What should a good onboarding process look like?

What is the onboarding process? 

The onboarding process is a process when a new employee is getting familiarized with the company, its organizational structure, culture, and all applicable procedures and rules. It is a time for getting to know co-workers, establishing relationships, and integrating into a new job. 

What can go wrong in this process? It turns out that many things can go wrong. Brandon Hall Group’s research showed that as many as 20% of newly hired employees resign before 45 days. Everyone loses out on this. Employers incur the cost of finding and bringing on another employee. Employees waste time and energy on the “project with no future” that is the wrong employer. It’s also an emotional cost, because no matter how experienced, open-minded, and confident you are in your job, a new workplace is always a stressful environment.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, and thus, on the one hand, minimize the risk of resignation and inadequate training for new responsibilities, and on the other hand, enhance the positive employee experience, it is worth taking care of the onboarding process on four levels.  

1. Pre-onboarding – start the onboarding process before you hire 

The first phase of the onboarding process starts even before you formally hire a new employee. Usually, it takes a few or several weeks from accepting a job offer to the moment of the employee’s appearance in the company. It is worth staying in touch during this period for two reasons. Firstly, to complete the employee documentation. This will allow the employee to focus only on building relationships, implementing new responsibilities, and getting to know the organization during the first days. 

Secondly, a good idea is to maintain a positive attitude towards new employees. By the time they arrive at the new place, they may have doubts or simply be nervous. The solution is to stay in constant contact with them – to be available and answer any questions they may have. 

2. First days at work – have a detailed plan for the onboarding process 

The first days at work are very important. It is worth remembering that acclimatization happens gradually, but the first impression is only one.

Don’t leave new employees alone – take the time to familiarize them with the infrastructure, introduce them to their co-workers and senior management (if it is consistent with the organizational culture), the structure, and any necessary or useful-to-know rules. Involve the new employee’s team in the process – this will allow them to get to know each other. This way, new employees can familiarize themselves with the nature of work and new responsibilities. 

3. Training – personalize the onboarding process plan 

A cliched approach towards onboarding training crammed into a few hours of online presentation is the first step to discouraging a new employee from working in our organization. Training, which is the main element of the onboarding process, should be a part of a company-wide L&D strategy, spread over time, divided into parts, and engaging. Employees familiar with the Learning Management System need to have constant access to the training materials that they can return to when needed. 

4. Taking on a new role 

The final phase is when the new employee has already acquired the necessary knowledge or skills and begins to work independently. At this stage, it is a mistake to leave the employee alone. The role of the immediate supervisor whose task is to set clear goals for the employees, discuss progress, provide feedback, and support them in difficult situations is growing. 

The effective onboarding process is, above all, a process that is spread out over time, well planned, and consistently executed. The best companies assume that it can last a year or even several years. Some even talk about “continuous onboarding” which lasts throughout the entire life cycle of an employee in the organization. Regardless of the approach, if onboarding addresses and meets the needs of the employer and the employee – we can talk about success. 

Read also: How to ensure a positive onboarding experience for a new employee in 5 steps | Workai