Congratulations! You found the perfect person for the job. What’s the next step? Retaining talent and new employees is just as important as the job itself. After taking the effort to review resumes, interview and put out offers, you want to keep this new hire and get them smoothly integrated with the rest of your team. A proper onboarding process provides a foundation to help new employees succeed in their new roles while ensuring they feel welcomed to the team. It has been shown that a well-designed orientation is key in increasing employee retention rates and employee engagement.
The first six months are crucial when it comes to onboarding a new employee. It can be expensive if an employee chooses to leave within those first few months.
This year, make it a goal to update your orientation or if you don’t have one already, create an onboarding plan that spans at least six months.
Here 7 important things to include when onboarding new employees to your team:
1) Outline responsibilities when onboarding new employees
Make sure you are clear on what your new hire’s responsibilities are. Most new employees will have a general idea of their initial role through the job description and application you posted but it is still important to go over what their position looks like now that they’ve joined the team. Provide your new team members with details on their responsibilities, projects they will be taking on, and the steps needed to get this all done. Don’t forget to introduce them to the employees they will be working with, especially if they report to a manager. It helps new hires get to know their team and feel comfortable asking questions during their first few weeks.
2) Provide extensive training during the first few weeks
Not enough training is one of the reasons new hires choose to leave within the first few months. When onboarding new employees, training is essential to set up new hires for success. It takes time to learn new processes and showing them you care about their development is important. Leaving new hires to learn for themselves can make them feel disengaged. While it is important to onboard new employees quickly, don’t overboard new hires with information. Make training effective by mapping out a plan that involves both HR and managers for the first few weeks and share this with your new hire.
3) Make your new employees feel welcome and accepted
It is hard being the new kid no matter how old you are. Make your new hire feel welcomed and valued. Schedule opportunities for your team to get to know the new employee. Make a team lunch part of the onboarding process or even have members of their team sign a card to be left at their desk on the first day. Little things like this give new employees time to adjust and make introductions easier. Don’t forget to inform your current team of the exciting news before your new hire’s first day so they are ready to welcome them.
4) Provide feedback early on
Provide feedback early on when onboarding new employees. Giving thoughtful feedback and checking in with new employees early in their work lets them know they are heading in the right direction. Employee recognition is one of the best motivators. It is never too early to start recognizing and encouraging employee contributions.
5) Get managers involved with onboarding new employees
Since most employees report to a direct manager or supervisor, it is important to get them involved in the onboarding process. It can be intimidating to approach a manager during the first few weeks so provide time for new hires and managers to get to know each other and establish a relationship. The responsibility of orientation doesn’t solely lie on HR. New employees want to learn expectations directly from the person supervising their work. Managers are just as important to a successful onboarding process.
6) Provide a mentor
Pair up your new hire with a seasoned employee as their buddy and mentor for the first few weeks. It is a great way to help a new employee get settled and involved as soon as possible. This mentor can be a support system and help new hires transition by answering questions. The mentor was once in their shoes and can now share their knowledge without the title of manager or supervisor. By having a “friend” right away, new hires feel welcomed and engaged from the first day.
7) Focus on the important things
Free lunches and office snacks are a nice perk, but it doesn’t replace a proper and effective onboarding process for new employees. New hires want to be successful in their role and learn about the inner workings of the company. Give them the tools to start contributing as soon as possible!
Onboarding new employees properly can make a huge difference in creating a welcoming team environment. Now is the perfect time to take a closer look at how you are currently onboarding and adjust. Ask your employees what they would have liked for their orientation and go from there. Take our guide and find ways to implement these tips right away.
Your new employees will thank you for setting them up for success. Make new hires feel committed and welcomed from day one so you can turn them into seasoned employees in the future.
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