Last Updated April 15, 2025
Starting a successful employment firm requires mastering the art of onboarding new employees. A smooth and well-structured staffing agency onboarding process can make or break the success of a new hire. Therefore, to stay competitive, staffing agencies can’t afford to overlook the power of efficient staffing onboarding.
Onboarding isn’t just about paperwork. A solid onboarding experience makes a huge difference in the quality of your placements, helping talent feel prepared, supported, and confident from day one. Ultimately, that has a tremendous impact on the client experience, too, preserving your agency’s reputation while retaining clients for future placements.
However, the onboarding process can sometimes feel like an afterthought, especially after the intense hiring process. But mastering your agency’s onboarding strategy is key to increasing retention, boosting client satisfaction, and staying ahead.
In this guide, we’ll explain what staffing onboarding involves, why it matters, and how to build an onboarding process that works for your team, clients, and new hires.
What Does Onboarding Employees Involve for Staffing Agencies?
As a staffing agency owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate, but an onboarding process is one of the many must-haves on your checklist for starting a staffing agency. The staffing agency onboarding process helps new hires understand their placement in your client’s organization. Instead of facilitating the placement and hoping the arrangement works out, staffing agencies work to help new hires understand their responsibilities and feel equipped.
Staffing onboarding usually involves:
- Documentation: You need to collect identification, tax forms, and other details for compliance. If you’re hiring for a regulated industry, this step also requires verifying the hire’s certifications or licenses.
- Training: Even a brief training session will help introduce your placements to client expectations and general workplace culture.
- Access: During the onboarding process, you provide the employee with all the tools they need to succeed, from time tracking to HR systems to any job-specific tools. Depending on the client, you might also be in charge of distributing laptops or work phones.
- Communication: The first days and weeks of a placement are the most crucial. It’s your job as a staffing agency to keep in touch with both the new hire and your client to make sure everyone is happy and productive. Taking care of your clients should be part of your staffing agency business plan—solid communication boosts client retention.
Remember, you don’t have to do this manually. Use onboarding software for staffing agencies to streamline these steps. These digital tools automate paperwork, track progress, and ensure a consistent experience, whether you’re onboarding one candidate or one hundred.
Ultimately, a solid staffing agency onboarding process helps new hires be productive faster, improve retention rates, and forge stronger client relationships. It’s in everyone’s best interest for your staffing agency to manage this process carefully and keep all parties happy.
How to Create a Staffing Agency Onboarding Process
Designing a smooth and effective staffing agency onboarding process takes thoughtful planning and the right tools. The last thing you want to do is onboard new hires without a framework in place. Ideally, you should create an onboarding plan as soon as you familiarize yourself with the client’s needs. That means creating an onboarding plan even before hiring for open positions.
Follow these steps to create a repeatable system that works for your employees, clients, and candidates.
1. Standardize Procedures as Much as Possible
Your agency likely works with a handful of different clients. Still, some parts of the onboarding process, like collecting I-9s or background information, are standard across all employers. Use digital forms for W-4s, I-9s, background checks, and other employment documents to keep everything organized and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
2. Take Into Account Your Client’s Main Touchpoints
Onboarding is a new hire-focused process, but you can’t overlook your client’s needs during this time, either. Stay in contact with the client to ensure they’re up to date on the employee’s training status and start date.
Ensure your onboarding process also accounts for regular touchpoints with the client after the new hire’s start date to proactively address any questions or concerns. This step is key to preserving the client relationship through ongoing support. Proactive communication can help with staffing agency business development because existing clients are much more likely to use your services in the future.
3. Host Orientation and Training Sessions
All new hires need orientation and training before they start at your client’s location. Hold at least one orientation session before their official start date to:
- Orient hires to the company culture and expectations
- Review workplace policies and dress code
- Chat about compliance requirements, if any
- Explain communication protocols for both the client and your agency
- Provide laptops or other technology
- Give access to essential software and show the new team members how it works
- Clarify any questions about compensation and benefits
4. Streamline Processes With CRM Software
The onboarding process can feel overwhelming, but onboarding software for staffing agencies makes all the difference. Various tools—from CRM staffing software to task automation tools and talent pool management—are available to help you stay organized and on track. Look for tools that help you manage candidate and new hire contact information and offer the following capabilities:
- Communication tools, including bulk messaging
- Performance metrics
- Payment processing for clients
- New hire-facing HR portal
These tools keep everything in one platform and ensure your team keeps the process moving along without any hiccups. Automated reminders, alerts, and notifications will keep both new hires and your team on the same page, ensuring your clients get the experience they deserve.
5. Ask for Candidate Client Once Onboarding Is Complete
It’s difficult to gauge the effectiveness of an onboarding process without getting feedback from candidates. They are the ones who can provide the most valuable input regarding what aspects of their onboarding experience were beneficial and what could be improved. One idea is to create a survey and give it to candidates 30 days or so from the end of their onboarding.
In-Summary: Staffing Agency Onboarding
An effective staffing agency onboarding process is a strategic investment in both the success of your new hire and your agency as a whole. A solid staffing onboarding framework helps your agency support new hires and give clients the top-tier talent they expect.
The right strategy—paired with the right onboarding software for staffing agencies—can transform how you do business. From improving retention to boosting your agency’s reputation, thoughtful staffing onboarding helps you attract better talent, retain customers, and run a better business.
Staffing Agency Onboarding FAQs
What is the best staffing onboarding software?
The best onboarding software for staffing agencies depends on your agency’s size, workflow, and tech stack. Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a must-have for managing new hire and client contact information. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are also helpful. Look for solutions with features for document management, e-signatures, and third-party integrations.
Is onboarding part of recruitment?
No. While recruitment focuses on sourcing and placing candidates, staffing onboarding is the next step that prepares those candidates to succeed in their new roles. A strong staffing agency onboarding program bridges the gap between placement and performance so that the new hire and client enjoy a smooth transition.
How do you create a client onboarding process?
Onboarding new hires is important, but how you bring new clients into your agency also matters. The client onboarding process should include:
- Scheduling a kickoff meeting
- Collecting key contact information
- Agreeing on terms and signing a contract
- Utilizing onboarding software for managing metrics, reports, compliance, payments, and more
- Planning regular check-ins
Michael McCareins is the Content Marketing Associate at altLINE, where he is dedicated to creating and managing optimal content for readers. Following a brief career in media relations, Michael has discovered a passion for content marketing through developing unique, informative content to help audiences better understand ideas and topics such as invoice factoring and A/R financing.
