Orientation vs. Executive Onboarding: What Every Organization Must Know

New hire orientation is necessary, and most organizations provide basic information to help new employees get through the door. In the HR world, this kind of orientation, known as the four P's of HR, stands for:

People - Attracting and retaining employees
Policies - Providing guidelines to manage people and other important company information
Processes - Recruiting, onboarding, and performance management
Performance - Measuring and improving HR strategies

One of the challenges many organizations face is thinking of it as the primary method for onboarding new team members. While this approach may work for the general employee population (even though it's not a great long-term solution), for executive leaders, it's a recipe for losing them within the first 12 to 18 months.

Orientation is necessary to get a leader set up with the basics, including benefits, a company overview, and high-level organizational information. However, orientation is insufficient for executive onboarding and cannot be the only formal setting that prepares them to lead. Based on my experience working with new leaders, orientation is not an adequate setting to prepare a leader for the first 90 days.

I recommend that organizations use orientation as the basic level of executive onboarding. For example, a leader should experience what their team encounters when they start a new role at the company. It allows them to see things from a ground-level perspective if you will. Once the orientation is complete, the executive receives a customized onboarding experience that meets their unique needs. For example, an executive who leads several departments, including those with external stakeholders, will have a very different onboarding experience than a non-profit executive director who has established relationships with funders and actively engages at the community level.

Studies show that an executive leader can take an average of six months to onboard effectively. A one—or two-day orientation will not set the stage for success if there is no progression to a solid onboarding program.

Want to ensure that your executive onboarding is in place before orientation? Let's talk. Schedule a complimentary discovery session here.

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The One Priority That Determines Executive Onboarding Success

By Valerie Merriweather • February 11, 2026

When is comes to leaders, the first 90 days of an executive hire can be a layered with complexities that can feel like a whirlwind to say the least. In my work with organizations, the one priority that directly impacts a new leader’s long-term success is something that may not be at the top of the list. Process. Process is often an essential yet overlooked area that falls through the cracks in executive onboarding. What do I mean by process? I’m glad you asked. Let’s define process in its most basic form: According to Merriam-Webster, a process is a series of actions that produce something or lead to a particular result. Now, that definition sounds simple enough. Nonetheless, this definition alone can be a roadblock to determining who owns what. For example, with executive onboarding, who owns the process? Is it HR? Is it the hiring manager? Is it the new executive? How is the process introduced and when? How does an organization know if its process even works? Sometimes the answer is not so obvious. To ensure that new leaders have the support they need from day one, see our top 5 process areas to prioritize: Systems Overview Understanding the organization from a systems lens is key. In addition to organizational charts, it’s crucial to provide a resource that shows how all parts of the organization fit and work together (even if it’s not ideal). When leaders aren’t aware of the interconnected parts of the organization, they risk losing traction, getting stuck in the weeds, or solving problems that divert time from their primary role. Partner Introductions Many organizations have some level of partnerships in place, such as vendor, contractor, or legacy relationships. Make sure your new leaders have the information they need to connect with partners early, understand their needs, and maintain continuity in touchpoints. Stakeholder Management New leaders’ calendars are often full of meet-and-greet meetings. In this area, taking the time to curate an ideal stakeholder list is key. Getting to know your new leaders, their goals for their new role, and who they need in their network is the starting point for establishing or continuing value-added stakeholder relationships. AI Integration An AI readiness checklist is a great way to make the AI conversation part of the overall organizational planning and communication with team members. This area can be a source of concern, especially if the team does not know the leader’s vision for AI integration or how it may impact their roles. Addressing this topic early can yield early wins and strengthen the company’s overall culture. Well-being Action Plan New leaders can face overwhelming pressure in their first few months in their roles. Well-being action plans are critical for helping leaders find a rhythm in their work early, prioritize their well-being, and have a toolkit for ongoing management to avoid burnout. Focusing on the process during executive onboarding is not only a good idea but also a sound business priority that will ensure new leaders are successful beyond the first 90 days. We love being an extra set of eyes on your process. If you need an executive onboarding process review, contact us for a complimentary consultation.