Onboarding runs the gamut of actions aimed at the easy and quick entry of new employees to a company. Successfully conducted onboarding should start long before the first day of work.
Think about the way you welcome new hires. Let’s feel how huge the impact on how the company is perceived by future employees. Therefore, it is good practice to start communicating with newcomers even before they arrive on the first day of their work. Now, it is widely known that a well-organized onboarding process is the finest way to invite, and what is even more important retain, a new member of your staff.
Onboarding before the first day
Onboarding in a company does not start when a new person comes into their workplace. Properly conducted onboarding should start when a candidate accepts a job offer. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure proper communication.
Communication should be about telling the candidate what their first day or week will be like. Send an e-mail message a few days before starting a job. Include their basic information: office headquarters, what time onboarding starts, how all training is planned and how to contact the HR department in case of any questions. Thanks to this, new employees will feel more confident from the very first moments in the company and it will be easier for them to minimize stress and pressure on the first days of work.
Before the first day of work, you should also take care of more basic and formal issues such as the preparation of documents, a workstation, and equipment. These seemingly obvious elements are sometimes organized at the last minute. The new employee in the company feels even more stressed on the first day when it turns out that there is no desk prepared. During this time it is also necessary to set an electronic mailbox, allocate access to company platforms, prepare workplace and basic equipment such as computer, desk, phone.
The HR role in an onboarding process
Starting a new job is a time for learning and undoubtedly the most stressful period for an employee on a new career path. The role of a Buddy, who breaks the employee in their duties at work. As well as the role of an HR staff, that is responsible for the entire adaptation program, cannot be underestimated. On the first day, you should to organized an induction meeting with an HR representative, when the new employee will learn the most important information about the company:
– Culture and values
– Company structure
– Company customs, such as dress code or internal communication
– Information about company initiatives, programs, and standards
– Personnel information and benefits
Prepare a nice touch. It can also be a welcome pack handed over to a new employee. Give a few company gadgets that will make the employee’s first day more pleasant. Make them feel part of the company culture faster.
It is useful to create a To-do List – a detailed plan of activities that the new employee should do during the first week so the new person does not feel confused or does not forget about important steps of the process.
It is also a good practice to show the employee around the company, indicate all the important rooms, kitchen, and workplace. This can be connected with introducing the new person to the rest of the team.
This role does not end on the first day of work. The door to the HR office should always be open for all employees.
Good practices
1. Send an email that invites you to the first day of work. A short message that will certainly dispel any doubts about the first day of work.
2. Take care of a proper induction course. Before the start of onboarding, you should make sure that everything will be in line with a plan or maybe there will be any changes?
3. Prepare a workstation – it should never happen that an employee has no workplace. Equipment is a must-have!
4. Prepare a welcome pack – every company wants to stand out and arouse a sense of identity around employees. A mug, a pen, a notebook, and a bag with the company’s logo is a small gesture that can make a good impression on a new employee.
5. Assign a Buddy – a helpful hand, a person who can be asked about everything. The Buddy is a new person’s guardian, who will move a hire to duties and customs, introduce others, talk about processes and give expert advice. All of this is done so that how you help the employee can get involved with the environment.
6. Create a To-Do-List
To sum up
A well-prepared onboarding process, clear and informative, and a ready-to-help team make people who join the organization quickly acclimate to a new role and environment. That is why it is always worthwhile to prepare yourself properly for welcoming new people on board. However, remember – the onboarding starts before the first day and does not end after the first day! Market research shows, that onboarding can last even 6 months. During this period new employees build their experiences, opinions, and general feeling about whether they would like to continue the relationship with an employer, or not.
