How Upstart’s Digital-First Approach Brings New Hires Together

In June 2021, Upstart decided to pivot to a digital-first approach, which required us to rethink how we onboard and integrate new Upstarters. Several years in and committed as ever to digital-first, we’ve made the choice to support our new hires with a virtual experience on Day One followed by a unique, in-person orientation experience. 

As a digital-first company, the importance of bringing employees together to connect and create community cannot be overstated. One way we’ve reimagined this is through Upstart Orientation. Launched in 2022 and held quarterly at our San Mateo office, this in-person event–which has cohorts of new Upstarters travel to our San Mateo headquarters to participate in a 2-day, immersive learning experience–is a pillar of our digital-first strategy and a cornerstone of our onboarding experience, boasting a participant satisfaction rate of 94%.

A Focus on Community Building and Upskilling

While a key goal of Upstart Orientation is to foster community, it is also designed to upskill new hires by equipping them with essential Upstart knowledge and connecting them directly with the key stakeholders that will impact their work. This helps new hires better understand the Upstart ecosystem, fast-tracking alignment of their individual work to Upstart’s business goals.

Since our start in 2022, we've continually enhanced the orientation experience by introducing breakout sessions tailored to our diverse product offerings, from our servicing model to the borrower experience.

“My orientation at Upstart was easily the most engaging and comprehensive onboarding I've ever experienced. I was so impressed by the amount of information shared about the company and our products. Not only that, but it was shared by senior leaders including the top leads of the entire company who took time out to be with us in person, tell us about Upstart, and answer our questions. The accessibility to the top echelons of the company is unmatched in my experience.” -Danielle Blugrind, Consumer Insights, Growth Team

The two-day orientation agenda includes:

• Deep dives into how Upstart is expanding access to credit.
• Inclusive conversation with our executive leadership team.
• Comprehensive introductions to our diverse product lines, including personal loans, auto financing, home loans, and small dollar lending.
• Personal strategies for thriving in a digital-first workplace.
• Insights into our performance-driven and inclusively-minded company culture.
• Fun-fueled breaks such as ice cream socials and happy hours.

Engaging New Hires with Core Values and Culture

We recognize that success depends on creating meaningful connections between team members—especially our newest ones. Upstart Orientation serves as an early opportunity for new hires to engage with the core values, interact with our leaders, and understand our products. 

Our newest Upstarters share that they value getting to know each other face-to-face rather than over a Zoom call.

“In general I've been really impressed by Upstart’s approach to remote working, where I have the flexibility to live and work where I want but ample opportunity to get together with my colleagues to work and build a team in person. Upstart Orientation was an excellent example of this where not only got to meet other recent hires but also key leaders from across the business. Doing this in person meant the opportunity for many more casual interactions along with much more focussed time on presentation where the temptation to multitask would have been great if done remotely.” -Brett Manning, Principal Product Manager 

Looking Ahead

As we set our sights on 2025 and beyond, facilitating Upstart Orientation as in-person experience goes beyond merely onboarding our newest Upstarters—it ties back to our culture and our commitment to ensuring a great digital-first experience, starting with day one, which is one of many reasons why we believe that Upstart is the best place to do great work!

In Upstart’s digital-first model, most Upstarters can live and work anywhere in the U.S. We also offer in-office and hybrid options in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Interested in knowing more? View open jobs and follow on LinkedIn for the latest from Upstart.