Employee onboarding, which is supposed to be a process to help a new hire smoothly enter an organization, has been reduced to mere paperwork and formality by most organizations.
However, treating onboarding like just another step of a process is a huge missed opportunity.
It is the time for the employee’s first impressions of the organization, where they learn about the operations, fit themselves in, and start identifying themselves as a part of the team.
Though they are likely to be at their peak productivity during onboarding, it can be intimidating for most new hires.
Imagine a student going to a new school for the first time. It can feel just as overwhelming on day one of joining a new organization.
Because it’s a member who will be working for your team now, it is your responsibility to make them comfortable and ensure a smooth onboarding process.
With the help of onboarding tools like Qualtrics employeeXM and a little planning, the onboarding experience of your new hires can improve to be more than a checklist of paperwork, rules and regulations review, and more.
The right tools can help you create an onboarding experience that makes new hires feel comfortable and motivated to put their best foot forward from day one.
Having said that, just having the right tools is not nearly enough. Thankfully, the quality of the process is entirely in your hands.
In this article, we will discuss tips that will help you improve your onboarding experience in ways that go beyond the simple use of amazing tools.
The following are a few ways you can improve your onboarding process to give your employees a better experience.
Stay In Touch Before The First Day
The usual flow in organizations does not involve engaging with new hires during the contract signing and the starting date.
But the risk of losing the employee to another organization during this period is high. If you do not maintain communication with them, they might feel lost and disengaged and be open to accepting offers from other organizations.
Thus, it is important to stay in touch till the first day of work. During this waiting period, you can send them check-ins, get any more details you might need from them, have some paperwork done, and answer all their queries.
Have Managers Engage With New Hires
It goes without saying that the manager plays a huge role in facilitating the successful onboarding of the new hire.
The manager can be supportive and help the new employee adjust well to the organization’s operations.
Ask your manager to introduce the employee to their responsibilities, team goals, and key performance metrics, and answer any doubts they might have.
It is a good idea to schedule regular meetings between the new hires and the manager that allow feedback and check-in sessions. Your employees will be working primarily with the manager.
Hence, when their frequency is set well from day one, it will support the employee and the manager in handling work effectively and carrying out efficient two-way communication.
Get Teams Across The Organization Involved
You do not want just the HR and manager in line to interact with the new employee. Get colleagues across the organization involved in the process.
Ask seniors, juniors, and colleagues to invest time and energy in meeting and greeting new hires.
They can make the new ones feel more comfortable, welcomed, and adjusted while explaining to them how their role will add value to the organization’s bigger picture.
This might need a few reminders and scheduling, but a work culture that promotes happy employees who do not mind sharing a part of their work time to greet their colleagues helps in this case. Offer a collaborative culture in the office to build this approach.
Automate The Process
By automating processes that do not necessarily need others to be involved, like paperwork and documents, you can take care of the productivity of everyone involved.
This will quicken the onboarding process but not overwhelm the new employees.
You will be able to focus better on creating a better experience for the employees overall than spending time chasing after them to complete the official paperwork.
Conclusion
Do not make employee onboarding a complicated and stressful event. It is a process that should be easy and flowing for both new and old employees.
By implementing the tips discussed above, you can improve your employee onboarding experience and their future performance at their job.