Onboarding is the process of integrating new staff into the workplace as seamlessly as possible. Rather than just lumping a new employee in with everybody else, it's important to harness the benefits of a little more guidance. Both the company and a new hire will benefit from this process, rather than just a simple induction.
Organisation is key
As a manager, make sure you set aside regular time to train your new staff member and to take note of their progress.
When they arrive, have everything organised for them, including paperwork, their email account, their desk – everything. This helps to establish professionalism and avoids any embarrassment or awkwardness. Master the basics, such as letting them know where the bathroom and lunchrooms are, where to eat, and when to take their lunch break.
Perhaps even more importantly, fill your new employee in on the office culture. Express any unwritten rules and inform them again of things like the dress code, if you can wear casual outfits on Fridays, if there's a social club, and so on. The more understanding a new hire has early on of your organisation, the better.
Check in regularly
Don't just train your new hire for a day and then leave them. It should be an ongoing process until they are well and truly settled. While this may sound time consuming, it actually saves plenty of time down the track.
It's important to gather feedback from them individually on how their progress is coming along, and if they feel their training is complete, or if there are any gaps in their knowledge.
An Onboarding Survey can help you understand what's going well and what areas of training may need improvement or a greater focus. Make use of such surveys to catch any issues early, and your organisation will be all the more productive for it.
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