The relevance of a good on-boarding program cannot be understated, as it has been found to reap numerous positive organizational outcomes. A successful on-boarding system has benefits ranging from reducing the time required for new hires to become productive at work, increasing employee retention at the organization, to inspiring greater employee commitment to the organization, and fostering better relationships with colleagues. Here are a few guidelines while charting out an on-boarding process for you company.
1) First impression is the best impression – or the most impactfull one!
An applicant gets his first exposure to the company while visitng the company website and during his initial interview process. Experts suggest that you begin the orientation process before a candidate is formally hired by including the needed information about the company’s workplace and culture in the Careers section of the website. It has been found that an applicant’s experiences during the interview process and his first impression of the company work environment plays a major role in deciding how long he will stay with the company.
2) On-boarding starts even before the employee joins
One of the biggest mistakes made by HR managers is to assume that employee on-boarding starts on the day a new hire joins a company. An efficient on-boarding plan would allow the new hire to fill out necessary paperwork even before he joins the company allowing for more time to be acclimatized with his new work surroundings rather than being overwhelmed with paper-work on his first day at work. Also a handbook explaining company policies, products and systems can be given in advance to new hires thereby giving them some idea on the mission, values, policies and work culture of the company. This can greatly help a new hire get a brief overview of the company he is about to join and what is expected from him.
3) Focus on the details
The first day at work is the most impressionable day for a new hire and it is up to the HR department to make it a memorable one. Attention to small logistical details can reduce a lot of errors and misunderstandings and one of the best way to do this is to create an on-boarding check-list. Here are a few of the things that can be done in advance for the new employee.
- Inform all concerned about the new hires who are going to join the company.
- Create security passes/ID cards for easy access in the company campus.
- Tie up with IT section for computers and other related items.
- Give an overview of the company infrastructure such as cafeteria, restrooms.
4) Bring in technology to manage the on-boarding process
Automated systems are especially useful because on-boarding requires the involvement of multiple departments within a company, all working together to welcome and engage a new employee, to make him or her feel as comfortable as possible from Day One. The right technology can help coordinate various individuals and tasks by taking care of paperwork electronically, or sending notifications alerting IT support staff to configure a new hire’s laptop.
Technology can also be an effective way to socialize your new hire into your company’s organizational culture. On a company Intranet, you can provide the new hire access to resources such as multimedia including video’s and podcasts that state your company’s overall strategic goals, information about your company’s values, and provide employee testimonials. As a bonus, these videos can feature company leaders and mentors, which helps in introducing key players and cutting down on the endless name game that typically happens on an employee’s first day.
5) Employee on-boarding not just an initial experience
The benefits of a good on-boarding process extends beyond the first few days of work. In fact the entire on-boarding experience should not be restricted to just the initial weeks of a new hire but must be stretched and planned throughout his first year in the company. Regular check-in meetings with the supervisor can be an opportunity to raise any questions or concerns the new hire might have as well as monitor progress of the new hire and his assimilation into the company.
To conclude, a well thought-out on-boarding process can greatly help the company reduce attrition and thereby cut down recruitment costs of the company which in turn has a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. By creating a plan for the on-boarding process of the new hire, the various tasks, roles and responsibilities within the HR department can be streamlined thereby putting into practice an effective and efficient HR process.
EMPTrust can help you with your on-boarding process! Our EMP-Board enables you to electronically fill out forms, manage employee/employer tasks as well as track task completion.
Disclaimer: The content of this post does not constitute direct legal advice and is designed for informational purposes only. Any issues regarding compliance and obligations under United States or International laws or regulations should be addressed through your legal department or outside counsel.
