Onboarding is the number one way to lay down clear expectations for your workers. Starting with a strong foundation is essential to the success of your employees. As a leader, you need to take onboarding seriously. Turnover is expensive, but avoidable with the right onboarding program. Spend time welcoming your new staff members and providing detailed descriptions of performance expectations.
Improve your process with these onboarding best practices.
Onboarding the Right Way
If you can create the perfect process to bring newcomers up to speed, you’ll avoid preventable work errors and decrease the likelihood of turnover. When done correctly, onboarding creates the ideal opportunity to show your new employees what your organization is all about. It’s a win-win: You’ll cultivate great relationships while providing clear routes of communication. Your onboarding process should be much more than a printed-out PowerPoint for your new workers to pore over. Develop an entire process focused on acclimating your staff, helping them know where to go when issues arrive and providing the tools and resources that will help them succeed in the workplace.
Improving Your Process
To maximize the potential of your onboarding process, you need to capitalize on this important time in the hiring process. You don’t want your new employees to miss any vital information. These tips can help you onboard like a pro:
- Take Advantage of Tech: The young professionals you hire come equipped with experience in a variety of new software and technologies. Consider using innovative methods to catch workers up on essential information, like up-to-date presentation tools or a relevant podcast.
- Warm Welcome: To stand out as a top-notch employer, consider sending your new hire a “welcome kit” before they arrive for their first day with materials to review and company apparel. They’ll feel like part of the team even before they walk in the door.
- Keep It Simple: You have a lot of essential information to get across; however, the last thing you want to do is overload your new staff with too much material. If you throw too much their way, they’ll be overwhelmed and unable to process everything. Provide insight in small bursts to ensure comprehension.
- Facilitate Communication: Building new relationships should start on day one. Help your people make friends and develop professional connections. It can improve retention and will make your existing staff feel more comfortable as well. Introduce your new hire to all relevant personnel in their department and anyone else they may need to rely on.
Tout Your Talent
Use this opportunity to show appreciation to your most dedicated workers. Your newest staff members should interact with your most successful employees within the first week to demonstrate the best aspects of your company. Set up one-on-one meetings not only directly with your recent hire to review how they’re settling in, but also perhaps a coffee date with one of your stellar workers to facilitate that relationship. Your seasoned staff can act as role models and train new workers effectively, to reduce any feelings of stress and confusion.
Ready to minimize turnover and maximize the effectiveness of your onboarding process?
Consult the professionals at Job Store Staffing®. As a top staffing agency based in Colorado, we have years of experience in bringing in superior talent and increasing your organization’s productivity. To learn more, contact us today!