Onboarding

Welcome to our discussion about the importance of onboarding.?

I’ve been talking to a few companies recently about how they onboard new starters, after one of my candidates had a really poor onboarding experience. I was quite shocked how some businesses don’t do it very well (if at all). Without decent onboarding the whole recruitment process can fall flat on its face at the final hurdle. So I decided I’d put my thoughts down in this article about how to do it right. Enjoy.

As a mum myself, I understand the feelings of dread and panic when dropping your child off for their first day at nursery or school. This experience, for both parents and children, can be just like the onboarding process. Think of it like the first day at a new school – scary and intimidating yet potentially exciting and rewarding.

Onboarding sets the tone for new starters about you the employer. Done well, it ensures they have everything they need, and helps them successfully navigate their way through this new environment. Done poorly they might feel lost and alone, and this ultimately this reflects on you, the employer.

So how can you get it right? Here are my tips to make new hires feel settled and engaged from day one:

?Before their start date, it's important to maintain communication, so they feel welcomed. Sending a friendly email or making a call, or even sending a small welcome package, can show that you really care.

On their first day, make sure they have all the necessary kit and documents. Arrange introductory sessions with their core team and other important departments, to help them understand how their role fits into the broader team and company.

Assign them a buddy who can provide support and guidance as they settle in. Having someone to turn to can really assist their transition.

Make learning enjoyable by avoiding overwhelming them with information. Give them essential details in manageable chunks and direct them to helpful resources.

Encourage social interaction by facilitating informal get-togethers with colleagues, whether it's over lunch or through digital meetings.

Set clear expectations by being transparent about what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. Regular feedback ensures everyone is aligned.

Keep open lines of communication and get their feedback on the onboarding process. This empowers them and helps identify any issues early on, allowing for improvements to be made.

By doing this you should have happy employees from day one. Remember – recruiting is expensive so don’t waste all that money (and time) by having a rubbish or non existent onboarding process :)

?