Onboard your employees step by step

To create an effective onboarding system, you need to put yourself in your employees’ shoes. A good step-by-step onboarding strategy will give your employees the right tools and right guidance they need, ensuring optimal productivity from the start. Let's take a closer look at how the onboarding process for new hires works and how you can organize it.

The different steps:

New employee onboarding process:

Step 1. Sending the offer

Employee onboarding starts as soon as you recruit your employees. Once a candidate is selected after interviews, your business provides them with an offer letter, general policy documents, onboarding forms, and any other paperwork that needs to be handled right away. By taking a clear and transparent approach, you help your employees build trust and feel comfortable in their new work environment.

Step 2. Offer acceptance

After receiving the offer letters, the next step is to have your employees accept the offers. At this stage, your business can schedule a phone call or meeting to review policies, procedures, benefits, etc., that were previously agreed upon. Active response and engagement from your business will improve employee retention and build strong relationships. This is a key step in the employee onboarding process.

Step 3. Waiting period

Often, there is a gap or waiting period between when an employee accepts the offer and when they actually join the company. Even when an employee accepts an offer, it doesn’t guarantee they’ll show up on the start date. During this waiting period, it’s important to build a relationship with the employee. They should feel excited about joining the organization. Therefore, you should plan for the waiting period when designing your onboarding process.

Step 4. First day on the job

The first day is very important for any employee. People are usually excited, happy, and nervous. As an HR manager, your job is to make them feel comfortable and welcome in their new office. This will create a sense of belonging for new hires.

Step 5. Coordination with other departments

When a new employee or key stakeholder starts working in the business, it’s essential to inform the department they’ll be working in and the departments they’ll coordinate with.

Step 6. Training and orientation

When onboarding a new employee, it’s important to give them an overview of the company culture and their role. This is the right time to introduce them to the company’s goals and provide relevant information about the teams. You can even set goals for the employees for the next 30, 60, or 90 days.

Enhance your onboarding

Best practices for developing an onboarding process

1. Prepare your colleagues to welcome the new employee

Welcome your new employee with an announcement, email, or in-person greeting. The announcement should explain the employee’s role, their professional background, and what they’ll be doing in the business. It’s also important to remind other employees to welcome them and help them adapt to their new environment.

2. Make introductions

On the employee’s first day, schedule a meeting with a manager for the onboarding process. This will give them an overview of all office members and how the business operates. It will also help them understand their role and who to contact for specific needs. For key people, an introduction helps them keep track of who’s who and feel more comfortable with the change.

3. Orientation

Be sure to provide your employee with enough training and orientation to get used to their role. The first week should be dedicated to training. Even if the employee has experience in their role, they may need time to unlearn previous processes and adapt to new ones. Orientation is essential. It also gives the employee a chance to get familiar with the business and its culture, and allows them to introduce themselves to the company.

You can even assign a mentor to the employee, making it easier for them to adapt to the business. This also helps them get answers to their questions quickly and easily.

4. Organize a team lunch or activity

Another important best practice for onboarding is to organize a team lunch. This can take place at the office or outside. It helps break the ice and allows the new employee to get to know their colleagues in a relaxed setting. It can even be in the office cafeteria where employees can gather and take time to understand each other. If an employee feels valued and welcomed by the team, they’re more likely to stay loyal to the business.

5. Engagement

Be sure to keep the conversation going with the new employee, even after their first week. They may have questions or face issues, and this can help save valuable time. It’s also good to keep in touch and check in to build a real connection and ensure the employee feels good about their job.

6. Follow-up

A key part of onboarding is following up for feedback at regular intervals. Make sure you have a follow-up system after 30, 60, and 90 days. Even if the employee is doing well, it’s good to communicate and understand their challenges and situation. This helps you learn how to improve your onboarding process and make it more effective. You can even ask what they liked or disliked and adjust accordingly.

A good step-by-step onboarding process shows the time and effort invested. It’s important to take the time to do it right. This will set the tone for the company’s future and the employee’s relationship with the team.