How do new employees fit in with the team? How are they introduced to their colleagues and to their job roles?
Considering that almost 33%¹ of new hires search for a different job within the first six months, onboarding is now more relevant than ever.
Onboarding Process Meaning: Keeping it Simple
A structured onboarding program is essential for your company because new employees will be 58% more likely to stay with the company even after three years. The onboarding concept is not new, but many companies are yet to adopt the onboarding best practices 2023.
Statistics suggest that over 35% of companies still do not have a formal onboarding program.
Onboarding process definition:
Onboarding helps new hires adjust to their new jobs smoothly by teaching them new skills and increasing their social engagement.
To support new employees, you need a combination of formal onboarding processes and informal onboarding activities.
Research by Sapling finds that new hires usually complete more than 50 activities in their onboarding period. These activities help them know the company culture, enhance their market knowledge and understand their roles better.
The onboarding definition revolves around getting a recruit accustomed to the workplace and culture. The process of onboarding starts with a job offer and generally ends with work raining.
In simple words, onboarding helps employees gauge their role and responsibilities in the organization. It also helps them get familiar with the rest of the team and encourages future collaboration.
Onboarding vs. Orientation
Are onboarding and orientation the same thing?
Onboarding is the process of getting a hire familiar with the new organization. It happens in several steps like salary negotiation, job training, and team introductions.
On the other hand, orientation is a one-time event to welcome new employees to your company. It is a part of the onboarding process for most organizations.
What is the best employee onboarding process?
The best employee onboarding process for your company will depend on the available resources and your training methods. Letting employees know the employment perks is a good beginning, but you need to ensure they fit in their role – and that’s what employee onboarding is all about.
What is the onboarding process for new hires?
1. Recruiting
The onboarding process begins right at the time of recruitment. Be completely transparent during the interview as to your expectations from the new hire. Inspire them by talking about the opportunities you have to offer and show appreciation for their interest at the same time.
2. Acceptance and Paperwork
Personalize your offer letter so that selected candidates feel that you are directly talking to them. Express your happiness at hiring them and detail the job responsibilities. Once the offer is finalized, you can send them the necessary paperwork.
3. Onboarding before the first day
Maintain communication with your new employee instead of waiting for them to come in for their first day. Talk to them about what they should expect and ask them about their career ambitions.
Be as encouraging and helpful as possible so that they know that you are willing to help them build their career. Encourage people in the office to welcome the new employees by virtual means.
4. The first day
Take the responsibility of making the first day as enjoyable as possible for the new employee. Go out of your way to engage with them and encourage other team members to be welcoming. Outlining their role within the team will help them understand how they fit in, and the other team members will be able to adjust quickly.
5. First month
Many companies still don’t assign new employees milestones or goals, but that’s not the right approach.
The onboarding process should continue for at least three months to ensure that new employees can adjust to their roles. Keep in touch with them and let them update you about their progress.
Assign a fixed schedule for them to follow so they know that they are contributing to the company. Signing them up for necessary training is a good idea.
Short-term goals help them feel accomplished and increase their confidence.
Onboarding best practices checklist
If you want to implement onboarding best practices 2023, you should create an easy-to-follow onboarding best practices checklist.
1. Be excited and prompt
New hires want to feel that the company wants them and their skills. Experiencing delays during the onboarding process can discourage them and give them the wrong impression. Prepare the security logins, access keys, and hardware setup from beforehand.
2. Complete the paperwork before the first day
Paperwork can be the most boring part of the onboarding process. Finishing all the key paperwork before the first day of work will allow the new hires more time to understand their responsibilities. Once the paperwork is complete, you can continue with more engaging activities.
3. Everyone should be involved
While the Human Resources department handles most onboarding responsibilities, all the teams and departments should be involved in the process. Including managers in the onboarding process will ensure that they also follow onboarding practices.
4. Assign a companion
Having a peer buddy allows new hires to get comfortable in the new office. They can place all their queries without hesitation and develop a friendly rapport in the process. A companion can also take the new employee around the office and do preliminary introductions.
HCI finds that 87% of organizations have benefitted from introducing a buddy program during onboarding. However, only 47% of organizations actually include this practice.
5. Enforce your workplace culture
Establishing a meaningful bond with your new employees is the first step to successful onboarding. Share with them the core values of your company so they can understand the workplace culture. New employees are more likely to stay in the company if they have an emotional connection to their workplace.
6. Introduce a feedback program
New employees should feel comfortable giving you feedback about their experience in the company. Catch up with them from time to time and be as friendly as possible. Make it clear that you are here to help, and there is nothing to fear. This way, you will be able to address all problems at the root.
7. Consistent audio-video training materials
Studies prove that individuals tend to retain knowledge more effectively when they use visual learning resources. Combine all your training materials and share them with the new employees via the cloud to continue learning outside the workplace.
Tips for onboarding
- If you are unsure how to support the new employee fully, you can have a conversation with their team leader to understand what they could need for a regular workday.
- It is important to be warm and appreciative during the onboarding process. Personalize your interactions at every step.
- Having an excellent onboarding process will enhance your brand as an employer and improve your reputation. Make your employees feel appreciated from their first day.
- Introduce the new hires to the company’s senior members to reduce the barriers and create a positive workplace culture.
- After a few months, share company results with the new employees so they can evaluate their performance.
How Long does Onboarding Take for New Employees?
An onboarding program can take a few months to a full year. According to SHRM, a longer onboarding period can have a positive impact on employee retention. As a result, experts suggest an onboarding program lasts at least three months.
Additionally, the position and nature of responsibilities will also determine the length of onboarding. You need to provide full job training to your employees before your onboarding program ends.
Moreover, your recruits should be able to manage the training and work productively. As a result, you may need to serve your content in incremental steps to suit different learning speeds.
Generally, your employees will need 3 to 6 months to get comfortable with their role and work confidently.
Summary
Introducing innovative training techniques and adding a personal touch will improve your onboarding process. Once you make an onboarding best practices checklist, you will be good to go. Implementing the best onboarding practices will increase your employee retention and enhance your reputation as an excellent employer.
Our aim at Bites is to simplify your onboarding method. To do that, you can compile interactive training material in video format with just a few clicks.
You can record your own snippets or convert PPTs to video. Or, create playlists and share them in your custom channel to ensure standardized onboarding. The analytics dashboard will help you monitor employee progress.
¹https://hbr.org/2015/03/technology-can-save-onboarding-from-itself