Automate Employee Onboarding in Slack with Workflows

Welcome emails get lost. Checklists sit in spreadsheets. Introductions depend on someone remembering to make them.

Automating onboarding in Slack fixes this. You build a workflow that delivers the right content to the right person at the right time, directly where they work.

This guide walks you through setting up an automated onboarding workflow using Doozy Tracks: welcome messages, introductions, mentor matching, tasks, quizzes, and feedback surveys across a 30-60-90 day journey.

What is automated onboarding in Slack?

A Track is a multi-step workflow that enrolls someone based on a trigger. For onboarding, Doozy can use HRIS start dates and Slack membership to decide when the Track begins. Each Track contains steps (messages, introductions, tasks, quizzes, polls) with delays that space content across days or weeks.

Here's how it works:

1. New hire's first day begins → The Track triggers automatically
2. Day 1: Welcome message arrives via DM with links to resources
3. Day 1: Mentor is assigned and a group DM is created
4. Day 2: First introduction scheduled with their manager
5. Week 1: Team introductions roll out, one per day
6. Week 2: Onboarding tasks appear (set up payroll, complete compliance training)
7. Day 30: First feedback survey collects their experience
8. Day 60/90: Follow-up check-ins continue automatically

The entire sequence runs on autopilot. New hires see their progress on Doozy's home screen. Owners and managers monitor completion rates and follow up with anyone who's stuck.

Why Slack-native onboarding works

Benefit	Why it matters
High visibility	DMs get read. Emails compete with newsletters, promotions, and spam.
Zero friction	No external logins, no password resets. Everything happens where employees already work.
Async-friendly	Doozy schedules onboarding around your team's working hours and time zones, so messages arrive at appropriate times.
Built-in connections	Introductions and mentor matching are part of the workflow. Meeting scheduling buttons are embedded in intro messages.
Progress tracking	See who's completed what, who's stuck, and where the bottlenecks are.

Anatomy of an onboarding track

A track consists of a trigger (what starts it) and steps (what happens).

Triggers

Trigger	Use case
New Hire / User added to Slack	With HRIS, runs once the start date arrives and the person has joined Slack. Without HRIS, runs when the person joins Slack.
Work Anniversary	Fires on tenure milestones. Use for annual check-ins or milestone celebrations.
Schedule	Fires on a recurring schedule. Use for company-wide training or quarterly compliance.
Manual	You add users yourself. Use for targeted programs or re-onboarding.

For new hire onboarding, select New Hire when your HRIS is connected or User added to Slack when it isn't. With HRIS, onboarding begins once the person's start date has arrived and they've joined Slack. Without HRIS, it begins when they join Slack.

Step types

Step	What it does
Message	Sends an automated message. Supports placeholders like {{user}}, {{manager}}, and {{mentor}} for personalization. Can go to the user, their manager, a channel, or specific people.
Delay	Spaces content out so new hires can absorb each part before the next one arrives.
Introductions	Schedules 1:1 connections. Target the user's manager, specific people, channel members, or groups. Includes meeting scheduling buttons.
Mentor Assignment	Pairs the new hire with a buddy or mentor. Smart matching considers workload, timezone, and location. Creates a group DM automatically.
Tasks	Gives new hires an interactive checklist they can complete in their own time without holding up the rest of onboarding.
Quiz	Delivers a knowledge check from your quiz library. Supports all-at-once or one-per-day delivery.
Poll	Asks a single question. Use for quick feedback at milestones (e.g., "How was your first week?").
Survey	Asks multiple questions. Use for deeper feedback at day 30, 60, or 90. Anonymous mode available.
Add User to Track	Enrolls the user in another track. Use to chain tracks together (Day 1 Track → Week 1 Track → Month 1 Track).

How to create an onboarding track

The entire setup takes 15-20 minutes.

1. Create a new track

1. Go to the Doozy dashboard and open Tracks
2. Click Create Track
3. Name it something clear: "New Hire Onboarding" or "Engineering Onboarding"
4. Select New Hire if your HRIS is connected or User added to Slack if it isn't

Optional filters: For department-specific onboarding, use Advanced filters to target a group, country, work location, or manager status. This lets you run different Tracks for different roles.

