Starting a new job is nerve-wrecking for new hires. Often times, employees don't receive badges on time, don't have access to the proper networks and drives and don't understand all the policies of their new workplace. All of this confusion and chaos contributes to the nerves and leaves new employees feeling less than excited about their new gigs.
Human resources departments can ease the transition for new hires by creating an on-boarding process that smoothly prepares the new hire for their new position. Without such a process, new hires simply aren't brought up to speed fast enough, losing precious time that could have been productive.
Here are some best practices for creating an on-boarding process at your company:
1. Create welcome messages.
Make the new employee feel welcome by sending them a kind welcome message after they've accepted your offer. Some companies send videos of key executives welcoming the new hire, while others send handwritten notes. Find a creative way to introduce the hire to key people and show how excited your team is to have the new hire on-board!
2. Pre-board.
If possible, have the new employee complete all on-boarding paperwork online before their first day. There are several great tools to do this--electronic signature and verification tools are very popular now. At RGBSI, we use Echosign to on-board all of our employees electronically. It's quick and easy, allowing the employee to be productive right from the get-go.
3. Track on-boarding tasks.
Use task management tools to ensure that all on-boarding tasks are completed in a timely manner. Many tools offer automated reminders when an employee fails to stay on track. If you can see where they're at in the process at any time, you'll can send reminders and make sure that everything is ready for them on their start date. Check out HIRE for an entire task management and on-boarding tool.
4. Put together an on-boarding package that doesn't include paperwork.
When you're hiring people, it's often helpful to have some type of manual or guidebook to help them transition into their new role. This should be outside of the legalese employee handbook and written in plain English with helpful tips and tricks for the employee. Including an overview of the company, an organizational chart, information about parking, the kitchen, perks, travel, etc. will help your new hire get acclimated.
5. Schedule meetings with key people.
On-boarding doesn't stop on the new employee's first day. Setting up meetings for the new employee with key people. Advise these people to explain their job to the new hire, including how their role interacts with that of the new hire and how they might work together in the future. Consider creating a mentoring or buddy system in which new employees are paired with a seasoned veteran whom they can use as a resource.
When you create an on-boarding experience that is simple, effective and helpful, your new hires will be even more excited to become a part of your team. If your on-boarding experience is slow and disengaging, your new hire will not feel valued and will not be excited to become a productive part of your team. Simple fixes can improve the process dramatically on both sides.
