7 Tips to Ensure an Effective On Boarding Process
When a new hire joins an organization, it’s important for the management to make a good first impression.
It goes a long way in boosting employee morale and encouraging higher productivity. The onboarding process needs to be about welcoming, valuing, and preparing the new employee in a specific role.
According to a study by Society for Human Resource Management, 1 in every 25 employees leaves a new job because of a poor onboarding experience.
Outdated and meaningless onboarding processes can have disastrous effects in the long run.
Over time, bad onboarding processes can set up new employees for failure, change a new hire’s outlook of the company, and inhibit workplace efficiency. As a result, the organization may have to incur a higher cost to retain good resources.
In order to develop an effective onboarding process, here are some tips you can use.
#1 Prepare existing employees for new hires
Prior to the first day of new employees, it’s important to send an internal announcement, either via email or in-person, welcoming the new joiners.
The announcement should focus on the new hire’s role, experience, and how he or she will be adding value to the organization.
It’s also important to encourage existing employees to welcome new hires. When teams are aware of new joiners ahead of time, it can help them provide required assistance on the first day.
This can go a long way in making the employee feel welcome and at home.
#2 Set up the workstation in advance
Setting up a new workstation is tedious and time-consuming. Moreover, a new hire wouldn’t have a clear idea about the IT team’s placement on the floor, email addresses, and other resources. As a new employee, it can be daunting to not have the right tools to succeed. By following a strategic employee onboarding process, you can do a lot of things. A few of them include setting up a new hire’s workstation, phone numbers, and email addresses.
Doing this will help him or her feel welcome and valued from day one. If possible, it’s a great idea to arrange necessary office supplies, which reduces unnecessary pressure in an unfamiliar and new working environment.
#3 Provide access to important programs
Once the workstation is ready, you should go a step ahead and provide access to necessary programs, electronic files, and software.
If you skip this important deed, it can stunt the new hire’s training, affect the outlook of the company, and stall the ability to get work done.
#4 Introduce colleagues and team members
On the day of joining, spare some time to make introductions. Someone from the HR team should make the new employee meet team members and key stakeholders.
It gives the new hire a good overview of how the company works, and what specific rules need to be followed.
#5 Plan informal team lunches
Within the first week, it’s good to have an outing with the new members of the team. An informal lunch can be an ice-breaker. If that seems too time-consuming, having a team lunch in the office cafe can also be a good idea.
Take this time to learn more about the new hire and help them understand everyone on a personal level. It will make them more likely to stick with the company in the long run.
#6 Take some time out for training
The first couple of weeks should involve some hours of training. Even if the new hire has performed the same role in a different company, there are bound to be certain differences in work, management styles, etc.
With a strategic employee onboarding process in place, new employees can understand the company’s rules, procedures, and processes.
When you detail everything that’s required of new employees, it helps them get a better idea about expectations. You can even assign a mentor from the HR team to help acclimate to the new job. It helps keep the person encouraged and motivated.
#7 Always follow up
While it’s the most important step, it’s often overlooked by employers. It’s necessary to check-in with the new employee every 30, 60, or 90 days. Evaluation is the most important part of the process and lets you know areas that could be improved.
It’s an opportunity to learn about the overall onboarding process and make necessary changes. After a certain period, some of the things you’d planned might not be working. As such, regular and periodic evaluation is key to developing an effective onboarding process.
Successful onboarding processes can only be developed with effort and time. It’s important to do your homework and be thoughtful about processes.
For a new hire, the first few weeks are the most important. In this period, the employee creates a positive or negative outlook on the company. In the end, that’s what defines the tone for the employee-organization relationship in the long run.
