To further explore the onboarding process examples of the world’s most popular companies, let’s look at the onboarding process in Instacart. Instacart is the perfect place to start. As one of the world’s leading online grocery delivery services, Instacart provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable work experience.
With its organized structure and reliable leadership, Instacart is a great place to learn and grow. With its focus on customer satisfaction and quality service, Instacart is quickly becoming the go-to source for grocery delivery.
Instacart is an American grocery technology company founded in 2012. It ranks at 61 and features in
the Fortune Unicorn List. It employs 3,000 people as of 2022. Instacart allows customers to order
through partner retail stores. Moreover, personal shoppers at Instacart are responsible for grocery
shopping and delivery.
Instacart weekly runs a remote onboarding program for its shoppers or ‘Carrots’. It puts great
emphasis on providing a positive first experience. And also, to enable New Carrots to pick up speed.
Steps of the employee onboarding process at Instacart
Onboarding at Instacart focuses to drive three factors.
- Enablement: Provision of necessary tools, network, and support to enable employees to
carry out their jobs. - Alignment: Understanding of Instacart’s mission and individual role towards its achievement
- Belonging: Value and celebrate each employee and enable them to be themselves
Let’s explore the steps involved in the remote onboarding process at Instacart:
Pre-arrival
Before joining the new hires get access to the online portal. They fill out their personal information.
Moreover, the IT team prepares to build new employee accounts and laptops. Each new joiner gets a
reimbursement to set up a home office. They also receive a box of Instacart swags.
Orientation day
The onboarding specialist starts by acknowledging new job anxiety. They ensure that new hires feel
comfortable. They address the fact that remote onboarding is a different experience than in-person.
The purpose is to let them know that personal distractions are welcome. It helps ease new joiner
worries and lightens the mood.
Conversation with the Co-founder
New Carrots spend a good one hour with Instacart’s Co-founder. They talk about the company’s
founding story and its entire journey. Moreover, the conversation involves a thorough discussion of
company values. And how employees can become true representatives of the company culture.
Set up laptops and online tools
The IT team then helps new joiners set up laptops. They learn to access online platforms and
information sources. The new hires download the Beta app to give feedback to Product teams.
Meet-up with the benefits team
The benefits team provides new employees with information about benefit packages, time-off
policies, and well-being programs. All Instacart employees have access to various mental health
resources and support initiatives.
Cross-functional meet and greet
The employees continue to meet leaders and members of different teams at Instacart. Such as care,
research, shopper operations, and business development.
They discuss company strategy, customers, and Instacart shoppers. These discussions create a better
understanding of the product and users.
Employee resource groups
New employees are introduced to employee resource groups at Instacart. It enables them to get a
sense of culture and build connections. The Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB) strategy
Virtual employee engagement events
Instacart organizes virtual employee engagement initiatives for new joiners. Initiatives such as online
meditations, trivia games, and scavenger hunts. These events help new and existing employees
connect on a personal level.
Final thoughts
Instacart is a leading online grocery company in the US. It remotely onboards several shoppers every
week. Its onboarding process is based on Enablement, Alignment, and Belonging. The onboarding
starts with pre-joining formalities.
And involves virtual meetups with the Co-founder, cross-
functional teams, and online engagement programs.
If you are interested, take a look at our other articles where we talk more about McDonald’s Onboarding Process or Meaning of onboarding process.
