All businesses are unique. So, when it comes time to onboard new employees, new processes must be established to suit the company’s needs. Employee onboarding should be a seamless process that sets employees up for success throughout the organisation.
New employee onboarding can be daunting for both the new employee and the manager, but it’s crucial to get it right. Research shows that poor employee onboarding doubles the likelihood of an employee leaving a company.
But how can you ensure that your new employees hit the ground running and feel welcome from their first day on the job? Keep reading as we walk you through everything you need to know about the employee onboarding process.
What Is Employee Onboarding?
Employee onboarding is the process of introducing new employees to their job, team, and company culture. It also involves acquainting the new hires with the information and tools they need to be successful in their role. The goal of onboarding is to help new employees feel comfortable and confident in their new position so they can hit the ground running and be productive as soon as possible.
Onboarding usually starts on the first day of work and continues for the first few weeks or months. However, experts recommend that the process take about one year.
This is enough time to help new employees integrate into the company culture and fully understand their responsibilities. Spending more time onboarding is also vital to ensuring that an employee stays with the company for the long haul. Otherwise, you’ll just have to start the process all over again with a new hire.
What Is the Onboarding Process for a New Employee?
The onboarding process for a new employee typically includes a series of activities designed to help the new hire adjust to their new role and workplace. These activities can vary from company to company. However, they include completing new hire paperwork, touring the workplace, and training on company policies and procedures.
The new employee onboarding process aims to help new employees feel welcomed and prepared for their new job. The onboarding process begins when an employee accepts a job offer. New hires should receive information about the company, their new role, and what to expect on their first day.
You can provide the new hire with this information through a welcome letter, email, or phone call from HR or their direct supervisor. The onboarding process continues on the new employee’s first day of work and for months after they settle into their new job.
One of the most effective ways to onboard new hires is through an online “ID” program. This allows them to quickly log in to any portal that requires employee identity authentication, such as login pages on software applications, this would be after their identity has been successfully verified.
Why Is Employee Onboarding Important?
Employee onboarding sets the tone for the rest of the employee’s time at the company. A positive onboarding experience can help new employees feel welcomed, valued, and prepared for their new job and create a good work environment.
Onboarding also helps business owners avoid the costs associated with high turnover rates. Research shows that the average cost of replacing an employee is six to nine times their salary.
Employee Onboarding Process
Onboarding is usually a comprehensive process that involves different components. When designing an effective onboarding process, you should think about various factors. These include:
● When you will start onboarding
● How long employee onboarding will last
● The impression you want to create on the first day
● How much new employees know about the company
● The goals to set for the new employee
You can then develop a plan to ensure that you deliver on the needs of both the business and the new hire. The goal should be to help the employee assimilate your company’s workflow, culture, and policies.
New Employee Onboarding Process
The new employee onboarding process will take several steps. These include:
Preboarding: You should start linking the new employee to your organisation immediately after they accept your offer. Invite them to tour your company, email them the essential details, and assign them a buddy
Orientation: On the first day, give the employee an overview of your company’s history, mission, values, and policies. You should also introduce them to their team and ensure they complete the necessary paperwork. It is a crucial part to verify their age and identity.
Foundation Building: In the coming weeks and months, you should help the new hire learn about your organisation’s mission, culture, brand, and vital foundation. You should acquaint them with your overall goals to help them understand how their role contributes to the organisation.
Mentoring: You should connect the new hire with a mentor or a buddy to guide and support them as they transition into their new role. The buddy will be responsible for answering any questions and helping the new hire feel comfortable in their new job.
Reboarding: The onboarding process doesn’t end on the first day or even the first month. You should continue to check in with the new hire and help them assimilate into your company culture.
Employee Onboarding Checklist
An employee onboarding checklist lists activities and tasks you should complete during the employee onboarding process. The checklist helps you keep track of the different steps involved in onboarding and ensure that nothing is left to chance.
