There are many issues that HR managers deal with daily. However, the most challenging process is bringing employees on board. Although there is an endless demand, the talent pool is progressively getting smaller. It’s more crucial than ever to be successful in your search for the ideal individual, despite the talent shortage. But after locating the perfect candidate, a more difficult task starts.
If the new hire leaves for a greener pasture after spending many hours looking for, locating, interviewing, and recruiting the perfect person, all your hard work will be for naught, and you will have to start over from square one. What happens, for example, if an applicant says yes to your offer, agrees to the notice period and joining date, but then cancels at the last minute? Even if the employees come on board, the training begins and is quite a task. The employee onboarding process helps the new joiner, the HR, and the company. This involves training them, giving them a clear picture of the company, and other aspects.
This article presents a complete picture of the employee onboarding process to be perfected in 2023 and the coming years.
What is the employee onboarding process?
Employee onboarding is the planned, step-by-step process of turning potential candidates into top performers. Companies carefully plan the onboarding process to give new employees the knowledge, connections, and tools they need to feel confident and comfortable enough to do a good job.
The change happens when prospects envision themselves as your company’s employees during the hiring process. Once a candidate accepts an offer and joins the company as an employee, it quickens. It is common to see how employees feel burdened or nervous on the first day. To help in such a situation, the team gives training and offers the right process.
The entire process of onboarding starts from the moment you extend an offer until the person begins to perform their job duties. However, each business may take a different amount of time. Some businesses view onboarding as a one-day process, while others make it last 18 months. But in many places of business, the hiring process starts as soon as a job candidate gets an offer letter. The definition of onboarding includes every procedure during that time, such as the orientation program, the complete schedule of training, and the establishment of performance indicators.
12 Steps to Perfect Your Employee Onboarding Process in 2023
1. Conducting Background Checks
When screening any new employee, it is essential to conduct background checks. Pre-Employment background checks will significantly improve the effectiveness of your onboarding procedure. Employers, irrespective of industry, should do background checks since they are vital. If you are keen on doing the background check, it is best to outsource the work to a third party.
Due to the length of the onboarding process, which can take more than a year, it is almost impossible to come up with a specific agenda, timetable, or template. Instead, use some of these best practices to develop long-term goals and metrics to help you figure out how well onboarding is going.
2. Release the Complete Offer
The process of onboarding new employees begins as soon as you do the background check and find a positive result. The company provides an offer letter, policy documents, onboarding forms, and any other paperwork that needs to be cleared immediately to an employee after they have been chosen through the interview process. Maintaining a straightforward and open communication style can help your staff build trust and feel at ease in their new workplace.
Checklist For Releasing the Offer:
- Make your job description clear.
- Making phone calls can improve communication with the candidate.
- Provide complete details regarding the job profile.
- Salary discussions and offers
- Follow-ups
3. Acceptance of Offer
The next stage is for your potential new joinee to accept the offers after receiving the offer letters. To examine the previously agreed-upon set policies, procedures, benefits, etc., your organization may plan a phone call or a meeting at this point. The responsiveness and engagement of your company will make it more likely that employees will stay with you and help you build trusting relationships with them. In the process of onboarding new employees, this phase is crucial.
4. The Waiting Period
The fact that GIG workers or any potential employee have accepted the offer does not guarantee that they will show up on the scheduled joining day. During the waiting time, the worker can be open to offers from other possible employers. Therefore, for the company, it is vital to develop a strong relationship with the employee. Let the worker know that you value them. Planning the waiting period when creating your staff onboarding procedure is a good idea.
5. The Joining Day
The first day of employment is vital for both the employee and the employer. There is a sense of excitement, joy, and nervousness. Therefore, your HR manager makes them feel at home and welcome in their new workplace. A practical employee onboarding checklist can make HR staff’s jobs easier. Take care of the following things before your joining day:
- Be prepared with the orientation schedule.
- Assign IT resources, including email access
- Handover the office ID for access
- Establish a salary account.
- Assign a mentor or contact person to assist the worker in settling in.
- To motivate the new joinee, give the welcome kit.
6. Giving an Office Glimpse
During the hiring process, it is essential to show a glimpse of your organization. It includes workspace culture, role, and other aspects. Show the candidate the practical space and other aspects of the office.
7. Training and Orientation
During the orientation period, the organization’s culture and business objectives are outlined, helping employees understand the scenario. During this step, new hires learn about the company’s teams, how they work, and the rules that apply to the company. Setting role-based goals and objectives for the upcoming 30–60–90 days is the best way to show new hires what they need to concentrate on.
By giving new employees a skills assessment, employers can find out what they know and what skills they have and then make a training program that fits their needs.
8. Planning a Team Lunch
Planning a team lunch is a crucial best practice for the staff onboarding process. It might happen at work or away from the office. It will facilitate ice-breaking and give the new hire a laid-back setting to get to know their new co-workers. Even in the workplace cafeteria, where staff members assemble and take the time to get to know one another, it can take place. Employees are more likely to stay with the organization if they feel appreciated and welcomed by the team.
9. Create Engagement
Ensure that you remain in contact with the new hire even after their first week on the job. If they encounter issues, they are sure to have several inquiries. Thus, this helps them save time. It’s also a good idea to stay in touch with the employee and check in with them from time to time to build a real relationship and ensure they’re happy in their job.
10. Follow-Up
Follow-up for feedback at regular intervals is a crucial step in the onboarding process. A mechanism for following up after 30, 60, and 90 days should be in place. It’s essential to speak with the employee and comprehend their issues, even if they feel fine. It could be done through a one-on-one session.
11. Co-worker Interactions
It can be hard for a new employee to fit in with other employees. To help your new hires connect with their co-workers and develop feelings of inclusion and belonging, you can do several things, such as:
- There should be planned quick introduction meetings with co-workers.
- Ask a current team member to be your new hire’s mentor or friend.
- Host a team lunch or team-building activity to create a more relaxed, unstructured setting for getting to know one another.
- Send the new employee a welcome video introducing them to their new team before their first day.
12. Conducting Offboarding
Numerous activities make up off-boarding, many geared toward comprehending the employee experience. It is often accomplished by getting input using surveys and exit interviews. Making the most of employee loyalty and retention is one of the objectives of a successful onboarding process. When an employee quits, it’s crucial to figure out why and what could have been done differently throughout the onboarding process to avoid it.
Conclusion
A successful onboarding process should inspire new hires to venture unapologetically into the unknown organizational landscape.
New hires can spend less time buried in paperwork and more time learning about the company’s principles, exploring the workplace, and making new friends if the onboarding process is automated. From doing essential background checks to conducting orientation, employers must be active in onboarding. By consistently working to improve and update your onboarding efforts, you can make sure that you’re efficiently and effectively covering all the pertinent information.
Using these onboarding best practices, you can be sure that every new hire is prepared for the job and will succeed.
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