How to Create an Effective Employee Onboarding Process

An employee onboarding process is a system that aims to help new recruits adjust to the performance, social, and cultural aspects of their jobs seamlessly. 

Unless you want your new hires to jump ship within their first few days at the company, you’re going to need to design an effective onboarding process that will set your employees for smooth sailing to success. 

 

Studies show that only 12% of employees agree that the organization they work for effectively onboards new hires. According to reports by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee turnover rates are as high as 50% within the first 18 months of employment.  

Finding the perfect candidate for the position wasn’t easy to begin with. Would you want to lose rockstar employees just because of a weak onboarding process?

Whether it will be taking place virtually or in person, AdCulture is here to supply you with the tips necessary to create an effective employee onboarding process — so the industry unicorns you found will be convinced to stick around.

Virtual Employee Onboarding Tips

Onboarding employees virtually for remote work requires just as much careful planning. Here are our tips to getting it done the right way:

Send a Welcome Email

A welcome email holds so much more power than you can imagine. It gives you and your existing employees the chance to reach out to the new hires to make them truly feel like they’re part of the team. It’s a great way to make employees feel valued and a bit more at ease as they walk down a new career path. 

Plan a Detailed “First Day of Work” Meeting

After the candidate has accepted the job offer and a start date has been set, it’s time to plan a detailed “first day of work” meeting. These are some elements of the employee onboarding process that are important to discuss during the call:

• The company’s history, values, and vision
• Work and behaviour expectations 
• Valuable HR information on insurance, vacation, and sick leaves, etc.
• All the software and platforms necessary for the job
• Ask them if they have any questions, and let them know who they can reach out to if any arise during their first few days of work

Provide a Clear Schedule for the Month  

Not knowing what to expect in the month ahead, especially in a new and unfamiliar work environment, can be confusing and frustrating. 

Providing a clear schedule for the next 30 days will help reduce stress as they adjust to their new workload. Instead of just randomly passing work to them on a daily basis, this strategy can prevent them from feeling too anxious and overwhelmed. 

Prepare All the Necessary Tools

Is their work email setup? How about the accounts for all the software and platforms that will be used? Having these ready to use for your new hires on their first day will help display a sense of organization during the employee onboarding process — which might just encourage them to show the same. 

Assign an Onboarding Buddy

Having a new job is a learning process. And the quickest way to learn is if you have someone you can rely on to answer all your questions. 

Assign a virtual onboarding buddy on the first day so they can learn the ropes much faster. At the same time, this will also give them the opportunity to interact with more members of the team. 

Organize a Virtual Meeting With Members of Their Department

They may be working remotely, but they shouldn’t feel isolated from the rest of the employees. Schedule a virtual meeting with the new hires and all the colleagues they will be working with closely.

This is a chance to break the ice and give them a closer look at the company’s culture. Be sure to make this a good balance between having fun and being productive!

Schedule Check-Ins  

How did they find their first few days of work? Schedule an end-of-day and an end-of-week check-in to find out!

Considering that the employee onboarding process usually lasts around 90 days, try scheduling check-in meetings once a week or every two weeks. Unlike in an office setting, where it’s easier to just drop by their workstation to see how they’re doing, these check-ins are the best way you can effectively monitor and support your new hires. 

In-Person Employee Onboarding Process Tips

The above-mentioned tips are also effective for in-person employee onboarding. In addition to those, here are some other elements you can incorporate into a face-to-face onboarding process: 

Have Their Workspace Ready

An in-office workspace that’s ready for use is one of the best ways to offer a warm welcome to new hires. Provide them with the necessary equipment so they’re more than ready to take on their new job. 

Give Them a Building Tour

Another vital step in the employee onboarding process is the building tour. Familiarize them with the area so they don’t get lost looking for the office kitchen or washroom.

At the same time, this is also a great way for them to meet people from other departments and upper management in a setting that’s calm and casual. 

Schedule a Coffee or Lunch Meeting

When it comes to blending in with the rest of the team, scheduling a coffee or lunch meeting will really help break the ice. If they get along with their colleagues, it will make the workflow so much more efficient and productive. 

Onboard Your Employees for Success

An effective employee onboarding process should make new hires feel excited about their new role at your organization. Designing your company’s system strategically will equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviour so that they can thrive in their new work environment. 

Are you a unicorn in your respective field of work looking to get hired by the company of your dreams? As a top digital advertising recruitment firm, AdCulture is here to get you connected!
Contact our team today to start being equipped with the necessary tips so you can get closer to your career goals.