Though you may have created an effective strategy for finding the top talent to work for your organization, no employee comes into work on the first day knowing what to do.
It is the responsibility of your human resources staff, training directors and management to get each new hire up to speed. From signing employment contracts and acknowledging company policies and procedures to learning the basics of how to operate equipment and work on assignments, there’s a lot they need to know before they’re ready to collaborate with the rest of your team.
Onboarding Process
Many companies have evolved from simple orientations to onboarding. This is the process of getting new hires acclimated with the company and their positions. Often, the human resource department collaborates with training directors and department managers to develop a plan with the hopes of accelerating the knowledge of new hires to enhance their productivity once integrated into their positions.
Tips for a Successful Onboarding for New Hires
The more prepared your new hires are for their positions the more productive they can be. To create a successful onboarding plan, consider these tips below:
Send What You Can in Advance
There’s a lot of new hire paperwork that needs to be completed before they can begin working with your organization. You can make things easier for your new hires by sending what you can in advance. Once they have accepted your offer, you can send them the new hire paperwork via email or through traditional mail and request that it be filled out and brought with them on the first day. This not only saves them time, but allows them the opportunity to gather any important documents they’ll need like a driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate, college degree, and whatever else is needed to complete the employment paperwork.
Use Print Materials
New hires have to remember a significant amount of information. That on top of the nervousness they’re experiencing, the odds of them retaining it all are very slim. To ensure that the information provided to them on their first day sticks, print materials should be used. Having pamphlets, PowerPoint presentations, employee handbooks, company policies and procedures, and even equipment manuals to use throughout the onboarding process (and in the beginning stages of their employment) provides a tangible reference they can go back to whenever they need. You can utilize technical writing software to create such materials for use.
Make Them Feel Welcomed
No matter who you are and how good you are at what you do, the first day at a new job is going to make you feel a bit uneasy. New hires need to feel welcomed from the moment they walk in the door. This helps to break the ice and calm their nerves. Have some light refreshments with coffee and tea in the breakroom for everyone to indulge in, get everyone a new gift like a company pen, calendar, or other promotional product, or have the existing employees come in and introduce themselves during a company tour.
Use Different Training Methods During Sessions
Everyone doesn’t learn the same way. While some new hires might pick up on everything just from reading manuals and pamphlets, others might need some hands-on experience or retain more with computer simulations and online courses.
To ensure that everyone succeeds, it is highly recommended that you utilize various training methods during the onboarding sessions. You can have someone speak or provide a lecture for the first session, then have an interactive computer simulation for the next session, and perhaps some in-person demonstrations or practice assignments in another.
Include Mentors or “Buddies”
In the first few weeks on the job new hires have to transfer the information they’ve learned into action in the workplace. This can be very intimidating and confusing at times. Providing each new hire with a mentor or “buddy” in the office that they can turn to for assistance can help make the onboarding process a success. They should be some of your top employees and managers who you know will provide them with the right advice and guide new hires in the right direction.
Increasing your workforce can mean great things for your business. It can improve productivity, workplace morale, customer service, and sales. The only way this happens, however, is if you first hire the right people, then provide them with the best foundation to start making a positive difference within your organization. An onboarding process is a great place to start. So, utilize the above-mentioned tips and resources to get your new hires ready to win.
