The impact of the onboarding programme on employee engagement and productivity as perceived by new hires in the fast-moving consumer goods industry

Abstract

Operating in a volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) environment characterised by rapid change and constant evolution, fast-moving consumer goods companies require strategic onboarding processes enabling quick employee integration and sustained competitiveness. This qualitative research explored how new employees in the fast-moving consumer goods sector perceive onboarding programmes and their influence on engagement and productivity. Despite evidence that effective onboarding enhances engagement, the fast-moving consumer goods industry encounters challenges, such as short onboarding periods, limited follow-up support, and a lack of formal procedures. Employing an interpretive phenomenological approach based on Kotter's eight-step change model, the pressure, actions, capabilities, enablers model, and experiential learning theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 employees less than a year in the industry. Through thematic analysis of data obtained of employees who had undergone the onboarding process, we found that structured onboarding practices such as workplace tours, formal team introductions, and cultural activities enhanced employees’ sense of belonging and made them feel valued within the organisation. Digital onboarding was proper but requires balancing with human interaction to prevent loneliness, especially as virtual platforms become more prevalent after COVID-19. Participants who experienced detailed, role-specific onboarding reported improved task efficiency, clearer goals, and greater confidence in decision-making, emphasising a direct link between onboarding quality and early productivity. The challenges experienced included too much information, bad communication, content that did not fit the jobs, and tight deadlines. These findings support concerns that onboarding is often perceived as merely administrative rather than a personalised experience (Mosquera & Soares, 2025). Participants recommended extended onboarding periods, role-specific content customised to fast-moving consumer goods functions, cross-site exposure, senior management engagement, formal buddy systems, and clear role expectations.