Quick! Roll Out the Welcome Mat!

by Pamela Coleman

January 15, 2026

The typical onboarding process starts with an info-blast. Human resources teams inundate new employees with forms, details, introductions, and policy manuals. As they drink from this firehose, overwhelmed employees try to absorb important information. And then, suddenly, it is over. The welcome mat is rolled out and then quickly rolled back up. 

Onboarding can sometimes be a check-the-box exercise, concluding once an employee has received the benefits package, attended an IT briefing, and met with a slate of team members. It is useful and appropriate for these activities to occur at the start of an employee’s journey. However, learning how an organization and its culture operate unfolds throughout an employee’s tenure.

Experiences build up over time. Leaders come and go. Policies are updated. Major change initiatives are launched. Every action an organization takes influences its operations and, in turn, shapes its culture. As changes occur, employees respond, helping to create and reinforce culture alongside leaders. This ongoing process is acculturation, where all leaders and their employees adapt to the organization’s culture as it forms and flourishes.

Onboarding is an introduction to the ongoing process of acculturation. Employees contribute to and adapt to cultural nuances throughout their time with an organization. This is especially true for leaders, whose relationship with culture is deeply influential. We have all seen leaders enter an organization, bringing previous cultures with them, which can impede internal efforts. We have also seen new leaders gain cultural understanding, gently embrace and nurture an organization’s culture, and reinforce its authority and consistency.

Reframing onboarding as part of acculturation reflects a shift in perspective. In terms of culture, daily actions reinforce or challenge cultural norms, strengthening or weakening them. Viewing onboarding as an element of acculturation acknowledges that culture is a powerful force—the connection between an organization, its leaders, and its employees. Acculturation begins with introduction and endures as a vital activity throughout an employee’s entire lifecycle. All employees participate, so everyone continually adapts as the organization evolves. 

Introducing and managing a cultural framework is a valuable and supportive tool for all employees. A framework supports the ongoing cultural process and encourages leaders to view themselves as essential cultural steward, instructors, and learners. As employees continue to acculturate, leaders do as well, guiding their organizational cultures in the most appropriate and coherent ways. Create a cultural framework and galvanize your cultural efforts! Please reach out for more.