From Fragmented to Unified Onboarding

The Challenge

When you're managing 23,000+ employees across 80+ countries in an industry where compliance failures can shut down operations, every new hire matters. This eight-decade pharmaceutical leader had mastered talent acquisition — but their fragmented onboarding was creating risk, frustration, and missed opportunities at scale.

Their HRIT team pinpointed exactly where things went wrong. Despite having a robust Application Tracking System (ATS) for pre-offer communications, the journey broke down immediately after acceptance, creating numerous obstacles:

• Fragmented preboarding: After candidates accepted offers, the experience became inconsistent and non-standardized across departments.

• Rigid existing solution: Lack of customization options hindered cross-team collaboration during critical onboarding phases.

• Offline documentation burden: Their paper-based induction program created unnecessary complexity for both candidates and recruiters.

• Time-sensitive roles: For positions like medical representatives who joined within days of receiving offers, process delays prevented immediate productivity.

The Solution

Using Phenom Onboarding, they have been able to reimagine their entire post-offer experience. The product connects previously siloed processes into a cohesive onboarding journey for new hires and teammates alike. 

The implementation facilitated several enhancements that address their specific challenges:

• Experience-first content delivery: New hires now receive information through an engaging journey that plays on the “boarding” analogy from air travel — complete with boarding passes, flight manuals, and in-flight magazines. This unique approach transforms standard onboarding materials into an engaging experience delivered in manageable portions on a scheduled timeline.

• Smart form technology: Phenom Onboarding transformed their data collection process with a new employee application form featuring intuitive interfaces that flag missing documents automatically. This dynamic system personalizes form delivery based on role requirements while auto-populating repetitive fields and eliminating redundant data entry. 

• Connected systems architecture: The platform seamlessly links with their HRMS, ATS, and other internal tools, creating a synchronized data environment. This integration removes manual transfer processes for their Shared Services team while strengthening security protocols.

The Results

With the help of Phenom Onboarding, they have unified their onboarding ecosystem, bringing diverse teams onto a single collaborative platform. Early results show substantial improvements across several key areas:

Compelling content engagement: The themed, structured content approach captured the attention of 72% of new hires, who fully participated in preboarding activities.

Mobile accessibility: Almost half (45%) of new hires chose mobile devices for document submission, highlighting the platform's multi-device flexibility.

Risk reduction: Structured processes and system integrations eliminated compliance gaps that previously challenged the organization.

NPS score: The impressive 4.6/5 NPS score reflects how the platform resonates with users, particularly new hires entering the organization.

Cross-functional workflow improvements, including:

• Document handoff. Recruiters now use a "Ready to Onboard" checkpoint that only activates when a candidate's file is complete, streamlining the transfer to HR Shared Services.

• Equipment coordination. Resource teams gained visibility into incoming personnel volumes, roles, and specific needs, enabling proactive allocation planning.

• Verification streamlining. Auto-generated verification documents now flow directly to background check vendors, accelerating security protocols.

The Future

What began as a local solution has evolved into a global standard. After two successful years, they have expanded the platform across South Africa and North America, creating consistency in its international talent experience.

This strong foundation positions them to build increasingly personalized onboarding journeys tailored to specific roles, regions, and career stages.