Onboarding at Delivery Hero: How We Set New Heroes Up for Success

At Delivery Hero, we treat onboarding as more than a first-day checklist, it’s a guided journey designed to help new Heroes (or ‘Newbies’ as we like to call them!) feel equipped, connected, and ready to do great work (without information overload!)

Here’s how our Onboarding Experience Team raises the bar by setting new joiners up for a successful start.

From the moment the contract is signed, right through the first six months when their probation period is complete.  

It starts before the first day

Did you know that the onboarding journey begins as soon as a new Hero accepts their offer? Before a new starter even walks through the door (or joins their first virtual session), the team shares clear steps on what to do next and what the first week will look like. That includes:

• Calendar invitations to key onboarding sessions, sent a few days before the start date
• Access to a dedicated starter hub, with practical info, resources, and “what to expect” guidance
• Reminders to complete important admin tasks (and a nudge to double-check personal details)
• Support for relocation with dedicated guidance for those moving to Berlin

Day 1: A warm welcome (and a working laptop!)

From 9:30am, our Onboarding Team welcomes new joiners in the office to:

• Receive a temporary access card (and take a quick photo for the permanent one!)
• Grab a coffee and meet the rest of the newbie cohort
• Pick up equipment (laptop + essentials, plus a small welcome pack of branded goodies to get fully immersed in the Delivery Hero experience!)

Once everyone’s arrived, the session moves to the onboarding room to get everyone fully set up:

• IT login and credentials session (with support available for those inevitable “why isn’t this working?” moments)
• A ‘Welcome to Delivery Hero session’ covering the basics of who we are, how we work, and what to expect next
• An office tour so everyone can navigate the campus like a pro

By lunchtime, day 1 onboarding is complete, and that’s where the best part kicks in: team lunch! 

It’s a simple moment, but it matters. Relationships are the real foundation of great onboarding.

Day 2: Virtual and Q&A-friendly

From day 2, most sessions are virtual, giving employees flexibility to settle into their team rhythm whilst still participating in the onboarding processes.

Day 2 typically includes sessions like:

• Ways of Working- the practical “how we get things done” at Delivery Hero
• Live Q&A with support teams, so newbies can ask questions early about policies, processes and tools
• A Workplace Health & Safety intro,  because great work starts with a safe environment

The first 2 weeks: Essentials, without overwhelm

We designed the first 2 weeks to deliver the essentials at the right pace. New joiners get a mix of:

• On-site trainings and in-person touch points
• Virtual sessions employees can join from anywhere
• Offline materials and a structured resource hub to access at anytime
• Learning platforms and optional deep dives so newbies can build their own schedule

By the end of week 2, we aim for every new Hero to feel:

• Comfortable navigating tools and key processes
• Connected to their team and wider onboarding cohort
• Clear on our culture and leadership principles, how we collaborate, make decisions, and raise the bar together
• Confident about what “great” looks like in their role (and where to go for help if needed)

Tech & Product onboarding: Role-relevant from the start

Heroes joining in Tech or Product roles receive additional onboarding designed specifically for how those teams operate. These virtual sessions cover how the department is organized, how teams collaborate, and the foundations needed to hit the ground running, plus curated learning content to support ramp-up.

Monthly Onsite Experience Day: Culture, community, and the “why”

One of our newest improvements, and something we’re excited to expand, is our monthly onsite onboarding experience day. This brings together all onboarding groups who joined in the same month for a shared day of connection and learning.

Depending on the program, the day can include:

• A deeper company and strategy session (often with guest speaker from the business)
• A culture workshop to explore how our leadership principles show up in real work
• Shared lunch and connection moments (to build a sense of community and connection)
• And when possible, D-mart visits to connect our Heroes to the quick-commerce process, so they can experience the customer journey in a tangible way

Support doesn’t stop after week 2

We view onboarding as an employee's first six months, with structured phases and ongoing check-ins through key milestones (30/60/90/180 days). Our job is to make sure Heroes are supported through probation and beyond, so they can focus on doing meaningful work and growing with confidence.

Looking ahead to for the rest of the year

Our priority for 2026 is simple: stay flexible and keep improving. We continuously gather feedback from new Heroes and adapt our approach, because the best onboarding programs aren’t static. They evolve with the people they’re built for.

Whether you’re joining onsite in Berlin or onboarding from elsewhere, our promise is the same: we’ll make sure you have what you need to feel welcomed, immersed in our culture, and ready for a successful start.

Think you’d thrive here? Check out our open positions and join us in shaping the future of delivery.