What is Employee Onboarding
Employee onboarding refers to the process of providing new workers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in their roles and at the organisation.
The process can last anything from a day to two years—depending on the complexity of the role, how fast the new worker learns, and how effective is your onboarding module.
Why is Employee Onboarding Important?
According to a Brandon Hall Group research, great employee onboarding can improve employee retention by 82% and increase productivity by over 70%. By enhancing the experience, employers can benefit from better job performance, increased efficiency, and higher employee satisfaction—simultaneously contributing to higher engagement and employee retention rates.
If you read our article on employee retention strategies, you understand that staff turnover can get very costly! Unfortunately, employee onboarding remains an oversight to many firms, as Gallup reported that only 12% of employees experienced decent onboarding experiences at their workplace.
A positive onboarding experience might mean the difference between keeping employees on board for the long term and constantly reinvesting in new hires. If done right, the experience should help new employees:
- Build confidence in their new role
- Feel welcomed and valued as a member of the team
- Establish a sense of belonging to flourish at your organisation
- Care about what your firm does and how they can contribute
- Set clear expectations for what they will be doing and how they can offer actual value to your organisation
Since there are many steps to prepare a recruit for their new job, we have compiled this onboarding cheatsheet to summarise the must-dos in three phases.
Employee Onboarding: How To Do It Right
Phase 1: Pre-beginning
1.1 Make It Official
An employee’s onboarding begins as soon as you receive a “yes” to your offer. Send the candidate an email with your next steps and the paperwork they need to complete to join your company legally. Use digital documents to get their signatures—they are faster and more convenient. As for the HR department, remember to remove job postings that are still active.
1.2 Keep Them In The Loop
Make an effort to answer every question your new hires may have—such as when they should arrive, whom they should ask for, and what they will be doing for the first few days. It will keep new hires informed about what’s going on and calm some anxieties in an otherwise nerve-wracking scenario.
1.3 Prepare Workstation
To guarantee that everything is ready to go on the recruit’s first day, request all devices and equipment ahead of time. Everything from office supplies to an employee’s computer and phone, as well as their keyboard and mouse, should be connected and ready to use when they arrive.
1.4 Extend Your Welcome
Send an email to your new employee before their first day to get them excited about joining the organisation. Provide a list of what to anticipate, like a start date reminder, dress code, first-day schedule, and parking information.
1.5 Set Up The Workspace
Prepare a clean desk and chair for your new hire, as well as any other items they may require at their workstation. Consider presenting a welcome kit with company-branded goods (t-shirt, mug, planner), office supplies, or a modest souvenir (mini succulents, gift cards) to spruce up their workspace. If they will be working remotely, consider delivering the same package to the employee’s home address.
Phase 2: Day One
2.1 Schedule An Orientation
Organise an orientation for the employee’s first day on the job to formally welcome them to the firm. Give your newcomer a tour of the workplace facilities and introduce them to important individuals in the company. Take this opportunity to hand over the access key or code and walk through any security procedures.
Instead of diving directly into serious work, spend the day getting to know each other and give them a taste of what it’s like to work for the company. This will allow the employee to learn about the company’s culture, understand the organisational structure, and see how different departments communicate.
2.2 Complete Paperwork
Starting any new job calls for numerous paperwork to be completed—including tax documents, contracts or agreements, payroll information, and other new employee forms. Explore employee onboarding software to streamline and simplify the process for all parties involved.
Then share your employee handbook and information about the benefits package and make a point to communicate with new hires in case they have queries regarding their perks or salary.
2.3 Set Up Accounts
Ensure the employee has access to all relevant systems and assets to access the facility by liaising with your IT team, facilities manager, and accounting department. Set up their work email and handover login credentials for various tools and platforms so they can seamlessly use the programmes and software needed to complete their jobs.
2.4 Assign A Buddy
Introduce your new hire to a departmental friend, mentor or buddy who may serve as a point of reference during their initial weeks on the job. This individual will answer questions, introduce the employee to other colleagues, and even assist them in learning some aspects of the job. Having a mentor helps the new hire feel less alone while adjusting to a foreign setting.
2.5 Announce The Arrival
Send an internal email to all existing staff to inform everyone on your team about the new employee’s arrival. Motivate them to say hello and provide a personal welcome to make the recruit comfortable and acclimated.
To help lay the first stone, tell your present staff what the new hire will be doing and provide a few intriguing facts. You can, for example, discuss the employees’ hobbies, interests, and professional backgrounds.
Phase 3: The Assimilation
3.1 Break The Ice
Make work fun. Your employees are ambassadors of your culture. Simple acts like having lunch with the new colleague or planning various off-work activities help set the tone of how much the company values their employees. Encourage forming personal ties to help the newcomer open up and build confidence and affinity towards the employer.
Sure, work is important. But having a good time with the people they’ll work with builds trust! And the things you plan outside of work will make all the difference.
3.2 Follow Up With Check-ins
Crystalise goals for the new employee. Set up 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day targets to gauge how well they’re adjusting to their new position. Provide an employee scorecard to remind them of the company’s expectations for the role.
Check-in with the new hire periodically to provide an opportunity for them to express any complaints or feedback regarding their training. This conversation may identify areas to improve in your onboarding checklist.
3.3 Provide Training And Support
As the orientation process ends, the real training begins. When everyone has become acquainted, it is time to provide all of your company’s how-tos and must-know information to be a valuable business contributor. New hires need resources to learn the work in the first few weeks and sustain their professional development. Establish a strategy for the training period and keep them informed of further progress through professional development and work evaluations.
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Great onboarding saves resources and raises morale throughout the organisation. If your onboarding process fails to bring new hires up to speed properly, or if they decide to leave—you’re back to square one, and setting up a winning team becomes more expensive.
We understand that it can be overwhelming.
Fortunately, with TG’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions, you can outsource transactional processes to focus on strategic business moves. Our HR outsourcing solutions are designed to assist you in increasing productivity and efficiency to elevate your competitive advantage.
Speak to us to discuss what’s best for your company: peo@tg-hr.com
