First days are tough. Be it the first day at a new school, college, or a new home; it is always difficult to detach oneself from a routine and the comfort zone that comes with it when one has spent a considerable amount of time at one place.
The first day at a new office is no different. It is accompanied by anticipations and expectations that one has from their new job. There are existing procedures that the newly hired candidate has to align with, forms that need to be filled and introductions that need to be made which only adds to the anxiousness that comes with this new start.
Well begun is half done. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the onboarding process is made as hassle-free and seamless as possible.
However, Proper Onboarding isn’t just about early introductions. Setting aside this opportunity to plan how new hires will be absorbed into your organization will affect their future performance. To help you succeed in retaining and getting the best out of employees you shouldn’t only create a systematic program for onboarding but implement it well. Simply put, we can say that onboarding is the most important process to retain your resources and minimize the cost of rehiring.
So how do you go through the process of transforming your newcomer employee into an asset of the organization? Below is a checklist to ensure that your new hire doesn’t feel lost, and is able to associate with your mission and vision right from day one:
Get your details right!
Begin early. Do your research. Statistics prove that best-in-class companies are 35% more likely to begin onboarding processes before day one. You could send out some forms before the onboarding process formally begins. It also helps you collect important information that facilitates your first face to face communication with the new hire.From remembering their last names to their educational qualifications, the beauty of first interactions lies in these details.
69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great on-boarding
It does not help if the mentors from senior management can not even recall the candidate-turned-hire’s name when they first see him/her. To feel associated with the firm’s ideology and goals, the newly hired employee should feel a sense of belonging and significance right from day one.
Date, Time, and documents
Paperwork is important. The first day is mostly about document submission and completion of forms. It also paves the way for scheduling events for the next few days; which are also centered around the same.
Clarity is the key
Having a clear understanding of which document goes where and when saves the hassle of re-submission or cross check. Including an automated process that instructs your new employee and the respective stakeholder about this process through pre-designed workflows with timely trigger points is a great idea. When the hiring is done at a large scale, and it is not possible to manually track and engage all the new hires, such a system comes in handy. The software can even create calendar invites for critical events and send out reminders to ease the process.
Prep their workstation
Keep a close look at what the employee would need to be of value to the organization from the first day itself. Be it their laptop or record keeping book, make it a priority to have these sorted before the employee is on board. Minimizing delays in providing these could do wonders for the on-boarding process. By doing so, the employee feels connected to the cause and responsible for delivering results from day one. Assigning them to a specific workplace also instills a sense of belonging and responsibility that goes a long way in designing a rock-solid and dedicated workforce.
Set the expectations right
Discussing job roles and responsibilities with the new hires let them understand what is expected from them and how they can work to fulfill the same. The modern-day employee wants to be associated with a vision and purpose that helps them climb the success ladder and also gives visible results. They should not be left dangling in the corporate workspace without any higher goal or vision to dictate the course and outcome of their actions. Also, they should not feel burdened by unbelievable targets and expectations. Balance is the key. And you as the employer must strike the right balance to avoid any confusion/ employee dissatisfaction in the workplace.
Despite the obvious benefits, 60% of the organizations fail to set clear goals for their employees. Ensure your performance management system gets triggered on their day 1 itself.
Give them the needed attention!
Companies are adopting innovative measures to ease the ‘familiarizing’ and ‘adjusting’ phase of the new hire. Since the relationship they share with a mentor who is generally a part of the senior members of the organization tends to fall on more formal lines, many companies have a dedicated ‘buddy’ for their new hires.
It helps new employees to get comfortable with the system as soon as possible. The buddy also helps them settle in the city if they have moved in recently for the job. This helps them open up to the organizational processes and have a better understanding of how everything works in their new workplace.
In order to give their best performance to the organization, it is imperative that the employee should feel happy and accepted at the workplace. This, in particular, has been proven to have tremendous ROI for the organization. And you as an employer have a pivotal role to play in this process. Studies have also deduced that 10x more people quit at 1 year as compared to the 5-year mark. Quitting peaks during periods around birthdays and anniversaries. Make them feel appreciated by keeping a track of such personally significant events.
Engage your employees!
In addition to discussing all of the above, open dialogue in a company is a must to increase the diversity of thoughts. While it is necessary to be process oriented for efficiency on a day-to-day basis, organizations should also have the liberty to let employees put forward their opinions and thoughts on policies and rules.
Make it a point to spread awareness about such review forums and engage your employees right from the beginning of their corporate journey with your organization. An enterprise HRMS can ease out the process. They can help you locate and track the mood demographics of the pulse of your organization: the employees.
“You must capture and keep the heart of the original and supremely able man before his brain can do its best.” - Andrew Carnegie
The first day undoubtedly is a great opportunity for the new employees to make the right first impression on the employer and peers-to-be for years ahead. But in this age of a talent war, it is extremely critical for the for the employer to nurture and keep valuable talent within the organization.
Agree with this? Are there any points that you feel are vital to the on-boarding process apart from these?
Do let us know in the comment section below.
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