On-boarding a new employee is one of the most important things you will do as a Leader. Recruitment can take a number of weeks, so when you finally find the right person, you want to ensure you have all the measures in place to welcome them to the team in the best way possible.
Here are 5 key steps to make your onboarding process as successful as possible.
Day 1
The first mistake many businesses make when bringing on a new hire is not thinking carefully about when they should schedule their first day. My rule, never start someone on a Monday!
Monday’s are notoriously busy days for many companies with weekly whips and executive meetings taking place, so making time at the start of the week to give your full attention can often be very difficult.
Opt for a mid week day. I find Wednesday to be a great time and this will mean you have the week already in motion and you’ll be able to block out the time needed to give your attention, un-interrupted.
Induction
Preparation for the training period is absolutely crucial to the success of your new hire. Starting someone with no clear outline and throwing them straight in the deep end can have disastrous results and leave them feeling under pressure to succeed from the get go.
Map out a week of tasks and sit down and share this with them. Let them know exactly what they will be working on in those first few days, or even weeks if you can, and ensure anyone involved in this process is prepared and ready to deliver their training or guidance with enthusiasm.
Special Touches
You only ever get one first day in your new role so why not make as big an impact on that person as possible. Set yourself apart from the competition by creating a raving fan from day 1. Buy a welcome card and have everyone on the team sign it or deliver a box of welcome cupcakes. These special touches leave the employee feeling very welcome at the end of a long first day.
Communicate your vision
Talk about your company vision and values as soon as possible. Spending time outlining exactly why the company exists will give your new employee a birds-eye view of the business they have joined. It is also a good time to outline what is expected of your new employee and really give them a feel for what they can expect working for you. This way, they can immediately see how they will contribute to the greater good of the organisation and can get excited about how they can make a difference.
Understand their goals and desires
Now that you have spent time talking about the company, it’s time to flip it the other way. It’s just as important to find out what makes your new employee tick. What are their personal values, goals, purpose in life and what can you do to support them to help the achieve this. Learn all about them, from personal to professional, and this will enable you to lead, guide and motivate with great results.
Why is on boarding so important?
The financial toll for these oversights is very significant. When an employee leaves, the hiring process begins anew. To fill one position costs on average $10,731. Employees that feel comfortable are more productive and are more likely to ask the questions that they need to get acquainted with the company as they already are connected with their teammates.
Research shows effective onboarding reduces turnover and increases retention. Employees are 60% more likely to remain with the organisation for more than three years when there is a structured onboarding program.
Don’t delay. Take some time today to review your current onboarding process and talk to your existing team to understand how they felt on their first day. Their feedback is invaluable and will ensure your process is set up to succeed!
