Why should you create an awesome onboarding experience?
The onboarding process has the potential to make or break an employment relationship. Candidates are savvy and especially in the current job market, a poor onboarding experience, may just give them a reason to move to one of your competitors. Not only does this set you and your process back, but it may also impact how your current employees view the organisational culture.
As soon as an offer is accepted, you have an opportunity to set the standard moving forward. More than simply setting your new employee up to do their job (which is of course an important step!), it gets the relationship off to a strong start. By incorporating a structured approach that is underpinned by a supportive and inclusive process, they will more likely:
be a more effective and productive team member from the onset, or at least the shortest time possible
feel a level of trust and loyalty towards you and your organisation
feel supported and valued as an important member of the team
feel increased job satisfaction and therefore, retention
be a champion for your organisation and therefore, attract more like-talent to your team
So, what does an awesome onboarding experience look like?
1. Map out the onboarding basics ahead of time
Get the basics of your onboarding process planned now (which means before you start recruiting!). It will feel much more manageable and less stressful for everyone, if you know the how’s, when’s and who’s ahead of time. You’ll also have confidence that your HR compliance is in order.
Plus, who doesn’t love ticking off a to-do list?
2. Get connected quickly
Start the relationship right and get in touch with your new employee as soon as possible. Let them know how excited you are to welcome them to the team; and provide some more detail about what they should expect from the onboarding process. After the conversation, summarise the process in an email.
Stay in touch, too. Most people will need to serve out a notice period and maybe even have a small break between roles, which means it may be several weeks between acceptance and start date. By checking in you can see how they’re feeling and importantly, keep them engaged in your process.
3. Demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion
You know that process plan we mentioned earlier? By having one ahead of time you’ll be much better placed to make any adjustments that embrace the diversity in capabilities and backgrounds of the people you’re welcoming to your team.
4. Make sure your onboarding documents and forms are up-to-date, and in a central place
This one almost goes without saying but ‘Clean house, clean mind’.
Keep a centralised place where you house all the relevant onboarding documentation:
Templates for your contracts
Tax and Super forms
Fair Work Information Statement
Work Health and Safety information
Your organisations Policies and Procedures
Organisational structure and a list of key contacts
Template for a training schedule
Anything else that will help support them as they get to know your business and team
(You’ll also get bragging rights in showing your colleagues just how organised you are!)
5. Communicate with your team/department/organisation about their new colleague
Share with your colleagues how excited you are to welcome your new hire. Give some insight into their background, what role they’ll be doing in your organisation, and when they’ll be starting. If your new hire has a LinkedIn profile, encourage the team to get in touch with a welcome message.
Your new hire will appreciate any efforts at connection. There’s something special about turning up to your new job and knowing you’ve got some familiar faces to welcome you!
There are so many benefits to an effective onboarding process. Do you have any tips you’d like to share? Or perhaps an awesome experience from a time where you started in a new role? We’d love to hear from you.