Getting Onboarding Right!

The onboarding process is the first impression new employees have of the organization they are going to be part of, and as we know first impressions are really hard to change. Also, it is known that it represents an important factor in the retention of employees. So, it is crucial that organizations provide their new members with a great experience! 

In order for the onboarding process to be effective new workers must know exactly what is expected of them and be given the support and tools to be successful (ExactHire, 2020). For this to happen, the whole team must be involved in the process since day one and it must be carefully planned so new employees don’t feel overwhelmed by information and tasks (St-Aubin, 2020).

A good onboarding process can be the first step to promote wellbeing in organizations, by creating a culture where people feel valued, supported and empowered. By providing the information and training employees need, ask for their feedback and facilitating cross-company networking, organizations can boost new employees’ confidence, give them a voice and help them build a social and support system (Talmundo, 2019), all which are very important to reduce the stress and anxiety they may be feeling.

Onboarding allows a better integration of employees, and in consequence, their engagement and satisfaction with work, as well as their productivity, improves. Because employees feel that the organization cares about them and is interested in giving them a good experience and support at work, it can have a major impact in their health and wellbeing. Besides, starting a new job or role can be very stressful, because it implies a lot of changes and new challenges.   

The onboarding process is very challenging by itself, so it can be even more difficult when done entirely remotely. A big challenge for employees starting a new job in this situation can be the assimilation of the culture of the company and the creation of an emotional connection with the other workers, because not being at the physical office means there’s no casual encounters at the hall or a break for coffee, important moments to build relationships and to understand tacit knowledge of the organization (Pinto, 2020). In addition, the organization also faces some challenges: it is harder to maintain and pass on the culture of the company, as well as to retain and attract talent.

Here are some steps that will allow you to successfully prepare for new employees, provide them a good experience and make them feel part of the team (St-Aubin, 2020):   

• Take time planning and prepare your team: You should spend some time planning the arrival of your new employees and map out all the necessary details (Deputy, 2020). Also, it may be important to have a meeting with your team to address possible questions, prepare all documentation, and how the new hire functions might affect their responsibilities.

• Help them get organized: Make sure new employees have access to all the tools and documents they need and create a checklist so they can monitor their progress.

• Start onboarding with a check-in: You should meet directly with your team members on their first day, either in person or by videoconference, and explain them the process of onboarding, as well as introduce them to the culture of the organization. Also, it is important to let them know you´re available to answer their questions so they feel supported. 

• Introduce them to the team:  You can set up casual meetings with every member of the team so new employees get to know everyone and start building relationships early, and you can even assign them a buddy so they have someone they can reach out easily whenever they have questions.

• End with a check-out: Finish onboarding by asking them to share their ideas and thoughts, give them space to ask all the questions they may have and set up some defined goals, so expectations are clear. 

• Offer them feedback: Book a feedback session with your new employees at the end of the first week to create a habit of frequent and open feedback. This will allow them to know how they are progressing and to reflect on what went well and what was more difficult to them.

• Ask for feedback: It is important to ask new employees for feedback about the onboarding process in order to continually improve it. It also shows them their opinion matters and promotes a culture of feedback.  

As mentioned before, providing a good remote onboarding experience can be harder, so here are some things to consider: it is essential to increase communication and socialization, by fostering informal moments and check-in regularly, so employees don’t feel abandoned and lost; it could be a good option onboarding new employees in groups, to make the process less intimidating and stressful and to make them feel less isolated; also it is important to provide employees with opportunities for collaborative learning, to build a strong and cohesive team, even when they don’t share the same space (TalentLyft, 2020).

Although adjustments are needed, the important thing is to make sure the process works, not as the same but as successful as it would at the office, so new employees don’t feel isolated and unaccompanied (Pinto, 2020).

References:

ExactHire. (2020, December 3). How is Onboarding Related to Employee Retention?. ExactHire. Available at: https://www.humanresourcestoday.com/2021/onboarding/?open-article-id=15002953&article-title=how-is-onboarding-related-to-employee-retention-&blog-domain=exacthire.com&blog-title=exacthire-hr-trends

St-Aubin, N. (2020, October 9). Remote employee onboarding: the ultimate checklist. Officevive. Available at: https://officevibe.com/blog/onboarding-new-employees

Talmundo (2019, March 29). How onboarding helps HR prevent employee wellbeing disasters. Talmundo. Available at: https://www.talmundo.com/blog/how-onboarding-answers-the-employee-wellbeing-crisis

Deputy. (2020, October 22). What is Onboarding and Why is it Important?. Deputy. Available at: https://www.deputy.com/blog/what-is-onboarding-and-why-is-it-important

Pinto, S. (2020, December 11). Onboarding é fundamental. Mas como conseguir os mesmos resultados, virtualmente?. Sapo. Available at: https://hrportugal.sapo.pt/onboarding-e-fundamental-mas-como-conseguir-os-mesmos-resultados-virtualmente/

TalentLyft. (2020, June 25). 9 Best Practices For Remote Onboarding. TalentLyft. Available at: https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/391/9-best-practices-for-remote-onboarding