Slack offers a robust suite of training and onboarding resources designed to help new users quickly adapt to the platform, whether they’re employees joining a company workspace or customers engaging with a business. The resources range from automated tools and structured templates to interactive tutorials and best practice guides, all aimed at reducing the learning curve and fostering engagement. Slack’s approach combines self-service learning with real-time support, ensuring users can navigate channels, customize notifications, and collaborate effectively from day one.

Key highlights of Slack’s onboarding and training resources include:

• Automated onboarding tools like GreetBot and workflow builders to streamline welcome messages, task reminders, and resource sharing ^[1][6].
• Structured training sessions such as Slack 101, which covers channel navigation, search functions, and communication etiquette in two dedicated one-hour sessions ^[2].
• Self-paced learning materials, including video tutorials, help articles, and interactive guides for users to explore at their own pace ^[3][8].
• Customizable onboarding templates that provide new hires with a centralized channel for to-do lists, team introductions, and essential documents ^[6].

Slack Training and Onboarding Resources for New Users

Core Onboarding Tools and Templates

Slack’s onboarding process leverages built-in tools and templates to create a seamless experience for new users, reducing administrative overhead while ensuring consistency. These resources are particularly valuable for organizations scaling their teams or customers, as they standardize how information is shared and tasks are assigned.

For new employees, Slack offers a pre-built onboarding template that serves as a temporary home base. This template includes:

• An onboarding guide canvas where teams can outline company policies, cultural norms, and key contacts. The guide is editable, allowing admins to tailor content to specific roles or departments ^[6].
• A first-week to-do list that breaks down essential tasks, such as completing HR paperwork, setting up tools, or scheduling introductory meetings. The list can be automated to send reminders to new hires ^[6].
• Automated workflows for joining relevant team channels, ensuring new users are immediately connected to the right conversations and resources. Admins can customize these workflows to align with their team’s structure ^[6].

Beyond templates, automation tools play a critical role in onboarding. For example:

• GreetBot is an integration that sends personalized welcome messages to new users, shares links to important documents, and schedules reminders for onboarding tasks. This reduces the manual effort required from HR teams while ensuring new hires receive timely information ^[1].
• Workflow Builder allows admins to create custom onboarding sequences, such as sending a series of messages over a user’s first week or triggering notifications when specific actions (e.g., profile completion) are taken ^[6].

For customer onboarding, Slack Connect enables businesses to set up dedicated channels where new clients can access training materials, ask questions, and receive support. This approach is highlighted in Thena.ai’s guide, which recommends:

• Preparing a personalized welcome message that outlines the onboarding timeline and key milestones ^[9].
• Using automation tools to send follow-up messages, share resources, and schedule check-ins, ensuring customers remain engaged without overwhelming them ^[9].

Interactive Training and Self-Paced Learning

Slack provides a mix of live training sessions and on-demand resources to accommodate different learning styles. For structured learning, Slack 101 is a foundational program designed to familiarize new users with the platform’s core features during their first week. The program consists of two one-hour sessions covering:

• Channel navigation, including how to join, organize, and search within channels. Users learn naming conventions (e.g., team-marketing for team-specific channels) to streamline collaboration ^[2].
• Effective communication practices, such as using emojis for quick reactions, setting custom statuses to indicate availability, and configuring Do Not Disturb (DND) settings to manage notifications ^[2].
• Search functionalities, with training on keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+K to jump between channels) and search modifiers (e.g., from:@user to filter messages) to locate information efficiently ^[2].

For users who prefer self-directed learning, Slack’s Help Center and video tutorials offer comprehensive guidance. The Help Center’s “Getting Started” section walks users through:

• Profile setup, emphasizing the importance of adding a photo, job title, and contact information to help teammates identify them ^[3].
• Notification management, with instructions on customizing alerts for mentions, keywords, or direct messages to avoid overload ^[3].
• Message formatting, including how to use markdown for bold, italics, or code blocks, and how to share files or links within conversations ^[8].

The video tutorial library supplements these guides with visual demonstrations. Key topics include:

• A quick start guide for first-time users, covering basic actions like sending messages, reacting with emojis, and joining channels ^[8].
• Advanced features, such as creating polls, integrating third-party apps (e.g., Google Drive, Zoom), and using Workflow Builder to automate repetitive tasks ^[8].
• Admin-specific training, including managing workspace settings, assigning roles, and monitoring activity logs for security and compliance ^[8].

For organizations looking to replicate Slack’s onboarding success, the platform’s developer documentation offers insights into designing effective user flows. Key recommendations include:

• Starting onboarding with a clear value proposition on the app’s home screen, followed by a frictionless sign-up process to minimize drop-offs ^[7].
• Using personalized welcome screens that address the user by name and highlight features relevant to their role or goals ^[7].
• Implementing onboarding surveys to gather user preferences and tailor the experience, such as asking new users to select their primary use case (e.g., team collaboration, customer support) ^[7].