Starting a new job is stressful enough without a confusing onboarding process. If you’re responsible for setting up onboarding in Allego, you want new hires to actually learn something—not just click through endless videos. This guide is for people who want to build onboarding that works, skip the fluff, and get new employees up to speed without driving themselves (or their team) crazy.
1. Get Clear on What “Onboarding” Actually Means at Your Company
Before you even open Allego, nail down what your onboarding should accomplish. This isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about what a new hire needs to know and do to stop feeling lost.
Questions to answer first: - What does a “ramped” new hire look like after 30, 60, and 90 days? - What do people always ask in their first month? - What’s actually important—not just what HR says is important? - What’s better taught live, and what can be self-paced?
Pro tip: Talk to a few new-ish employees who just went through onboarding. What did they wish they’d learned sooner? What was a waste of time? Their answers will save you hours.
2. Map Out Your Onboarding Journey (Don’t Overcomplicate It)
A good onboarding program is like a roadmap—not a maze. You don’t need 50 modules. Break things down into logical chunks, each with a clear goal.
Typical sections might include: - Company basics (culture, mission, org chart) - Tools and tech setup - Team/process training - Compliance and housekeeping - Job-specific skills
Keep it simple: You can always add more later. If you’re not sure about a topic, leave it out until someone actually asks for it.
3. Build Your Core Content in Allego (But Don’t Reinvent the Wheel)
Now crack open Allego and start building. Here’s what works, and what doesn’t:
What works: - Short, clear videos: 3–7 minutes max. People tune out faster than you think. - Interactive quizzes: Not just “did you watch?” questions, but actual checks for understanding. - Practical tasks: Give them something to do, not just listen to. - PDF guides and cheat sheets: For stuff people will need to reference often.
What doesn’t: - Hour-long talking head videos. No one’s watching all of that. - Huge walls of text. - Overly polished “corporate” content. It comes across as fake.
Reuse what you can: If you’ve already got solid process docs or demo videos, use them. Allego supports uploading existing files—don’t waste time rerecording unless you have to.
4. Use Allego’s Structure: Channels, Playlists, and Paths
Allego is flexible, but it can get messy fast if you’re not deliberate. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Channels: Think of these as big buckets—like “Sales Onboarding” or “HR Basics.”
- Playlists: A sequence of content within a channel. Use these for step-by-step learning (e.g., “Your First Week”).
- Paths: Combine multiple playlists (and even channels) into a guided experience with progress tracking.
Best practice: Start with a single Path for new hires, made up of essential Playlists in the right order. Don’t let people get lost in a sea of Channels. If you’re not sure what goes where, err on the side of fewer, more focused Channels.
5. Make It Actionable (Not Just Theoretical)
The best onboarding teaches by doing, not just telling. Allego has features for this—use them.
- Roleplay assignments: Have new hires record themselves handling a real scenario (pitch, support call, etc.) and submit for feedback.
- Peer feedback: Let more experienced team members chime in. It’s more real than manager-only reviews.
- Knowledge checks: Short quizzes after each section. If someone bombs it, loop them back to the right content.
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate everything. Some things (like shadowing a real call) are better done live.
6. Set Expectations and Communicate Clearly
Let people know what’s required versus “nice to have.” Allego lets you assign due dates and track progress, but don’t weaponize this—use it to help, not to micromanage.
- Kickoff message: Send a welcome note in Allego explaining where to start, what to focus on, and who to ask for help.
- Milestones: Point out key checkpoints (“By Friday, finish the Tools Playlist and book your intro call with your manager”).
- Regular check-ins: Don’t just set it and forget it. Make sure new hires aren’t stuck.
7. Track Progress—But Don’t Get Obsessed With Metrics
Allego gives you a bunch of analytics. Some are useful, some are just noise.
What to pay attention to: - Who’s stuck (and where)? - Completion rates for critical modules. - Quiz performance—are people actually learning, or just clicking through?
What to ignore: - Vanity stats (like “total minutes watched”). - Measuring every tiny interaction. Focus on outcomes, not activity.
Pro tip: If everyone’s failing the same quiz, your content probably needs work.
8. Gather Feedback and Keep Improving
Your first version won’t be perfect. That’s normal. The real power of Allego is how fast you can iterate.
- Ask for feedback: At the end of each Path, prompt new hires to share what was helpful, confusing, or missing. Make it anonymous if you want honesty.
- Regular reviews: Once a quarter, check what’s out of date or needs updating. Don’t let old videos linger just because they’re “good enough.”
- Update in small chunks: No need for a giant overhaul—just fix what’s broken as you go.
What to skip: Don’t waste time building elaborate satisfaction surveys. A single open-ended question (“What’s one thing we should change?”) gets you better answers.
9. Avoid Common Onboarding Pitfalls in Allego
Even with a good tool, old habits die hard. Here’s what to steer clear of:
- Overloading new hires: Don’t dump everything on day one. Spread it out.
- One-size-fits-all: Sales, engineering, and support won’t need the same onboarding. Tailor Paths by role.
- Neglecting the human side: Allego’s great for content, but people need real conversations too. Pair new hires with a buddy or set up regular team check-ins.
10. Keep It Simple and Iterate
The best onboarding programs aren’t fancy—they’re clear, focused, and easy to update. Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “done.” Build a solid core, ask for feedback, and improve over time.
Remember: Most new hires just want to know what’s expected and how to succeed. Give them that, skip the fluff, and you’ll save everyone a lot of frustration.
You don’t need a PhD in instructional design to make Allego work for your team—just some common sense, a little empathy, and a willingness to fix what’s broken. Start simple, get real feedback, and keep iterating. Your future self (and your new hires) will thank you.