5 Tips for Successful Candidate Onboarding

Onboarding is more than just ticking boxes and filling out forms. It’s about making new employees feel welcome, informed, and prepared to hit the ground running. If I had a pound for the amount of times I hear “I need this person to hit the ground running” to find out they are scrabbling around dusting off a machine from the office crypt to work from on day one, I’d probably be minted.

?

A well-structured onboarding process will give you the best chance of ensuring the candidate CAN hit the ground running while decreasing the time it takes to absorb your culture and will improve job satisfaction and retention rates.

?

It’s a really important thing to get right and really is easy to fumble so we’ve included our five essential tips for effective candidate onboarding, along with practical examples on how to implement them.

?

1.??????? Start Before Day One

?

Pre-onboarding is vital for setting the right expectations and alleviating any first-day nerves. It shows new hires that you’re organised and that you are thinking about not only what they are doing but how they are going to do it and who they are going to do it with. It helps them feel like part of the team before they officially start. With notice periods getting longer and the best talent having many options, its crucial you maintain some touch points.

?

How to Implement This:

?

·????? Send a welcome pack: A few days before the start date, send a digital or physical welcome pack that includes an introduction to the team, company values, and an outline of what the first week will look like.

?

·????? Assign a buddy: Introduce the new hire to a buddy or mentor via email or a virtual call. This person can be their go-to contact for any questions and will help ease the transition into the team.

?

·????? Set up technology: Make sure their laptop, email, and software accounts are ready to go. If they’re working remotely, ship any necessary tech equipment to them in advance.

?

There are loads of ways to do this both to take the strain off and smooth out the onboarding but at the very least I recommend having a day one, week 1 and month 1 plan that you can communicate so the candidate knows where to be, who to seek out and what to expect.

?

2.??????? Make the First Day Memorable

?

First impressions are lasting, so it’s essential to make the first day enjoyable. We’ve all been there before sat in an uncomfortable waiting room with people we don’t know coming and going while we’re stuck watching a health and safety video so someone can check a box about some heavy lifting we’re never going to do.

?

Rather than overwhelming them with paperwork or training sessions, find ways to smooth this out or complete digitally or flexibly. The aim here is to create a sense of excitement, purpose and belonging.

?

How to Implement This:

?

·????? Welcome gifts: Some companies can flex their muscles here a bit with branded merch but taking some time to provide a thoughtful gift or a handwritten note from the CEO, whatever suits you culture, but it shows you are thinking of them and want this to be a mutual success - @Tom Green blew this out of the park as during our first conversations together we got chatting about our passion for Brewdog Beer and a surprise box of beer turned up and I still haven’t forgotten about how nice a gesture that was!?

?

·????? Team introduction: Organise a meet the team, socially or inside work, whatever suits your culture with the people they will be working with to help break the ice

?

·????? Tour the offices: Give them a tour of the office, introduce them to the wider team or the back-office staff or, for remote workers, a virtual tour of the company’s digital tools and workflows, I’m still always surprised when I hear candidates

?

?

3.??????? Create a Structured Onboarding Plan

?

Having a detailed, structured plan for the first few weeks helps new employees settle in and know what’s expected of them. This avoids any confusion and ensures they feel productive early on.

?

How to Implement This:

?

·????? Create a 30/60/90-day plan: Define clear objectives and key milestones for the new hire to achieve in their first 30, 60, and 90 days. This can include using certain systems, doing specific tasks, completing training, or meeting key stakeholders.

?

·????? Use project management tools: Integrate their onboarding tasks into your project management software or whatever you use for workflow so both the new hire and their manager can track progress easily

?

·????? Regular check-ins: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with their line manager or mentor to discuss how they’re settling in, address any concerns, and provide feedback. Don’t forget that communication goes both ways, communicate how well they are doing or what the expectation is and refer back to the 30/60/90 day plan regularly – if you’ve done your planning right everyone will be on the same page as to where they are and where they should be and what they are doing next

?

4.??????? Emphasise Company Culture

?

Onboarding isn’t just about learning the job and ticking a few boxes, it’s about helping new employees understand your mission, vision and values, help them to feel like they belong. Fighting off nerves, imposter syndrome and allowing them to feel part of that mission

?

How to Implement This:

?

·????? Organise social activities: it’s a good idea in the first month to set up a social event, team-building activity or virtual hangouts, to help the new hire bond with their team. If you have anything like this in the social or team building calendar already, great that’s a good excuse to get finally get it organised or integrate the new hire, or if that’s not your company culture then a coffee morning, or something less formal but in work time is good too.

?

·????? Share the company story: Include a session that highlights the company’s history, mission, and success stories. This might sound like the corniest suggestion, but it shouldn’t be. ?This is your why, and your new hire should have already bought into this but to hear it from the horse’s mouth is important too.

?

·????? Encourage participation in company initiatives: Get new hires involved in company-wide initiatives early, like charity events, cake sales, sustainability projects or diversity programmes, to give them a sense of purpose.

?

5.??????? Offer Continuous Support and Feedback

?

Onboarding doesn’t stop after the first week. It’s essential to continue providing support to ensure new employees thrive in their role. Regular feedback and a strong support network help build confidence and competence.

?

How to Implement This:

?

·????? Schedule ongoing check-ins: I know we’ve already gone through regularly check-ins but it’s crucial to get good two-way communication established right away. Have regular, informal check-ins at a minimum on the first day, first week, first month to see how the new hire is progressing, answer any questions, and offer guidance and set objectives.

?

·????? Provide a mentor: Pair the new hire with a mentor from another department to provide guidance on broader career development beyond their immediate role.

?

·????? Encourage two-way feedback: Not only should you provide feedback on their performance but ask for their input on the onboarding process. This can help you refine and improve your onboarding programme, but also shows that you care about their opinion and what to make improvements.

?

Effective onboarding is crucial for integrating new hires into your company. By starting the process early, providing clear, consistent and regular communication with ongoing support, you will create an environment where new employees can thrive, but it’s a win win as implementing these steps will not only increase retention rates but also accelerate your new team members’ productivity.

?

For more tips or advice on how to navigate your challenges in tech recruitment reach out to me directly or give me a call on 01527 407140 or you can find out a bit more about us here: https://www.sourceco.co.uk/it-recruitment/

?

If you are looking for a new role, or just want some advice, get in touch, or send us a message and we’ll be happy to help.

?

About the author

?

Sam is a technical recruiter and head of the IT division at SourceCo Recruitment with extensive experience in managing end to end recruitment solutions for contract and permanent positions, who can help you get tech roles or find tech staff.

?