A few weeks ago, I took a deep dive into a question that has been on my mind for a long time:
Why does onboarding so often fail — even though organizations invest so much in it?
My answer: Because we are focusing on the wrong thing.
Welcome packages, e-learning platforms, induction plans — all of these are important. But they do not go far enough. What people truly need in the first days and weeks is not information. It is belonging.
In my scientific contribution (2025), I developed the concept of Menschentakt — an integrative model that understands onboarding for what it is at its core: a social and ethical task of integration.
The model is built on five core dimensions:
Attention – Seeing people as individuals, not as role holders
Interest – Genuine curiosity instead of categorization
Reliability – Aligning words and actions
Resonance – Hearing voices and allowing contributions to have an impact
Belonging – The experience: I have truly arrived.
The model is theoretically supported, among others, by Luhmann, Edmondson (Psychological Safety), Rosa (Resonance), Baumeister & Leary (Belonging), and Tomasello (Cooperation).
The key question is not: “How quickly does someone become productive?” The key question is: “How quickly does a sense of belonging emerge?”
Because without belonging, there can be no sustainable productivity.
Ich freue mich über eure Gedanken: Welche Erfahrungen habt ihr mit Onboarding gemacht – auf welcher Seite auch immer? 👇