Gour New Hire on a Path to Success by Jennifer Jacobs, SHRM-CP new hire to provide a little more detail for an introductory email - family, pets, favorite food, sports team, etc. Provide the new employee with a link to your online company directory and business social media accounts they can become familiar with the team before their first day. If you are navigating a remote workforce, try a virtual welcome for new employees. Have your team virtually sign and send a card from GroupGreetings.com or try Kindeo. com where you can upload photos, video greetings, sound recordings from members of your team – this is a great way to share the personality of your team members and your business culture. At this point, it is also time to provide a detailed schedule for the new employee’s first few days and a basic schedule for the first few weeks. What time should they arrive at the office and who will they meet with first for a tour of the facility? Who will provide passwords, training on the phone system and any other tools? Are there education classes or company training to attend? If so, be sure to add these to the schedule that so the new employee knows what to expect. If your trainings are virtual, provide links or information needed to access training. Explain not only the dress code, but also some of the dress norms (casual on Monday, but business-casual for the Tuesday team meeting, etc.). Share schedule information with managers and mentors and anyone else who will play a role in the onboarding process. Orientation and Training New employee orientation typically begins with a tour of the facilities and review of compensation and benefits. In conjunction with a review of employment policies and procedures, new employees must complete antiharassment training as required by Illinois law and a certificate of completion should be maintained by the agency.
The first week of training should also include a meeting with the agency owner and management team who can provide the company history and share the mission and vision with the new hire. The new hire’s manager should set goals and a timeline for the employee to transition from training/mentoring to working on their own. Communicate the goals and objectives they should be working towards, and set a plan for regular check-ins with new employees. In a remote or hybrid environment, it is critical to reach out to new employees to ensure they have the knowledge and tools to succeed when they aren’t working side-by-side with another employee or mentor. In addition to scheduling time for a mentor to screen share to demonstrate a program or process for a new employee in real time, consider using video to record demonstrations of common processes to share with a new, remote team member. They might appreciate having a video clip to reference as they are learning. Time spent ensuring your new employee acclimates to your agency culture and has the best tools and resources with which to work will pay off in improved employee productivity and retention. If your onboarding process needs a refresh, visit the IIA of IL Solution Center, www.iiaofil.org/Products-Services/ Solution-Center where you can access the following hiring resources: Onboarding Checklist, Employment Forms for New Hires and a Model Anti-Harassment Training program. Jennifer Jacobs, SHRM-CP, is the Director of Human Resources for the IIA of IL. She can be reached at jjacobs@iiaofil.org or (217) 321-3013.
Time and effort spent planning an effective onboarding program will help the new employee feel welcome and confident in their new position and will ensure they are able to be productive as quickly as possible. SUCCESS!
march 2021
insight
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