2. Add a welcome message (Day 1)

1. Add a Message step
2. Set the destination to User (sends via DM)
3. Write your welcome message. Use placeholders for personalization:

Hey {{user}}! Welcome to [Company] — we're glad you're here.

Here are a few things to get you started:
• Company handbook: [link]
• Your team's Notion workspace: [link]
• IT setup guide: [link]

Your manager is {{manager}} and your onboarding buddy is {{mentor}}. They'll both reach out soon.

Questions? Reply here anytime.

Why DM? Welcome messages sent to public channels get buried. A DM ensures the new hire sees it and can reference it later.

3. Assign a mentor or buddy

1. Add a Mentor Assignment step
2. Select your mentor pool: specific people, a Slack channel, or an HRIS group
3. Configure matching preferences:
   • Workload balancing: Distributes mentees evenly across potential mentors
   • Same timezone: Prioritizes mentors in similar time zones
   • Same location: Matches by office or region if relevant

When this step runs, Doozy creates a group DM between the new hire and their assigned mentor. Subsequent message steps can use the {{mentor}} placeholder to address the mentor or both parties.

For more on structuring buddy programs, see What is an Onboarding Buddy?.

4. Space content with delays

Don't front-load everything on day one. Use delay steps to drip content across weeks.

1. Add a Delay step after your welcome message
2. Set the duration: 1 day is typical for the first few steps

Set the pace once and Doozy handles the schedule. New hires get each step at the time you planned, without manual rescheduling.

Recommended pacing:

• Day 1: Welcome message + mentor assignment
• Day 2: Manager introduction
• Days 3-7: Team introductions (one per day)
• Week 2: Onboarding tasks + first quiz
• Day 30: Feedback survey

5. Set up introductions

1. Add an Introductions step
2. Choose who to introduce:
   • Manager: Their direct manager (pulled from HRIS or Slack)
   • Channel Members: Everyone in their team channel
   • Specific People: Key stakeholders you name
   • Groups: HRIS-synced groups like "Leadership" or "Product Team"
3. Set the frequency:
   • All at once: Every introduction goes out immediately
   • Daily: One introduction per day (recommended for larger teams)
   • Weekly: One per week (for executive intros or skip-levels)

Each introduction message includes meeting scheduling buttons. If you integrate with Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, scheduling is one click.

6. Add onboarding tasks

1. Add a Tasks step
2. List each task with clear instructions:

□ Set up direct deposit in [Payroll System] — [link]
□ Complete your profile in [HRIS] — [link]
□ Join these Slack channels: #general, #random, #your-team
□ Review the security policy: [link]
□ Schedule your 1:1 with {{manager}}

New hires can complete tasks in their own time without holding up the rest of onboarding. When someone must pass a check before moving on, use a mandatory Quiz instead.

7. Add knowledge checks

1. Add a Quiz step
2. Select from your existing quiz library (or create a new quiz first)
3. Configure delivery:
   • All at once: All questions delivered in one session
   • One per day: Questions drip out over multiple days
4. For compliance items, enable Mandatory and set a due date

Results are recorded automatically. You can view scores and completion status in your Tracks dashboard.

8. Collect feedback with surveys

1. Add a Poll step for quick pulse checks:

   • "How was your first week?" (Scale 1-5)
   • "Do you feel you have the resources to succeed?" (Yes/No/Unsure)

2. Add a Survey step for deeper feedback at day 30, 60, or 90:

   • Multiple questions covering different aspects
   • Enable Anonymous mode for honest responses
   • Include open-ended questions: "What could we improve?"

When to ask:

• Day 7: First impressions poll (1-2 questions)
• Day 30: Comprehensive survey (5-7 questions)
• Day 60: Check-in poll
• Day 90: Final onboarding survey

For more on using surveys effectively, see our Polls & Surveys feature page.

