Best Practices for Onboarding New Employees

Expectations of success are typically based on a corresponding level of preparation, right? Well, tell this to the job market. Nearly 75 percent of companies in the nation say they’re planning to increase hiring over the next year, yet less than half of these companies have onboarding procedures in place for the new hires. Something is not right there. It is consensually advantageous to the employee and employer that the employee becomes quickly and effortlessly well-adjusted to the culture and responsibilities of the new job. Unfortunately, in many cases, the results are less than this ideal. Despite highly intentional and extensive interview processes and assessments of interviewees’ credentials, hiring new employees can be a gamble for any employer. Though you cannot change the aptitude, personality, or work ethic of your new hire, you can set a positive tone for their performance on and assimilation to your professional team. Studies show that one of the best ways to construct this type of positive experience is to have a strong onboarding procedure in place. Intentionality and thoroughness in onboarding will be your best tool in easing your new hire’s transition in. Follow these steps to learn how to implement effective practices in your team’s onboarding protocol.

Facilitate Socialization

Introductions are important! Send an email to your department informing coworkers of the arrival of the new hire. This will allow the new employee to feel welcome and expected. Sometimes feeling comfortable is the only thing a new hire needs to get off to a productive start. Losing an employee to feelings of alienation is indicative of an inefficient or nonexistent onboarding program.

Train for Success

Everything else is extra, this is requisite. The point of onboarding is to prepare your new hire for his or her transition in to your work environment. What is more important for the newbie to learn than their own job? Have a seasoned employee who is well-versed in the new hire’s job responsibilities show them the ropes. This will give the employee a chance to comfortably ask questions and get a firm grasp on what is expected of them. Mentorship is key to employee performance and retention.

Don’t Be Cheap

Invest in you onboarding program. According to the 2012 Allied Workforce Mobility Survey, companies spend almost $11,000 to fill one position. Why spend that much on hiring, and fall short on investing in training? Set aside a budget for onboarding that allow for icebreakers, training tools, mentor compensation, and whatever else you need to prepare your new hire to be productive.

Keep it Current

You’ll want to have a standardized onboarding procedure in place, but it does not have to be based on tired information. Do some research and adjust your program based on new employee trends, or even your own observations of the performance of other new hires. Make sure you set milestones and expectations of the new employee that reflect your company’s present and future goals.

Follow these tips to transform your employees’ new job jitters into confidence and productivity.