Bringing new employees into your workplace goes beyond paperwork and orientation sessions. Effective onboarding follows a proper strategy, it dictates the difference between an engaged, high-performing team member and an unmotivated employee who struggles to find their footing. A well-structured onboarding process not only sets expectations but also creates a sense of belonging, teaches and aligns employees with company values, and can accelerate productivity in just the first few days.
The interview stages are where you create the perception of your company, the onboarding process is where you create an impression. Think of the onboarding process as a tool to help ease your new employee into your company, approach your strategy by keeping the employee’s needs in mind along with how you’d like them to fit in the puzzle that is your company.
Put yourself in the new hires’ shoes
A new employee in any stage of their career will feel some kind of nervousness while preparing to tackle a new role in a new company. This doesn't determine their confidence but speaks into the basic psychology of navigating a new environment.
They might feel as though the processes, workload, timelines, and expectations will be different from their previous job. Which is why open and transparent communication is absolutely important, especially in the first few weeks of welcoming a new employee to your company.
Here are the 5 main steps you can take to elevate your company’s onboarding process and help your new employees feel at ease.
1. Preboarding: The First Impression
The onboarding should begin before the candidate’s first day in the office. Consider sending a proper welcome email that consists of key details like their first-day agenda, who they will meet, any necessary paperwork they can complete in advance, parking and location information. This not only ensures ease of access but also helps the candidate feel more comfortable taking on the first few days of their role.
2. A Structured First Day and Week
The first day sets the tone for the experience that the candidate will expect. It’s important to make sure that new hires have their workstations, credentials, and necessary equipment ready to use. A warm greeting from their team, an office tour, and a proper introduction to the company culture makes all the difference.
Consider working on a first week agenda for the new hire. This way you’ll have mapped out their meetings, first task and formalities with enough time allotted for each actionable item. This will also help the candidate have a clear understanding of navigating their first work week at their new office.
3. Buddy Systems
Pairing new hires with a mentor or onboarding buddy can also improve their comfort and engagement. This allows them to have a go-to person for questions, guidance, and social integration. It also helps them feel supported and connected to the team from day one.
4. Expectations and Goal Setting
New employees should understand their roles and what success looks like within their first 90 days. Take an hour or two to personally sit down with them and establish clear milestones, key performance metrics, and goals; pair this approach with regular check-ins and you’ll have a brand-new hire that feels supported, understood and encouraged.
Transparency and communication go a long way in ensuring that new and seasoned employees alike feel supported within your company. Establishing clear goals from day 1 helps build progress and sets clear expectations.
5. Gathering Feedback and Iterating
Companies that truly listen to their employees are the most likely to collectively thrive. The onboarding process should be one that evolves with time. Consider collecting feedback from your latest hires once they hit that 3-month mark. This will help your department understand if there are areas for improvement and how to further refine the process for newer hires. And remember, any kind of employee feedback that is actioned upon directly results in retention!
The onboarding week is the foundation for an employee’s success. By investing time in crafting and implementing a well thought out onboarding process, companies can help their new employees feel not only welcomed but also valued. A good onboarding strategy also acts as the first few steps in retaining top talent at your firm.
Written by Mehak Shoaib in collaboration with Ben Safra