Digitalisation of onboarding: A case study to investigate the impact of virtual reality technology on employees social interactions and information seeking during job-onboarding.

This article examines the impact of Virtual Reality (VR) technology on new employees' integration during the job-onboarding (JOB) process, focusing on how VR influences elements of the Psychological Contract (PC)—the mutual expectations and obligations between employer and employee. Using qualitative case studies from two organizations—a large postal company (Tiodio) and a small metaverse architecture firm (Lobex)—the research found that VR onboarding can support employee integration by providing interactive, personalized, and immersive experiences that help clarify roles, culture, and connections. The effects of VR were more positively received in the smaller, tech-oriented Lobex, where employees valued the creative and flexible work culture, compared to the more traditional setting of Tiodio. The study highlights practical implications for designing virtual onboarding programs that address psychological and social aspects of employee adjustment, especially in remote or hybrid work contexts, while noting limitations related to sample size and VR platform variability.