How to Onboard a New Hire

You have made your decision, you extended the offer, and the candidate has accepted.  Now you are faced with the onboarding process. While you obviously must follow state and federal guidelines when it comes to processing the paperwork, onboarding is so much more than just regulations and paperwork.  Onboarding is an ongoing part of your business. It’s up to you how long the process lasts, 30-60-90 days? One year? You also have to have the right people on your team to stick to the onboarding process and give it the attention it deserves.

First thing’s first

The onboarding process should begin when you post the position itself. This is when you start thinking of your process, who will oversee it, and what it looks like. Will you have employee orientation? Will the person in charge of the onboarding and training process be available to give it their full attention? What tools will the new employee need to do their job efficiently and correctly? Address these questions early and have everything ready for your new hire upon their arrival.

Use the buddy system

Be sure that there is one specific point person for the new hire to connect with. When this happens, there will be fewer direct questions for the manager which will allow him or her to focus on their own work. This also helps the new employee feel immediately accepted and at ease in a new office.

Small Businesses

If you happen to be a small business, don’t overthink your onboarding process. You will be able to identify flaws and issues with a new hire far more quickly than a large business would. Adopting the onboarding processes of much larger companies would be cumbersome. Keep it simple.

Ask how you are doing

Ask your new employees what they like and don’t like about your process and take it to heart. See what can be changed, what issues there are, and address what you can. Ask them what they would like to see changed, what they think should be added to your process, and ask what you can do to improve. There is no one-size-fits-all process when it comes to this and you may need to adjust your plan over time to find what works.

All in all, keep evolving, keep up with the times and changes within your industry and your business. There is no right or wrong way here as long as you are willing to solicit feedback and understand the need for adjustments to the process.

 

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