If you’ve ever had to bring a new person onto your team, you know it’s rarely as simple as “here’s your laptop, good luck.” Bad onboarding costs you time, drags down morale, and turns eager hires into frustrated ones. This guide is for anyone who wants a clear, no-nonsense way to get new team members up to speed using Xiqinc—whether you’re a manager, team lead, or the unlucky soul who drew the short straw.
Let’s skip the fluff and get straight to what actually works.
Step 1: Prep Before Day One
Most onboarding misfires happen before the new hire even shows up. Don’t wing it—set things up ahead of time.
What to do:
- Set up accounts: Make sure you’ve created their Xiqinc account and checked permissions. Don’t just add them to “everything”—start with what they need.
- Gather info: Get their email, preferred name, and any tools or access they’ll need from IT or HR.
- Prepare a short welcome doc: Cover the basics—how to log in, who to ask for help, and what the first week will look like.
- Assign a buddy (if possible): Someone who actually wants to help, not just the most available person.
Pro tip: Test their login yourself. Nothing says “welcome” like spending day one wrestling with password resets.
Step 2: The First Login and Tour
The first time a new team member logs in sets the tone. If they’re staring at a blank dashboard, they’ll feel lost fast.
What to do:
- Schedule a live walkthrough: Thirty minutes over video or in person beats sending a wiki link nobody reads.
- Show them the basics: Navigation, main features, how to find team spaces or channels in Xiqinc, and where to ask for help.
- Demo real-world tasks: Assign them a simple, safe task in Xiqinc—like updating their profile or joining a test project.
- Keep it interactive: Let them click around. Don’t just screen-share for half an hour.
What to avoid:
- Overwhelming with features—nobody remembers 30 things at once.
- Droning on about features your team doesn’t actually use.
Step 3: Make Expectations Crystal Clear
Unclear expectations are where most new hires stumble. Spell out what “good” looks like, not just what buttons to press.
What to do:
- Share a checklist: What do you expect them to do this week? This month? Bullet points, not a novel.
- Define what “done” means: For every task, clarify how you want it delivered in Xiqinc. Screen recordings, comments, or just marking things as complete?
- Set up recurring check-ins: Even 10 minutes, twice a week, goes a long way. Don’t just say “my door’s always open.”
What to ignore:
- Vague goals like “become familiar with the system.” Give them something concrete, like “create a sample project and share it with your buddy.”
Step 4: Introduce Them to the Right People
Teamwork doesn’t happen in a vacuum. If your new hire doesn’t know who to talk to, they’ll be stuck Googling answers for days.
What to do:
- Quick intros with the team: Live is best, but even a group chat welcome works. Point out who does what in Xiqinc.
- Assign a go-to for questions: They shouldn’t have to guess. If you’re busy, delegate.
- Highlight the “unofficial experts”: Some folks know Xiqinc inside out—make sure your newbie knows who they are.
Pro tip: If your team is remote, set up a short “coffee chat” with one or two key people. It beats awkward Slack messages.
Step 5: Focus on One Real Project
Theory is fine, but nothing beats learning by doing. Don’t stick your new hire on fake work—give them a real, low-risk task in Xiqinc.
What to do:
- Pick something meaningful but safe: Maybe a report that isn’t urgent, or helping clean up old data.
- Walk through the task together: At least the first time. Don’t just dump it in their lap.
- Encourage questions as they work: Remind them it’s normal not to know everything yet.
What to avoid:
- Giving them “busywork” just to keep them occupied. They’ll spot it a mile away.
- Letting them flounder solo for days before asking for help.
Step 6: Share Resources (But Don’t Overdo It)
Documentation is great—if people actually use it. Most new hires won’t read a 50-page manual.
What to do:
- Curate a few must-know resources: This could be short videos, FAQs, or a page on common Xiqinc tasks.
- Point to searchable help: Show them how to quickly find answers in Xiqinc’s help center or your team docs.
- Update onboarding materials as you go: If new hires keep asking the same questions, fix your docs.
What to ignore:
- Forcing them to read every tutorial before they touch the product. Let them dive in and look up answers when they need them.
Step 7: Get Feedback and Iterate
No onboarding process is perfect. The best way to improve is to ask the people who just went through it.
What to do:
- Ask for honest feedback after week one and month one: Was anything confusing? What helped most?
- Make small tweaks based on real pain points: If everyone gets stuck at the same place, fix it.
- Share wins and lessons with the team: Good onboarding helps everyone, not just the new hire.
Pro tip: Don’t take negative feedback personally—it’s the fastest way to spot gaps you can actually fix.
What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)
The stuff worth sweating:
- Fast, frustration-free access on day one.
- Clear, human explanations—not just feature lists.
- Real projects, not “demo mode.”
- Someone to ask questions without feeling dumb.
The stuff you can skip:
- Overly formal training sessions nobody remembers.
- Flooding inboxes with PDFs and slides.
- Expecting people to “just figure it out.”
Keep It Simple—Then Improve
Getting new team members started in Xiqinc doesn’t have to be a huge production. Focus on the basics: clear access, real tasks, and actual human support. Don’t overthink it or try to automate everything from day one. The best onboarding process is one you actually use—and improve a little each time.
Just get started, keep it human, and tweak as you go. Your new hires (and your future self) will thank you.