How the Municipality of Vught saves time & gives a warm welcome

The Challenge: Onboarding in a municipal setting

Working for a municipality isn’t the same as working for a regular company. It requires an understanding of government processes and bureaucratic structures. For seasoned employees, this is second nature, but for newcomers without municipal experience, it can feel overwhelming, especially when they’re also figuring out where the coffee machine is or how the internal systems work.

This is a challenge for any local government, and it became even bigger for the municipality of Vught after merging with Helvoirt in 2021. Overnight, they gained 30 new colleagues and 5,000 new residents. The goal for onboarding was clear:

• Give new hires a warm welcome
• Share information in an engaging way
• Reduce “minor concerns” (like practical logistics)
• Get new hires excited about their new workplace

‍

The Solution: Phased onboarding for lasting impact

The answer? A smart mix of digital prep and personal guidance. Before their first day, all new hires get access to an app packed with essential knowledge. "They learn not just how decision-making works at the municipality, but also practical things like: Where’s the cafeteria? How do I print something?", shares Rick van Buul, HR Advisor at the Municipality of Vught

The app answers those first crucial questions, so new hires can start with confidence. Less first-day stress, more real connection.

"It’s great when you can get new employees excited about the town before they even start working here. Plus, onboarding should be a fun, worry-free experience. You don’t want enthusiasm for a new job dampened by ‘small’ concerns before day one. The Appical app helps us with that." - Noor Zoontjes, involved in setting up the app

The biggest benefit? HR and buddies no longer have to explain all the basics themselves. Since employees already know where to find important info and how processes work, they become productive faster. Plus, this approach avoids the pitfall of traditional onboarding: an overloaded first day where too much information is shared, and key details get lost.

Onboarding on (and after) the first day

"After the digital prep, a buddy - usually a colleague in the same role - takes over for hands-on guidance," says Rick. "With a structured onboarding plan, they know exactly which systems and processes to cover. This works better because HR doesn’t know role-specific details."

One of the highlights during the onboarding is the intro day, featuring a tour of the entire municipality. "At locations like Kamp Vught (a WWII memorial site), PI Vught (a high-security prison), and the IJzeren Man (a popular recreational lake), new hires see the real-world impact of their work. This gives policy advisors a concrete sense of their social impact, answering the question: ‘What’s it all for?’”

‍

Results: Time saved & happy new hires

• HR saves time (basic questions are already answered in the app)
• Buddies have more time for their own work and meaningful guidance
• New hires become productive faster and feel welcome right away
• Practical info in the app removes "little stressors" before day one
• Higher enthusiasm thanks to a great first impression (scoring 10/10 for the first day)

"The app saves us a lot of time early on because new hires already have access to key info before their first day. That means other colleagues spend less time onboarding them."

"For HR, it means fewer repetitive questions. For buddies, more efficient work. And for the whole organization? Employees who ramp up faster and feel like part of the team immediately."

But the impact goes beyond just convenience. "Through feedback surveys, we track how new hires experience the program. The app scores an average of 4.8 out of 5. It adds real value, for both the organization and the new employee."

Perhaps the most telling result? That 10/10 score for how welcomed new hires feel on their first day. "A positive start like this is crucial. It confirms they made the right choice in joining us."

“The app saves us a lot of time early on because new hires already have access to key info before their first day. That means other colleagues spend less time onboarding them."

Employee Feedback

• "Recently, I heard a colleague say onboarding went much faster because the new hire had already gotten so much info through the app."
• "So nice to have all those ‘I’ll figure it out’ questions answered upfront!"
• "Helpful to get info that longtime employees take for granted but often forget to share."