Your employee onboarding process sets the tone for everything. Getting it wrong is a bit like dropping them in the middle of nowhere and asking them to find their way home. They’ll feel lost and abandoned. But do your onboarding well and they’ll feel like you care, they’ll have direction, and they’ll be ready to hit the ground running.
Why is Onboarding Important?
Think back to your own onboarding experience for your current role. Did it feel like a welcoming experience or was it a mechanical, clunky process where your manager was just going through the motions? The point is, whether you took note or not, onboarding can play a bigger role in the overall employee experience than you may realise. It’s important because it gives you the opportunity to help your new employee settle and become engrained in your company’s culture, values, and expectations. It helps create a real connection between your business and the person you’re hiring. It makes them feel valued, helps get the best out of them, and more importantly, makes them want to stay.
Now think about the last few people you’ve hired. Did they seem engaged? Are they still working with you? If not, it’s time to rethink your approach. Onboarding isn’t a tick-box exercise, it’s your chance to make a lasting first impression. Here are a few of our best tips to help you get your onboarding process right.
Successful Onboarding
1 – Early engagement
You should start the onboarding process before your employee even walks through the door on their first day. Reach out and send them a welcome email outlining what they can expect from day one, including a schedule for their first week and any resources or materials they may need to get started. Make it persona – as if you were talking to them face to face. Personalising the process will help them feel valued and not processed.
2 – Workspace readiness
There’s nothing more embarrassing than having your new employee start their new job and none of the login or credentials work. Make sure their workspace, including laptop and phone is set up and ready to go before they start. Check it and double check it and save yourself all the needless admin and apologies on their first day.
3 – Tell your ‘why’
Chances are, your new hire has done their research about your company. That’s partly the reason you’re hiring them, right? It’s likely they’ll already know your company’s mission and values because of the information on your website and the things you’ve been posting on LinkedIn. But now’s your chance to bring your story to life with what drives your business, what excites you, and most importantly, why they should be proud to be part of it.
4 – Role clarity
Going into more depth about what you want from your new recruit is part and parcel of every onboarding process, but it doesn’t have to be death by powerpoint. Take them for lunch and bring the role to life. Outline their responsibilities, set your performance expectations, and openly and passionately speak about how you see them making a difference to your organisation.
5 – Assign a mentor
Having your new employee buddy up with an experienced colleague can give them extra support and guidance on all the day-to-day work things they’re not sure about. New starters often feel more confident about asking questions to mentors than they do asking their managers. Another top tip here is to make sure they get fully introduced to other team members so they feel as comfortable as possible from the start.Â
6 – Regular check-ins
Schedule regular meetings during the first few months to check in and see how your new employee is getting on. These don’t need to be overly formal. Sometimes a quick coffee catch-up or a five-minute chat can be more valuable than a long meeting. But these sessions give you the opportunity to feedback on their progress and check they have all the tools they need to do their job. Your employee then has the opportunity to raise any concerns and provide you with insight into how you can improve your onboarding process.
7 – Training opportunities
Training is another good thing to cover during onboarding. Training is like giving your employees a toolbox full of tools. Without it, they’re left to figure things out with their bare hands. But when you train them properly, they’re ready to build something great from day one. Covering off training at this early stage will give your new employee confidence that they’ve made the right choice and help them see a long and successful career with your business.
8 – Goal setting
Goal setting is so important in any business, so why not include it during your onboarding? Work with your new employee to outline some achievable goals within their first few months. This helps to provide clear direction and give them a shot of confidence when they achieve them.
Core3’s Commitment to Conscious Recruitment
At Core3, our conscious recruitment approach ensures that we place the right people in the right positions at the right time.Â
We prioritise aftercare to make sure that each person is thriving in their new placement, reflecting our dedication to building lasting relationships rather than mere transactions.
Adopting these tips will mean you can create an onboarding experience that provides a personalised welcome that motivates your new employees. The first day sets the tone. The first week builds the foundation, and the first month? Well, that’s where you can create a loyal team member that stays engaged.
