About onboarding

We often hear about on-boarding in HR field and what strategies we have to use that our on-boarding process to be useful.

What is on-boarding?

There are a lot of definitions but the most simple is that on-boarding is bringing the new hire in to your organization.

We all know how hard is nowadays to find and to keep a good candidate. The first step in retention is On-boarding. 

When this process starts?

In my opinion the on-boarding process starts when your candidate becomes your new employee (when he agrees with your offer). In this moment you have to give him the access to some information regarding your company's values, culture and regulations.  There are company that have a "new hire map" that includes some brochures with information like: the history of the company, the internal regulations, the values, also an organizational chart with pictures. Others company have an internal portal where he can find all the information he needs.  But don't forget to have prepared the desk of your new employee! The biggest mistake that we can do is to not be prepared for him because this is the first step in losing him. Make sure that in his first day he has his desk, his computer, telephone waiting for him.

Another step is: the tour of your organization. In his first day, you can make a tour with your new employee and present him the departments, where is the lunch area etc. Don't forget, prior to this to introduce him in your organization- you can use an email where you present him, his credentials etc.

In this process you have include also the CEO and the manager of the department because they are the ones that can convey the mission and the values of the organization. Also make sure that the manager of the new employee makes time for a 1 on 1 meeting with the new hire to tell him what are his tasks, what expectations he has and especially ensure you that he feels part of the team.

But every organization is different, so you have to find your unique welcome process!!

After this it is necessary to follow up the process, with an 1 on 1 meeting with the HR to see what is his point of view, how he sees the company, is he happy in his team, has he managed to hit his KPI's? After this meeting you can make a strategy in keeping him or in improve his work and his expectations.

This process can last up to 12 month, this depends on your organization.

What gives back this process to your organization?

⇪ It can be a part of your retention strategy. An article from www.humanresourcestoday.com relates that the average cost of on-boarding a new employee according to urbanbound.com includes:

• 22% - the average employee turnover rate for the first 45 days
• 46% - the average employee turnover rate for the first 18 months

⇪ Promotes your company
⇪ Increases your employee engagement

⇪ It is part of your recruitment strategy. It can attracts new talents in your organizations

⇪ Increases communication in the team and between departments

Do you have an on - boarding process? What do you do regarding this step in HR field?