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6 ELEMENTS OF A Successful Employee Onboarding Process
konvertapp.com Table Of Contents
INTRODUCTION About Employee Onboarding PAGE 3
CHAPTER 1 Preboarding PAGE 6
CHAPTER 2 Create a Great First Day PAGE 9
CHAPTER 3 Implement a Mentor System PAGE 12
CHAPTER 4 Make Goals, Check in and Plan for the Future PAGE 14 Milestone Goals Template PAGE 17
CHAPTER 5 Make Training Memorable PAGE 18
CHAPTER 6 Get Feedback PAGE 21 Orientation Survey PAGE 23
Onboarding Follow-up Survey PAGE 24
CHAPTER 7 Final Thoughts About Employee Onboarding PAGE 25
2 About Employee Onboarding
Unfortunately, there’s no formula that guarantees your new hire will turn into a happy, satisfied, long-term employee. % If there was, you wouldn’t read statistics like these: LEAVE IN THE 1 20 2 • 4% Never return after day one on the job FIRST 45 DAYS
• 20% Leave in the first 45 days2
• 33% Look for a new job within the first six months3
• 23% Leave before their first anniversary on the job4
And finding a replacement for your new hire can be expensive
• 100% - 300% Organizational cost of the replaced employee’s salary3
But you can improve the odds by developing and implementing a new hire onboarding process.
1 hrmorning.com 2 blog.octanner.com 3 hbr.org 4 hriq.allied.com
3 When new employees are engaged in an onboarding process—a structured process that familiarizes a new employee with their job, their coworkers and their company—there can be significant positive results, such as:
• 20% Increase in manager satisfaction5
• 50% Greater new hire productivity5
• 58% Retention of employees after three years6
ONBOARDING ISN’T ORIENTATION
Unfortunately, employers often confuse “onboarding” with “orientation.” Orientation is an event, something that happens during the first day or two on the job for a new hire. But onboarding is a process which aligns an employee with the organization’s culture, brand and business objectives. Onboarding is a
process which aligns an employee with the A well-managed onboarding program begins the moment an organization’s culture, offer is extended and ends when the new hire is classified as a brand and business fully functioning employee. In many cases, it can take eight to 12 objectives. months. That may seem like a long time, but when you consider that an effective onboarding process can pay off in successful, long-term employees, it’s well worth the time and energy you’ll invest.
5 urbanbound.com 6 contractrecruiter.com
4 No two organizations are alike, and your onboarding process should be tailored to reflect your business and fit your needs. However, there are six elements you should focus on to make your program successful:
#1 Preboarding
#2 Create a Great First Day
#3 Implement a Mentor System
#4 Make Goals, Check in and Plan for the Future
#5 Make Training Memorable
#6 Get Feedback
In the following pages, we’ll take a closer look at each one of these elements.
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CHAPTER 1 Preboarding
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Your new hire is excited about working for you, so make the most of their enthusiasm by giving them the basics before their first day on the job.
Many employers have a preboarding plan as part of their onboarding process. They’ll send new hires an information packet that includes everything the employee should know when they start. The packet may contain basic forms and business information, but some employers go beyond the basics to include good-to-know information as well as the need-to-know variety.
PREBOARDING PACKAGE CONTENTS
NEED TO KNOW
• Company hours
• Office location
• Manager name/contact info
• Parking information
• Employee forms
• What to bring on the first day (driver’s license, Social Security card, bank info, etc.)
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GOOD TO KNOW (especially useful for relocating employees)
• Answers to FAQs
• Lunch hotspots PRO TIP: The new hire’s manager • Traffic patterns & road construction updates could contact the • Favorite medical providers (as suggested by the staff) employee the night before their first • Names/pics of those on your team day on the job for a • Company history/press clippings memorable, personal “pre-welcome” to • Company social channels the company.
SPECIAL EXTRAS
• Gift card to the favorite coffee house
• Company swag
PRO TIP: The new hire’s manager could contact the
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CHAPTER 2 Create A Great First Day
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The first question your new employee will probably hear as soon as they return home is, “How was your first day?”
Establishing the right tone on the first day sends the right message to your new hire—we’re organized, we’re efficient and we’re invested in your success.
