Technology can help engage employees as soon as they are hired, and streamline tasks so they are more productive from the start. Here are five proven and effective strategies:

1. Send welcome messages from key executives welcoming new employees, and send those links to new hires as soon as they accept offers. It’s an efficient way to introduce employees to the leadership team and to get them excited about starting their new job.
2. Leverage a new-hire portal on the network where employees can go to complete all of their administrative tasks, learn about the corporate culture, take new hire training, and find out anything else that will help them be more productive. This also encourages new employees to take responsibility for some of their onboarding tasks.
3. Take advantage of electronic signature and verification tools to let employees finish administrative paperwork online before their first day—a process known as pre-boarding. This keeps them excited about the job, and allows them to be more productive when they start.
4. Engage with employees in a new-hire social network; an online new-hire community can be used for work tasks — allowing employees to help each other learn and for socialization so they can make friends and feel a greater sense of belonging.
5. Track onboarding tasks by using task management tools for new-hire status and progress. Many of these tools also offer automated reminders when employees fail to stay on track.