In many cases, a company’s onboarding process is the first chance an organization has to make a formal first impression as a workplace. If it doesn’t go smoothly, it doesn’t just harm a new hire’s chances of succeeding; it can cause them to immediately start seeking out opportunities elsewhere.
Ultimately, that’s why avoiding onboarding mistakes is critical. If you want to make sure you’re able to effectively convert new hires into happy, thriving employees, here are five common onboarding mistakes to avoid.
1. Failing to Prepare for Their Arrival in Advance
If an employee arrives on day one only to discover that their login credentials, company email, phone, or other critical tools they’ll need aren’t ready, it generally doesn’t leave the best impression. Without access to the right assets, the odds of the employee having to sit around with nothing to do increase. Plus, it makes the company seem disorganized or ill-prepared, which isn’t ideal.
Instead, try to square away their access, technology, and other needs before their first day. That way, everything they’ll need to do the job is readily available from the beginning.
2. Making Day One All About Paperwork
Few things are duller than having to spend hours on end completing new hire paperwork. This is particularly true when a new hire is in an unfamiliar environment, which can initially make them feel uncomfortable. Since heads-down work can seem further isolating, a day full of paperwork can really harm their first impression of the organization.
The easiest way to avoid this issue is to embrace preboarding. Send any critical paperwork in advance. That allows their first day on the job to focus on more engaging activities, making it more enjoyable.
3. Not Scaling Up Responsibilities and Failing to Discuss Expectations
Onboarding a new hire involves more than paperwork and required safety training. Instead, it should include a metered introduction to their duties coupled with a clear understanding of any expectations along the way.
Managers should create a plan for slowly scaling up the new hire’s responsibilities, allowing them to get comfortable with various tasks before adding more. Additionally, managers should sit down with incoming employees to openly discuss their expectations, creating a clear path for ongoing success.
4. Failing to Prioritize Engagement
If a new job isn’t engaging, the odds that the new hire will stick around diminish significantly. Ideally, any plans regarding their first weeks on the job should be engagement-focused.
Fortunately, there are several ways to make engagement a priority. Select starting duties that help the incoming employee get quick wins. Add an exciting project to the mix early on to keep them intrigued. Create opportunities for light socializing to help them forge connections. Integrate opportunities for interaction into information that’s usually delivered via lecture.
Additionally, engage the employee’s progress along the way. If they’re picking up new responsibilities quickly, speak with them about accelerating the acquisition of new duties. That allows you to adjust the pace as needed to keep engagement high.
5. Not Making Use of HR Technologies
HR technologies allow companies to automate parts of the onboarding process. Along with reducing internal workloads – which can potentially free up more time for direct interactions with the new hire – it often simplifies processes for the incoming employee. As a result, the overall experience is more positive, ensuring the employer makes the best impression possible.
Bottom Line
In the end, having a strong, well-developed onboarding process that’s free of mistakes is essential. By taking the time to get it right, companies make better first impressions. Plus, they’re effectively setting up a new hire for success, increasing the odds that they’ll turn into a happy, engaged, long-term employee.
If you want to streamline your onboarding process and ensure it’s mistake-free, Essium’s technology can help. Contact us to learn more about how our solutions can benefit your staffing agency