SET THE STAGE
The first way to set that tone is to have their desk, supplies and all reference material they may need ready to go. Here’s a quick checklist of the basic first-day necessities: Working computer and monitor are up and running Business portal (intranet) log-in information Email and instant messaging systems are set up Working phone with instructions on how to use it (there’s nothing like learning a new phone system to generate confusion and frustration in any employee at any level) Access to an employee directory Instructions on how to find files on the company server or within the Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform Plenty of office supplies
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ORGANIZE THE AGENDA
Don’t dull-down day one by making new hires spend their time reading employee manuals and company files. Keep the positive momentum going by setting up a well-planned agenda that introduces the them to their job, their company and their coworkers. Have it ready on their desk when they come in.
Don’t forget to remind the staff that a new employee will be joining you, and encourage them to stop by and introduce themselves.
SAMPLE FIRST-DAY AGENDA
8 a.m. Meet your manager and settle in your office space
9 a.m. Team welcome
10 a.m. Learn about the company (presentation and video)
11 a.m. Office tour
Noon New hire lunch
1 p.m. Get comfortable with your tech
2 p.m. Q&A with top management
3 p.m. HR tasks
4 p.m. Wrap up – establish goals for the first week/month
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CHAPTER 3 Implement A Mentor System
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Despite its name, the workplace isn’t just a place where we work—it’s a place where we socialize, develop team relationships and form support networks. In fact, our work colleagues often become a family away PRO TIP: Check from home. in with new hire mentors as well as Connecting your new hire with a seasoned office mentor will help your new hires. They smooth out and speed up their onboarding process. The best mentors can provide valuable will not only be a go-to person who can give help with job-related insight on how your questions and ideas, but they can also acquaint them with other new employee is colleagues and area hot spots. feeling about—and functioning in—their Mentoring, of course, helps the new hire navigate their new job. But position. it also has important benefits for your organization. New hires who have a mentor’s support are much more likely to become a long-term employee.
THE CHANGING LOOK OF MENTORSHIP
You may think of a mentorship as a match between a senior leader and A 2016 Deloitte an entry-level associate. But as the look of the workplace has changed, Millennial Survey found so has the look of mentorship programs. that those intending
New types of mentorships such as co-mentoring, group mentoring to stay with their and reverse mentoring are starting to emerge. In particular, reverse organization for more mentoring—where older executives are mentored by younger than five years are twice employees on topics like technology, social media and current as likely to have a mentor trends—is becoming increasingly popular. This trend pays off with (68%), than not (32%). double benefits: Executives can stay on top of popular trends, while younger employees feel connected and invested because they are personally contributing to the improvement of their company.
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CHAPTER 4 Make Goals, Check In And Plan For The Future
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lpreviously mentioned, onboarding is a process, not an event. And a solid process requires an equally solid plan.
Establish clear goals for their first week, month, quarter and year. Routinely evaluate those goals as the new hire progresses to make sure they’re both relevant and achievable. Goals, like timetables, should be adjustable so they can fit the needs of both the organization and the new employee.
WEEKLY CHECK-INS
Some companies rely on the 90-day review to formally check in with the new employee. But with a high new hire turnover rate being a problem for many firms, more frequent check ins are recommended. It’s a great way to eliminate any confusion and ensure you’re on the same page. Consider informal weekly one-on-ones, just to touch base and get an update on how your employee is settling into the Goals, like timetables, new role and routine. should be adjustable so they can fit the needs of both the organization SAMPLE CHECK-IN QUESTIONS and the new employee. 1. How’s it going? (You’ve got to start somewhere, right?)
2. Is it what you expected? Why or why not?
3. Do you have everything you need?
4. What’s working for you? What isn’t?
5. What’s the best part of the job?
6. Has anything surprised you?
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7. What do you wish you understood better?
8. How do you feel about your team and coworkers?
9. Do you feel “out of the loop” about anything?
10. Is there anything about the job or the company that’s still unclear?
11. Is there anything that you feel we should have provided that we didn’t?
12. Has your training been helpful? Should we add or change anything?
13. Is there anything I can do to make your transition easier?
MILESTONE MEETINGS
Use 30-day, 90-day and annual meetings to review the goals you established and assess progress your new hire has made. Remember, though, that goals can and should be adjusted as tasks change. On the following page, you’ll find a template you can use to note goals and deadlines and review the results.
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MILESTONE GOALS
Employee Name:
Manager’s Name:
Date Submitted:
30-DAY GOALS
What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it? Review of what was achieved:
90-DAY GOALS
What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it? Review of what was achieved:
FIRST-YEAR GOALS
What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it? Review of what was achieved:
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS
What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it? Review of what was achieved:
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CHAPTER 5 Make Training Memorable
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What’s the best way to know if your new hire training program is effective? Go through the process yourself! Read the manuals, watch the videos, take the exams—whatever your training process entails, make sure you have personally experienced all facets of it presenting the process to new hires.
