How to Craft an Employee Onboarding Journey

New Year, new people to board in our Team! 

Employee Engagement, reducing turnover, and fostering company culture are three key benefits of a well-structured onboarding process. When new hires feel connected, valued, and informed from day one, they are more likely to become engaged employees, leading to higher productivity and job satisfaction.

This article will delve into the key aspects of onboarding, what it is, how to structure it effectively, and a handy checklist template to get you started.

What Is Onboarding?

At its core, onboarding is the process that begins the moment a candidate signs their offer letter and extends through the end of their probation period. It's more than just a mere orientation or paperwork exercise; it's a journey that transforms a new hire into a productive, engaged, and enthusiastic team member. 

It serves as an excellent opportunity to introduce our company's values, mission, and culture to new employees, setting clear expectations and aligning them with the company's goals. 

Structuring the Onboarding Process

For a seamless onboarding experience, we should involve various stakeholders. The number and the role of people might vary according to the company structure and size. 

Let's focus on the main ones, such as P&C, Hiring Managers, Finance/Admin, and IT departments:

1. People & Culture Department

As part of the People & Culture team, we initiate the onboarding process upon receiving an accepted offer, by preparing the necessary documentation. We align with the hiring manager and the other departments on what must be done before and after the starting date. This includes creating and sharing an onboarding path with the new hires to understand what they should expect during the first weeks, including meetings, training, and next steps. In the meantime, we keep them informed and engaged, ensuring everything is settled before the beginning.

2. Hiring Managers

The hiring manager is the main point of contact for the new hire during the onboarding process. Their role is to welcome the new hires, introduce them to the team and colleagues, assign them a mentor or a tutor, define the goals and expectations, provide feedback and support, monitor the progress and satisfaction, and facilitate the integration into the workgroup.

3. Finance/Admin

The Finance/Admin department handles the administrative and financial aspects of onboarding. This includes registering the new hire in the system, managing the payroll, taxes, insurance, and benefits, providing the access credentials, signing the legal documents, and resolving any issues or questions

4. IT Department

The IT department handles the technological aspects of onboarding. This includes providing the equipment and software needed, setting up the email and networks, training on the security procedures and policies, technical assistance, and troubleshooting

Onboarding Template

Not sure where to start? A structured onboarding process requires meticulous planning. Here's a checklist template to guide you through the process:

Before the Employee's First Day:

• Prepare employment contracts and offer letters

• Gather necessary legal and tax documentation

• Coordinate with IT to set up necessary assets/devices

• Arrange for office access cards or keys (if needed) & a Welcome box (if available)

• Create an onboarding calendar with HM with a schedule of 30-60-90 days

• Plan new hires' first day together with the HM 

On the Employee's First Day:

• Welcome calls with HR and HM

• Provide essential company information and policies

• Introduce the employee to their team and colleagues

• IT setup and cybersecurity awareness

• Benefits enrollment with Finance/Admin

• Training Enrollment 

Throughout the Onboarding Period:

• Regular check-ins with the Hiring Manager

• As an HR plan 30-60-90 Days check-ins with the new hires

• Training and development sessions

• Performance assessments at predefined intervals

• Encourage social integration and team-building activities (such as “A Coffee with…”)

End of Probation Period:

• Meeting with HM & HR for a comprehensive review, sharing feedback, and communicating the decision to the employee

• Identify ongoing training needs and development opportunities

• Provide updated employment documentation if applicable

How to Ensure an Amazing Onboarding Experience?

Consider implementing a survey and a meeting with the new hires to gather their feedback, helping us identify and address any gaps or issues in the onboarding process, leading to higher retention and satisfaction rates.

Questions should cover areas such as: 

• Overall Experience: How would you rate your onboarding experience on a scale of 1 to 10?

• Clarity of Role: Have you had a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities from the beginning? If not, what could have been better? 

• Training and Development: Were the training sessions helpful in performing your job effectively?

• Integration: Did you feel welcomed and integrated into the team?

• Suggestions for Improvement: What aspects of the onboarding process could be improved to make it an even more valuable experience for future employees?

Those are a few examples of questions you might ask. Feel free to explore further by asking additional questions, and remember, only a few or you will lose their genuine interest in providing feedback. 

Conclusion

A well-structured onboarding process is the cornerstone of building a cohesive and productive workforce. It's an investment in our employees' success and, by extension, our company's growth. Engage stakeholders, such as Hiring Managers, Finance/Admin, and IT departments, to create a collaborative approach for a smooth onboarding experience. 

Now, I'd like to hear about your experiences with onboarding. What strategies have you found most effective? What challenges have you encountered, and how did you overcome them? Feel free to share them with me on LinkedIn. 

Your Friendly TA Ivana