A well-executed onboarding process not only helps new employees feel welcome and confident but also contributes to long-term employee satisfaction and retention. When aligned and a living example of your values you set the tone from the ground up to ensure your values are integral to everything you do. Onboarding is a crucial process that sets the tone for an employee’s experience and helps them integrate into the company culture.
Many of us have likely had the experience of a first day on the job and feeling lost in a sea of people going about their regular day. Some of us have likely turned up without a desk or the equipment to do our jobs. Just as bad is being left to our own devices and not knowing how we fit in the company culture and those unspoken rules every business has engrained in the daily way of working.
Before diving into finding a desk, ordering a computer and setting up the phone it is important to consider your values as a company and how you want new employees to feel when they arrive. Thinking about how they feel about the company from the first day will help embed your values through the business via each and every employee. It all begins by asking yourself these key questions:
- How do you want them to feel?
- What knowledge will make a difference to their work and how they feel about the company?
- What skills do they need to perform at their best?
- What technology and tools will help make their work better?
- What departments do they need to integrate with and are expected to comply with internal processes?
- Who do they need to support them or to give guidance?
- How will they find the amenities, first aid and resources they need?
- How can the onboarding information be available to them without causing overwhelm or over-looking important information?
Here are some best practices for onboarding a new employee:
1. Preparation:
- Ensure all necessary paperwork and documentation are ready before the employee’s start date
- Set up their workspace, including necessary equipment, access to systems, and any required software or tools
- Make sure they have the latest OH&S guidelines available to them including how to sit or stand safely at their desk or work station for long periods of time
- Consider some buffer time between hiring and onboarding to gather the resources they need and to be ready to work from day one
- Set them up in your HRIS or people and culture software ready to establish their goals and track their HR actions
2. Welcome and Orientation:
- Start the first day with a warm welcome, including introductions to key team members
- Provide an overview of the company’s mission, values, and culture
- Conduct an orientation session to familiarise the new employee with company policies, procedures, and expectations
- Help set up a strong relationship with their manager to ensure this person is their ‘go to’ for any issues or questions from the start
- Consider a name plate to make people feel welcome and to find colleagues easily. Consider a sign with replaceable paper or sliding metal plate inserts if you have a lot of turnover or office moves are regular
3. Training and Development:
- Create a comprehensive training plan to help the employee understand their role and responsibilities
- Provide access to training resources, mentorship programs, and opportunities for skill development
- Make sure they know how to use your people and culture management system to claim expenses, apply for leave and to review their roster
4. Introduce Company Culture:
- Foster a sense of belonging by introducing the company’s culture and values from the beginning (even before they start on day one)
- Encourage participation in team-building activities or events to help build relationships with colleagues
- Make sure the company values are communicated clearly, either in an employee handbook or company video and email communications for all new employees
5. Clear Communication:
- Maintain open and transparent communication channels, ensuring the new employee feels comfortable asking questions and seeking clarification
- Provide regular check-ins to address any concerns or challenges they may be facing – ideally frequently at first and sliding out to 30, 60 and 90 day check-ins
6. Buddy System or Mentorship:
- Assign a mentor or buddy to help the new employee navigate the organisation and provide guidance. Think about their personality and values as an individual before blinding allocating someone. This can ease the transition and make the new employee feel more connected and to be sure they have someone to go to lunch with or work out the local cafes and services
7. Feedback and Evaluation:
- Schedule regular feedback sessions to discuss performance, progress, and any areas that may need improvement
Encourage two-way communication to understand the employee’s perspective on their onboarding experience - Ensure you follow the latest requirements about termination during probation terms should you have any performance issues
8. Recognition and Celebration:
- Celebrate milestones and achievements during the onboarding process so you are rewarding the right behaviours that align with company values and culture
- Recognise the new employee’s contributions and make them feel valued. Many new employees feel vulnerable coming into a new company and wonder how their skills and experience translates
- Introduce your new employees to the team and highlight their value and why they have been chosen for the role. This helps to establish their internal credibility and what it is about them that management has identified as their value
9. Flexibility and Adaptability:
- Recognise that every employee is unique, and the onboarding process may need to be adjusted based on individual needs and preferences
- Be flexible in adapting the onboarding plan to accommodate changing circumstances without breaking the important aspects of best practice onboarding when the start date is rushed
10. Follow-Up:
- Continue to check in with the employee after the initial onboarding period to ensure a smooth transition and address any ongoing concerns. No one should be let go at the end of their probation period and not know something was coming
- Consult your outsourced HR consultant for best practice for your business based on your industry specialisations.
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