Why Your Onboarding Process Matters

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You searched far and wide, sifted through over a hundred applications, and interviewed dozens of candidates for the open position in your company. The hard work paid off and you found the perfect candidate. Yay you!

So, your work is done, right?

Nope. It’s just the beginning. 

Now, I’m not saying that all your employees need hand holding from day one until the end of time. But, not having a system in place for what happens next for new employees is a mistake that you could be regretting for months to come (or longer).

One third of new hires quit within six months. There goes all that hard work (and money) you put into finding them.

In my last 9-5 job, the onboarding process (and I hesitate to give my first day there such a formal title) consisted of me sitting in my office for hours staring at the employee handbook. From that day on, I was pretty much on my own, and that set up my expectations (or lack thereof) for what my employment there would be like.

If you are saying to yourself right now, “Onboarding process, what’s that?” then here’s the short version:

“Onboarding” new employees is the process through which new hires get the knowledge, skills, and behaviors to be a successful part of your team. When people think of this process, they traditionally think of filling out the paperwork, maybe attending an orientation, and perhaps having a conversation with your immediate manager. But it’s so much more than that. It can set the tone for their entire employment with you, how engaged they will be, and ultimately how successful the working relationship will be for both of you. 

Onboarding is not just a to-do list for new hires that lasts a week (or maybe it is currently).

It can (and should) start before new employees show up for their first day and continue far beyond their first week.

A few years ago a friend of mine was hired by a big insurance company with offices in Miami. Once she accepted their offer, they emailed her a congratulations letter complete with a link to an article about how to give notice professionally at the job she was leaving.

That’s onboarding.  And that’s impressive onboarding.

That simple act shows new hires that you care about them as people. How motivated do you think she was to go work for that company on her first day? And what level of talent do you think that company attracts for open positions?

Why should you care about your onboarding process?

If you have a poorly managed onboarding process or none at all, it’s going to have negative effects on your business.

How does premature turnover, decreased efficiency, reduced productivity, and increased mediocrity for the team sound? Those are just some of what’s in store for you if you are not paying attention to your onboarding process, and no one wants that. Certainly not you, owner of your awesome business!

Putting an effective onboarding process in place will have long-term benefits for your work culture and your business.

And an effective process is more than just popping your head into their office a few times during their first week to ask how things are going.

Yes, there are the usual things like having their email and other accounts created and accessible before their first day, and of course the “not exciting but unavoidable” starting paperwork (better yet, have them complete that part BEFORE their first day), but going deeper than that will set the tone and determine the success and longevity of the working relationship.

Doing unique and fun things like a welcome luncheon where new hires can meet and greet with other employees from all departments, or having a welcome box waiting for them filled with goodies and resources- those things will help your new hires feel welcome and set them (and your business) up for success.

So, whether you need to create an onboarding process for your company from scratch, or need to revisit and revamp your existing one, asking these questions are a great place to start:

  • When does the process start and how long will it last?

  • What do new hires need to know about the work culture?

  • What impression do you want new hires to walk away with after their first day?

  • Who will play a role in your company’s onboarding process?

  • What goals will be set for new hires?

  • How will you measure success of your onboarding process?

No better time than the present to sit down with your team and have a conversation about what your current onboarding process is and what you would like it to be. Your new hires will thank you and your business will be better for it.

Not sure how to get started or thinking about it is making you want to stick your head in the sand?

I can help with that. Click here to find out how we can customize your onboarding system through working together!