New Employee Onboarding Checklist
Your onboarding checklist should contain several items outlining all the activities you should complete before the new employee reports to work and after they join your company. It can include the following:
Pre-onboarding checklist
● Verify their identity and age
● Request for their signed job acceptance letter
● Send them a welcome email
● Send them a welcome package
● Announce the new employee to the other organisation members
● Plan how the new hire will meet other employees
● Order work equipment
● Set up a workspace
● Enrol the new employee in the HR system
● Send the necessary forms to the new employee
First-day checklist
● Have an office tour
● Review the responsibilities and job description
● Introduce the employee to the team
● Introduce the mentor
● Show the new hire their workspace
● Ensure everything in the workspace is working
● Have a one-on-one meeting at the end of the day
● Complete the necessary paperwork for new employees
● Provide them with an employee handbook
● Show them where they can find important information
● Review work hours and schedule
● Explain benefits and compensation
Weeks and months onboarding checklist
● Hold team-building and social events
● Have one-on-one check-ins
● Set performance goals for the new employee
● Conduct training on procedures and policies
● Introduce the employee to the company’s culture
● Enrol the employee in benefits
● Gather feedback
● Review goals
How to Improve Employee Onboarding Process
If you want to improve your employee onboarding process, you should look for ways to enhance and streamline your process to be more efficient and effective.
Start by automating where you can to save time and ensure you complete all the necessary steps. You’ll find plenty of employee onboarding software and onboarding tools on the market that can do all the heavy lifting and ensure you have all the information you need in one place.
You should also look for ways to personalise the process. By tailoring the onboarding process to everyone, you can ensure they have all the support they need to succeed in their new role.
You should also look for ways to make the process more engaging and interactive. Give the new hires opportunities to ask questions and get feedback, so they feel comfortable in their new role. Finally, don’t forget to measure the results of your onboarding process so that you know where to improve.
Who is responsible for Onboarding?
Before getting to who is responsible for onboarding, it’s vital to understand the industries where onboarding is essential. These are usually highly regulated industries where a single mistake could have costly consequences. Such consequences include employee fraud, data breaches, and health and safety risks.
Employee onboarding is crucial in the following industries:
● Banking
● Gaming
● Cryptocurrency
● Healthcare
● Governmental entities
● Telecommunications
● Transportation
In most organisations, the responsibility for onboarding falls on the HR department. However, there are some companies where other departments take on this role. For example, in small businesses, the owner or manager is often responsible for onboarding new employees.
Sometimes, the onboarding responsibility may be shared between different departments. For example, the HR department may be responsible for handling the paperwork and benefits enrolment while the IT department sets up the new employee’s computer and email account.
Benefits of Onboarding Employees
There are many benefits to onboarding employees for both the organisation and the employee. The key ones include:
- Attracting and Retaining the Best Talent
A well-run onboarding program sets new hires up for success by providing them with the tools, resources, and information they need to be successful in their role. This increases job satisfaction and reduces turnover, which saves the organisation time and money. Proper onboarding also communicates to prospective employees that your company is committed to their success.
- Improving Employee Engagement and Performance
Onboarding helps new employees understand the company culture, values, and mission to be engaged and productive team members. It also sets clear expectations for their role and provides them with the necessary resources to succeed. When done properly, onboarding can help new employees hit the ground running and positively impact the organisation from day one.
- Forging Better Connections with Employees
Onboarding allows you to connect with new employees on a personal level and build relationships that will last throughout their time with the company. It also allows the new employee to connect with other team members for better collaboration.
- Reducing New Employee Anxiety
Starting a new job can be a stressful employee experience. Onboarding can help reduce this stress by providing new employees with the information they need to feel comfortable in their new roles. It also allows them to ask questions and get feedback to ensure they are on the right track.
Our Employee Onboarding Software — Udentify
You can’t take proper employee onboarding out of the equation if you want to improve your company’s performance. At fraud.com, we understand the importance of getting a good onboarding process right from the start.
That’s why we have Udentify, a solution that helps you know the real identity of your employees in seconds. Udentify uses AI-powered facial verification and passive liveness detection to match your employees to their valid identification documents. Identity verification during the onboarding process is vital in ensuring that the person you’re hiring is who they say they are.
We’ll help you make your employee onboarding process simple, easy and fast for your new employees.
Learn more about the power of Udentify and start leveraging it for a seamless employee onboarding process.
