For remote employees, ship to their home with remote-specific items.
Pre-boarding best practices
- Personalize the experience - Use their name, reference interview conversations, customize based on role
- Communicate regularly - Send updates at each stage, respond quickly to questions, set clear timelines
- Make it easy - Provide clear instructions, use simple language, test all links and access
- Set expectations - Share what to expect on day one, explain first week structure, address common questions
- Show enthusiasm - Express excitement, make them feel valued, build anticipation
Pre-boarding checklist
Week 1 after offer acceptance:
- [ ] Send offer acceptance confirmation and welcome email
- [ ] Share company handbook link
- [ ] Send pre-boarding survey
- [ ] Assign onboarding buddy
- [ ] Begin account creation process
Week 2 before start date:
- [ ] Complete account setup and test all access
- [ ] Order equipment and prepare workspace
- [ ] Create and share first-week schedule
- [ ] Schedule first-week meetings
- [ ] Send welcome package (if applicable)
Week 1 before start date:
- [ ] Verify all accounts are active
- [ ] Confirm equipment delivery
- [ ] Send detailed first-day information with parking/transit details
- [ ] Confirm onboarding buddy is ready
3-5 days before start date:
- [ ] Send reminder with first-day details
- [ ] Share what to bring (ID, forms, etc.)
- [ ] Answer any last-minute questions
Day before start date:
- [ ] Send friendly reminder message
- [ ] Confirm everything is ready
Common pre-boarding mistakes to avoid
- Going silent after offer acceptance - Establish regular communication touchpoints
- Rushing preparation - Start immediately after offer acceptance, don't wait until the last minute
- Generic communications - Personalize all messages and reference interview details
- Information overload - Share information in stages, not all at once
- Not testing systems - Test all accounts and equipment before day one
- Ignoring remote employees - Ship equipment early and provide extra support
- No point of contact - Provide clear contact information for questions
Pre-boarding for different scenarios
Remote employees: Ship equipment 1-2 weeks early, provide setup instructions, schedule IT support, test video calls, share remote work policies.
International hires: Help with visa/work permits, provide relocation resources, share area information, connect with other international employees.
Senior/executive hires: Schedule executive briefings, provide strategic documents, arrange stakeholder meetings, share organizational insights.
Contract/freelance workers: Clarify contract terms, set up contractor accounts, share project briefs, schedule kickoff meetings.
Measuring pre-boarding success
Track key metrics:
- Engagement: Response rate to communications, time to complete tasks
- Readiness: Account setup completion, equipment delivery on time, day-one technical issues
- Satisfaction: Pre-boarding experience rating, first-day anxiety levels, preparedness assessment
Ask new hires after their first week:
- How prepared did you feel on day one? (1-10)
- How clear were the pre-boarding communications? (1-10)
- What was most helpful during pre-boarding?
- What could we improve?
Technology to support pre-boarding
Modern onboarding platforms can automate pre-boarding with:
- Automated welcome emails and account creation
- Task scheduling and reminders
- Progress dashboards and analytics
- Centralized messaging and FAQ resources
- Digital handbooks and resource libraries
Conclusion
Pre-boarding isn't just about logistics—it's about creating a positive first impression, reducing anxiety, and setting new hires up for success. The period between offer acceptance and day one is a critical window where you can build excitement, answer questions, and ensure everything is ready.
The best pre-boarding experiences are personalized, communicative, organized, supportive, and enthusiastic. Pre-boarding sets the tone for the entire employee experience and shows new hires that you're committed to their success from day one.
Start with the basics—welcome communication, account setup, and a clear first-day schedule. Then build from there, adding personal touches and refining based on feedback. The investment in pre-boarding pays dividends in reduced anxiety, faster time-to-productivity, and higher retention.