Onboarding sets your new hires up for success, but only if you approach it the right way. As an employer that onboards, you need to ensure you’re focused on specific factors.
If you do, you can boost the overall experience, improve knowledge retention, and make sure that incoming employees get the most out of their onboarding time. With that in mind, here are the four most important things to do as an employer that onboards.
1. Go Beyond the Traditional Employee Handbook
Most employee handbooks focus solely on relevant policies. While new hires need awareness of set procedures, requirements, and expectations, adding additional information to the employee handbook is beneficial. Outline your mission and values. Discuss key stakeholders or target customers. Dig into the overall company culture.
Additionally, provide information about their teammates in advance when possible. Short bios with fun facts and an overview of their expertise can familiarize incoming employees with their colleagues, which is beneficial.
You can also provide a new hire FAQ list. Consider what previous employees asked when they initially started. Questions posed by those in similar roles, as well as questions that apply universally to every position, are useful ones to include.
2. Prepare Goals for the First 90 Days
Sharing a list of goals for the new hire’s first 90 days on the job helps clarify expectations. The incoming employee knows precisely what targets they’re working toward and when they’ll reach them. It can also show them when new duties will end up on their plate, allowing them to visualize their progression. Plus, it creates natural talking points for their initial meetings with their manager, making it easier for everyone to get on the same page.
Make sure the goals are attainable. Start with a few quick wins to boost their confidence, then move on to progressively more challenging targets. It’s also wise to point them toward resources as they progress, including knowledge libraries or other employees with expertise they can tap, giving them the tools to succeed.
3. Schedule One-on-One Check-Ins
Starting a new job commonly comes with some anxiety, as well as plenty of questions. Schedule one-on-one meetings between the incoming employee and their manager at logical intervals. During the first week, a 15-minute check-in each day may be wise, allowing the manager to gauge the new hire’s engagement and progress and answer questions.
After the first week, spreading them out could work. You might want two meetings during weeks two and three, followed by weekly meetings throughout the rest of the onboarding process.
4. Facilitate Critical Introductions
New hires aren’t familiar with the majority of the company leaders and key stakeholders beyond what they can learn online or hear through their manager and colleagues. By facilitating critical introductions, incoming employees can put faces to names, learn more about how their role fits into the big picture, and forge crucial connections that may benefit them on the job.
Make sure the new hire can have at least 15 minutes of the person’s time. That ensures they aren’t rushed, allowing them to develop a rapport and gather essential information.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, ensuring your onboarding process covers everything above makes a difference. It allows you to set the incoming employee up for success, all while improving engagement, establishing connections, and setting expectations.
If you want to streamline your onboarding process further by securing the right onboarding technology, Essium can help. Contact us to learn more about how our onboarding solutions can benefit your staffing agency.