STOCK THEIR TRAINING TOOLBOX
Equip new employees with an information packet that shows the process flow, procedure notes or whatever other reminders you think would be helpful to them. Providing your new employee with this information packet will allow them to study during their off hours. Plus, it gives them a resource to check before they ask you for clarification.
SET AN ACHIEVABLE PACE Start training off slowly and be flexible. When Start training off slowly and be flexible. When you overwhelm a you overwhelm a new new employee, you make it harder for them to retain information. employee, you make Different people have their own thresholds for how much it harder for them to information they can absorb. Touch base frequently during the retain information. training process to see if they can handle the pace. If they seem overwhelmed, slow the process down. But if they aren’t having trouble with the training pace, don’t force them to work below their talents longer than necessary.
If new employees are expected to complete formal training, consider implementing a Learning Management System (LMS). An LMS is a digital learning platform which organizes training materials and
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guides employees through a self-study process. With an LMS, you can be sure that your new hire has access to all the training information and materials they need, and that training can be done at a convenient time. If the LMS includes a monitoring function, it can also enable their supervisor and human resources manager to be updated on progress and performance.
THEN LET THEM TAKE THE REINS PRO TIP: Don’t forget to train on Once the new hire is comfortable with what they’ve learned, company values, challenge them. Present them with achievable tasks and vision and goals. responsibilities, and let them run with it. Many people learn better Introducing this by doing than by listening or taking notes. Generally, new employees information early like to be busy, and this is the best way to make a new person in the onboarding comfortable with your company’s processes and their colleagues. process is a great way to help One final note: Be available, but don’t hover. A little trust can go a establish the right long way toward a satisfied employee. kind of attitude and culture.
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CHAPTER 6 Get Feedback
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Some employers wait until the first formal review to get feedback from new hires. But considering the high rate of new hire turnover, they could be missing out on valuable information by waiting that long.
Even if your organization has an open-door policy, employees— especially new hires—may hesitate to use it. They may feel unsure if their input is relevant since they haven’t been at the company long, or they may feel like they “don’t want to make waves.” In any case, don’t count on them coming to you with input. Make it a point to ask for feedback, both early in the onboarding process and later on, perhaps during a 30- or 90-day check in.
Feedback of any type can be valuable during onboarding and beyond. Make it a point to ask for But for measurable results, consider creating a survey. Following feedback, both early in are sample survey questions: The first set covers their orientation the onboarding process (given one to two weeks after hire), while the other focuses on their and later on, perhaps onboarding experience (given 30 or 90 days after hire). during a 30- or 90-day check in.
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ORIENTATION SURVEY 1 2 3 4 5 Agree Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Disagree Agree Disagree
My new hire orientation was engaging and useful
My orientation process was appropriate in length
I have a good understanding of our company and its departments
My new hire orientation was engaging and useful
I have good understanding of our company’s products/ services
I know how to use the business portal (intranet)
I know how to use and manage digital files and media
My interactions with coworkers met my expectations
The orientation accurately reflected the company culture and values
I am likely to recommend this orientation experience to others
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ONBOARDING FOLLOW-UP SURVEY 1 2 3 4 5 Agree Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Disagree Agree Disagree
I had the resources I needed to quickly get up to speed
My manager worked with me to define expectations and set goals
I feel the goals my manager and I set are achievable and relevant My team helped me establish relationships and achieve my goals
I feel that I made the right decision in joining this organization
I would recommend this onboarding experience to future new employees
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CHAPTER 7 Final Thoughts On Employee Onboarding
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The most important concept to remember about new hire onboarding is that it’s a process, not an event. It should unfold over the course of weeks or months, and it should change with the needs of your employees, your organization and the feedback you receive.
If your onboarding process is well planned and well executed, it can lead to better informed employees who are trained and comfortable in their position. But more than that, it can help create satisfied employees who are looking forward to a long-term relationship with your business. And that makes employee onboarding a business investment with great returns.
If your onboarding process is well planned and well executed, it can lead to better informed employees who are trained and comfortable in their position.
26 About KONVERT
KONVERT™ is a subscription-based, single-source SaaS solution for businesses’ digital data needs. Our specialties include Digital Asset Management (DAM), Learning Management System (LMS), Consultative Sales Apps, Business Portals (intranet) and custom digital TV. KONVERT is professional problem solver that helps organizations streamline, manage, store and share their digital data.
Contact KONVERT today. We can solve problems you never even knew you had. konvertapp.com
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