30-60-90 day framework

Phase	Days	Focus	Steps to include
Preboarding	-7 to 0	Workspace setup	Tasks (equipment requests, account creation)
Week 1	1-5	Welcome + orientation	Welcome message, mentor assignment, manager intro, IT setup tasks
Weeks 2-4	6-30	Team integration	Team introductions (daily), role-specific resources, first quiz, day 7 poll
Month 2	31-60	Role proficiency	Advanced training quiz, 30-day survey, project assignment message
Month 3	61-90	Independence	60-day check-in, final survey, graduation message

Run the full 90-day journey in one Track, or split it into phases for different roles. Separate phases are easier to update without rebuilding the rest of the onboarding journey.

Advanced configuration

Reminders for mandatory steps

Mandatory steps block track progress until completed. Configure reminders to nudge new hires who fall behind.

1. Mark a step as Mandatory
2. Set Reminder frequency: How often to send reminders (1-7 days)
3. Set Reminder window: How long to keep reminding (1-31 days)

Reminders continue until the step is completed or the window expires.

Due dates vs. expiry dates

• Due date (soft deadline): The new hire sees a target date. Reminders reference this date. The step remains available after it passes.
• Expiry date (hard deadline): The step becomes unavailable after this date. Use for time-sensitive compliance requirements.

Split onboarding into manageable phases

Long onboarding programs are easier to manage when each phase has its own Track. Use Add User to Track at the end of each phase to move new hires into the next one automatically.

Example:

1. Day 1 Track: Welcome, mentor, manager intro
2. Week 1 Track: Team intros and basic training
3. Month 1 Track: Advanced training and the first survey

Update one phase without changing the rest of the onboarding journey.

HRIS integration

Connect your HRIS (setup guide) to:

• Auto-populate manager relationships
• Target tracks by department, location, or job level
• Enrich CSV exports with employee attributes

Tracking onboarding progress

Track progress in the dashboard

1. Go to doozy.live/app and sign in
2. Navigate to Tracks
3. See who has started, who has finished, and who needs follow-up

Filter by Track, date, or completion status, then open any person to see where they are in the journey.

Exports and integrations

• CSV export: Download completion data with timestamps, quiz scores, and survey responses
• API access: Pull track data programmatically for BI dashboards or custom reporting

For setup details and exports, see the Track progress documentation.

Best practices

Practice	Why it works
Space content across 2+ weeks	Day-1 information overload reduces retention. Drip content gives time to absorb.
Use mandatory steps sparingly	Reserve mandatory for true compliance requirements. Too many mandatory steps create bottlenecks.
Include human connections early	Introductions in week 1 build belonging faster than any document can.
Collect feedback at milestones	Day 7, 30, and 90 surveys help you improve the track continuously.
Keep messages concise	Long messages don't get read. Link to detailed resources instead of embedding them.
Test with a real user	Run through the track yourself (or with a recent hire) before going live.

Use cases beyond new hire onboarding

Once you've built new hire onboarding, you can use the same setup for:

• Department-specific onboarding: Engineering, Sales, Support, and Finance each get tailored tracks
• Manager onboarding: Leadership resources, skip-level intros, HR policy refreshers
• Compliance training: Annual policy acknowledgments with mandatory quizzes and tracked completion
• Re-onboarding: Return-to-office programs or post-acquisition integration
• Contractor onboarding: Shorter tracks focused on access, tools, and project context

FAQ

What happens if a new hire misses a step?

Optional activities do not hold up onboarding. Required checks trigger reminders until they are completed.

Can I enroll existing employees?

Yes. Add existing employees whenever they need onboarding, refresher training, or a role-specific program.

How do I handle department-specific content?

Use channel or HRIS filters to give each department the right onboarding journey. You can also start everyone with shared company content, then continue with training tailored to their role.

Can users be on multiple tracks simultaneously?

Yes. A new hire can be enrolled in "General Onboarding" and "Engineering Onboarding" at the same time. Progress is tracked separately for each.

What if someone's manager changes during onboarding?

Doozy pulls the current manager from your HRIS or Slack at the time each step runs. If you update the manager relationship mid-track, subsequent steps will reference the new manager.

Get started

Build the workflow once. Every new hire gets a consistent, well-paced experience from day one.

Try Doozy in your workspace →

Onboarding · Learning · Engagement