How to create an onboarding process?
Day one should be a celebration. Celebrate the next step in their career. Celebrate the reason they wanted to work here. Why did they choose you? Was it for the opportunity to learn new skills, the opportunity to contribute and collaborate or the opportunity to be heard and create? Assess the tools the new employee will need to do their job and introduce those. Sometimes it is knowledge of processes, the way things are done at this company. What vaccines are considered core? How frequently do you vaccinate? What flea and tick products do you use? To what testing protocols do you adhere? Is there an in house pharmacy and what is available? Do you send lab work out or test in house? Where should I park? Where are the restrooms? Where do I put my lunch? Hang my coat? Etc. Much of this information can be given with a phone call from a manager welcoming the new hire prior to start date. Nobody likes to feel stupid and lacking the knowledge of routine processes can do just that! Keep as much personal touch in the process as possible. Avoid reliance on videos and forms.
Have everyone wear name tags on the new person’s start date. Having many new faces and names to remember is difficult and awkward when you can’t remember someone to which you have been introduced. Have a welcome breakfast so the new person can get to know the staff before starting the day rather than a lunch. Designate a person to partner with the new person to help them find what they need and explain processes as the day progresses and introduce the staff as they interact. Integrate the independent processes of HR forms, IT, badges, benefits, payroll, and uniform, etc. Perhaps email the HR forms ahead of day 1 to be completed on line and returned. Perhaps send the benefits info ahead and then follow up with a phone call to answer questions so there is understanding ahead and separate from the first day in the building.
The employee experience is determined by the onboarding process , The success of your process requires asking the new hires for input. They understand what could be improved. Check in with them at 3 and 6 months after their start date.
Some metrics for successful onboarding:
- # terminations in first 6 months or yr ( retention)
- amount of time to reach productivity
- % of hires having trouble getting their first paycheck on time
- % of hires starting day 1 without –business cards, badges, uniforms, and completed HR forms, etc.
Differences between orientation and onboarding:
Orientation
Goal: Get on payroll, signed up for benefits and a brief overview of company. Short duration involving all departments but primarily HR starting on day 1.
Onboarding
Goal: To decrease the time to productivity . Ongoing duration and it integrates all processes of which orientation is one. Utilizes the time from hire to start date and continues 6-12 months after start date.