What is onboarding?
Onboarding is a set of activities for the adaptation of a new employee. Well-designed onboarding is vital to ensure a successful start for new hires.
A successful start in a company can help prevent new hires from leaving within the first year, which is what 25% of new team members do.
Seven ways to improve the onboarding process for new hires.
1) Prepare colleagues for the arrival of a new team member
Before the first working day, send out an announcement in person or by email to all colleagues, welcoming a new employee to the company. The ad should talk about their role, a bit of experience, what they’ll be doing at your company, and encourage other employees to greet the new colleague. This will go a long way in making the new employee feel welcome.
2) Prepare the workplace for work
Having a workspace ready when an employee arrives is critical to the first impression of your company. For a new employee, there is nothing worse than not having the tools necessary to succeed. Setting up your computer, email, and providing all the necessary office supplies will help your new colleague feel valued from day one.
3) Make sure your new kid has access to all the necessary programs.
In accordance with the preparation of work equipment, make sure that there is access to any programs, software or electronic files that will be needed for the first day of work. Skipping this step can make it impossible for a colleague to get started and, in turn, affect the way they view your company.
4) Introductory meetings
Schedule introductory meetings with other departments of the team for the newcomer. To make the newcomer better known, ask him to fill out profiles in corporate programs and add photos where necessary.
5) Schedule a lunch with the team
Arrange a lunch or post-work meeting for the new employee and their immediate team members during the first week. This will allow the employee to get to know their new colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.
Take the time to learn a little about your newcomer outside of the interview process. When an employee feels appreciated by their team both on a personal and professional level, they are more likely to stay with them for the long haul.
6) Set aside enough time for learning
The first week or so with a new hire should be focused on learning. Even if a colleague performed the same function elsewhere, differences are inevitable between companies. Having a training plan is a vital part of helping new hires in an organization. Your training should cover the rules, processes, procedures and expectations of the company.
Appointing a mentor from the department can also help you adapt to your job by providing someone ready to answer a new colleague’s questions.
7) Remember to keep in touch
This step is the most important and often overlooked by employers. Complete a new hire assessment at 30, 60, and 90 days. Even if a colleague is doing well and you feel that he does not need evaluation, meet with him. This is your opportunity to learn more about your company’s onboarding process from an employee perspective. Find out what they liked and didn’t like about your process and make changes as you see fit.
A successful onboarding process reflects the time and effort put into it. The first few weeks have the most impact on a new employee’s view of your company – positive or negative – and set the tone for their long-term relationship with your business.