A Guide to On-Boarding New Employees

On-boarding new employees is a critical process for ensuring they integrate successfully into your organisation.

23:06 24 October 2024

On-boarding new employees is a critical process for ensuring they integrate successfully into your organisation. A structured on-boarding programme benefits both the employee and employer by clarifying expectations, providing necessary training, and establishing connections. This guide will examine best practices for on-boarding and orienting new hires, such as using meet the team templates to create a welcome manual.

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Pre-Boarding 

The on-boarding process actually begins before the employee's first day. Here are some pre-boarding steps to take:

Send a Welcome Package

Send a welcome package or email to the new hire a week before their start date. Include the job description, information about the company culture, dress code, paperwork they need to complete, and a schedule for their first day and week. Advise them on how to prepare. This helps establish excitement and a smooth transition.

Make Logistical Arrangements

Ensure their workstation, security badges, IT access, and other logistics are ready for day one. Nothing derails on-boarding faster than having nowhere to sit! Also, make sure their technological needs are addressed, including laptop, software, email account, and phone.

Assign a Peer Mentor

Pairing new hires with a peer mentor gives them someone to turn to for advice and social support. The mentor should reach out pre-boarding to introduce themselves and answer any questions.

First Day On-Boarding

The first day sets the tone, so ensure that it's welcoming and informative. 

Schedule Meet and Greets

New employees should meet their manager, co-workers, and key contacts on day one. These meetings personalise the experience and put faces to names. Hand out a list of who their teammates are, with names and photos.

Share the Game Plan

Walk through the schedule and objectives for their first week. Explain what they can expect in terms of training sessions, meetings, and assignments. Providing structure upfront prevents stress.

Handle Paperwork

Review company policies and complete any HR documentation. Get required forms, non-disclosures, and paperwork signed right away.

Issue Equipment

Hand out security passes, laptops, logins, and other essential items on day one. Make sure everything is functional before the employee dives into real work. 

Provide Office Tour

Give a tour of the office space, including kitchen, bathrooms, meeting rooms, and other key areas. Introduce the new hire to operations staff.

First Week On-Boarding

The first week should cover core training and growth opportunities.

Offer Ongoing Training

In addition to formal orientation sessions, use the first week to provide on-the-job training from managers and team members. Shadowing colleagues helps new hires learn.

Share Company Knowledge

Provide resources that explain company history, values, policies, industry position, goals, and terminology. The more context new hires have, the better.

Uncover Growth Areas

Discuss skills or knowledge the new employee hopes to develop in their role. Create a plan for growth by assigning mentors, classes, or development goals.

Encourage Networking

Build in opportunities for relationship building, like lunch with different team members. Networking helps integrate new hires. 

Solicit Feedback

Check in regularly on how the onboarding experience is going. Ask for feedback so you can improve the programme.

30 and 90 Day Check-Ins

On-boarding continues beyond week one. Follow up consistently.

Review Progress at 30 Days 

Meet with the employee at the 30-day mark to review their initial performance and goals. Provide constructive feedback and training support.

Discuss Development at 90 Days

Have another check-in at 90 days to evaluate progress on growth goals set during on-boarding. Adjust development plans accordingly. 

Measure On-Boarding Success

Use 30- and 90-day meetings to assess if on-boarding objectives were met, like role clarity, cultural fit, and skill building. Adjust the programme based on what you learn.

On-Boarding Best Practices

Keep these tips in mind to create an effective on-boarding programme:

• Make a good first impression - have a workspace, tools, and schedule ready
• Set clear expectations around duties, goals, values and procedures
• Provide introductions to key staff members
• Offer frequent feedback and check-ins
• Encourage relationship building opportunities
• Address training needs and growth goals early on
• Solicit new hire feedback on the on-boarding process

Following structured on-boarding processes ensures new employees feel engaged, prepared, and aligned with your organisation's goals from day one.

Additional Considerations

Here are some other important factors to incorporate into your on-boarding programme:

• Explain your company's vision, mission, and competitive advantages so new hires understand the big picture.
• Recognise that onboarding is an ongoing process that may take 6-12 months for full integration. Be patient and provide ongoing support.
• Designate onboarding ownership to an HR partner or mentor to ensure it gets proper focus amidst busy schedules.

Investing in thoughtful onboarding results in more engaged, productive, and long-tenured employees.