Did you know that great employee onboarding can improve employee retention by 82%? Talent scarcity and high turnover are among the biggest challenges organizations will face in 2022 and beyond – so it’s important to engage and retain employees from day one. A strong employee onboarding process can help you accomplish that, while also helping new hires ramp up faster.
Here are some tips you can use to welcome your new employee to the team.
Set them up for success before the first day
Onboarding should not begin on a new employee’s first day but instead on the day they are hired. If possible, send the employee any paperwork that needs to be signed along with the employee handbook and any pertinent information about their first day, including parking and employee portals.
Before the employee arrives on their first day, their office space should be set up including a computer and the necessary software to do their job. If it’s a remote hire, ensure that the new employee has all the technology required at their home. When the employee arrives on their first day, they should feel valued, welcome and set up for success!
Outline the first 90 days
It’s important to be clear and concise about your expectations for the first 90 days. Nothing is worse than feeling like a fish out of water because of a lack of direction and organization. Prior to the employee’s first day, you should create a schedule of what your new hire should be learning, observing, and doing each day.
During the first month of onboarding, we recommend meeting with the new hire at the end of each day to track their progress, answer questions, and provide further guidance.
This is also a great time to set expectations. As part of the onboarding process, we recommend clearly laying out expectations, including setting key performance indicators (KPIs).
Build relationships and encourage communication
The best way to bridge the gap between your new hire feeling like an outsider to feeling part of the team is by helping build relationships and by encouraging communications.
On their first day, introduce them to coworkers, supervisors, and other departments that they will need to work with regularly.
During their first week, we recommend scheduling a new employee lunch with the new hire and their team. During this lunch, try and play an ice-breaker game like Two Truths and a Lie. Games like this are a great way for teammates to get to know each other and the newcomer involved.
Onboarding is an incredibly important component of the hiring process. Not only does an effective onboarding process help with retention, but it can help a new employee adjust to the corporate culture and feel more comfortable and integrated in their new position.
Need some help with onboarding? At Salem, we know how to find the right candidates, and how to help employers keep them. Let’s talk!