How smarter onboarding can help new hires hit the ground running

Finding the right people for your organisation, and keeping them, is probably one of the greatest challenges for most organisations right now. With the current skills shortage, potential candidates are in the driver’s seat. But, hey, you’ve searched, you’ve interviewed, and you’ve finally found the right person for the job. You know you’ve got an effective and engaging onboarding process, so all that time, patience and money spent finding the right person won’t be wasted, right? 

Most people agree that a great onboarding experience makes them feel welcome, comfortable in the company culture, job role and expectations, and helps to build relationships. If done effectively, people feel engaged and confident that they can start contributing and being productive faster, and can lead to around 70% of employees staying with the company for three years. A negative onboarding experience, on the other hand, doubles the chance of that new employee looking for the door.

How long should onboarding take?

There is no ideal time frame for onboarding. What matters is that your process is tailored to your business and your employee’s needs. But if your onboarding process is just a booklet about your organisation and a lot of paperwork there’s a very real chance that there is a gap somewhere.

Some HR experts say it should take at least three months, other organisations can take up to a year. What experts do agree on is that it should be structured and strategic, rather than administrative. And the seeds should start in the interview process with insights into the company culture, specific milestones and career opportunities.

Making the best first impression

Generally, a successful program will include orientation, training, introductions, cultural acclimatisation and follow-ups. To make sure you get off to a great start on the first day some key actions to consider are: 

• Sending a welcome e-mail and welcome package, if your organisation has one, to the new employee before they start, including who they should ask for when they arrive.
• Making sure their workstation is set-up and ready to go, with all the tools and technology they need and access.
• Informing the team who their new team member is and when they’re starting.
• Selecting a ‘buddy’ or mentor to help them settle in. This has been shown to speed-up how quickly new hires become effective through collaborative learning, as well as bonding with colleagues.
• Making sure all the HR documents they need to complete are available.
• Scheduling meetings to introduce them to the wider team and other key people.
• Planning regular check-in sessions. 

Don’t let new hires get lost in the process

A surprising number of organisations’ onboarding is still largely paperwork and process-centric, when it should be more people-focused. Moving the administrative side of onboarding to your human resources information systems makes a lot of sense, especially with the increase in hybrid working. Going online speeds up the administrative process, leaving more time to spend on social and cultural activities. It also ensures all employee information is kept in one central location and reduces the likelihood of errors.

People love a little show and tell

It’s worth considering investing in videos to educate new employees about your company policies and procedures. While a handbook is handy to keep as a reference, videos are a more engaging and effective way to familiarise people with these aspects of your company, with research showing that the average viewer retains 95% of a message when they watch it, as opposed to just 10% if it’s read. 

Clarify responsibilities and opportunities

One of the key roles of onboarding is to make new employees feel confident about their job role. Make sure they know what their position entails, including responsibilities and expectations, what training, templates or playbooks are available to help them, and who to ask for help.

This is also the time to re-iterate the career development opportunities available within your organisation. Research shows that addressing this early in the onboarding process almost triples job satisfaction. Set milestones and goals, discuss professional development opportunities, and how assessments will be made, and periodic reviews carried out. 

Don’t forget remote onboarding

The hybrid work environment appears to be here to stay. So, if you haven’t already, you need to have a plan to ensure that your remote hires get as much out of the onboarding experience as those in the office. 

• Keep it human. Technology may be the facilitator but it’s important to keep as much of the onboarding process as face-to-face as possible. Use video calls to allow new employees to meet the team and help them feel integrated with the work culture and people. Make sure you set-up occasional video ‘get-togethers’ that aren’t work-related to give your new employees a chance to socialise with the rest of the team and build relationships, regardless of where everyone is.
• Everyone is welcome. If new employees normally receive a welcome pack, make sure you mail one to your remote employees, especially if your pack includes branded t-shirts, mugs or office supplies that they may have seen other team members using on video calls. It’s also just a wonderful gesture that makes them feel connected to the company.
• Out of sight, not out of mind. Remote onboarding shouldn’t be any different to in-house. Make sure managers plan regular check-ins and assessments beyond the initial introductions. Include remote hires in any professional development opportunities or virtual work events. Remember that even an email check-in to see how someone is settling in can mean a lot when you’re not face-to-face on a daily basis.

Onboard to keep them on board

A good onboarding experience ensures new employees are more committed, which means higher levels of retention, employee satisfaction and productivity. And that’s worth investing in, don’t you think?