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OnBoarding: Starting Your New Hire on a Path to Success
ONBOARDING
Starting Your New Hire on a Path to Success
Imagine you have just accepted a new job and you arrive dressed for success with your new leather portfolio so you can take down all of the notes on processes and procedures that your new employer will be giving you. When you arrive at the front desk and introduce yourself as the new employee, you expect a warm greeting and directions to your new office.
Instead, the person who greets you doesn’t recognize your name. He wasn’t even aware a new employee was scheduled to start today and certainly doesn’t know where you are supposed to sit. The next hour ticks by at a snail’s pace while the office manager scrambles to clear off a desk and makes several calls to find out if a computer has been set up for the new employee.
That may sound extreme, but these horror stories exist and they leave the new employee feeling frustrated and unproductive when they began their day energized and excited at the prospect of starting their new job. Considering that some employers have not yet returned to their offices, many employees have started a new job in a remote environment which makes a thorough onboarding program crucial to their success.
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. Setting new hires up for success will save your business the time and expense of having to hire again if the employee doesn’t feel connected to the team and empowered to do his or her job.
Workspace and Systems Set-Up
Planning for onboarding should begin as soon as you advertise a position. Find a workspace for the new employee and assess whether it needs new furnishings or the existing space needs cleaning or repairs. The way businesses interact with clients has been changing - does your new employee need a laptop or a video camera for their desktop? Are they making numerous video calls where a headset with microphone would be helpful?
If you are re-using computer equipment, clear it of personal photos and files. Deep clean or replace the computer keyboard, mouse, mousepad, and anything else that appears worn or dirty. Clear desks of any personal effects left by the former occupant of the space and vacuum or wipe out drawers. No one wants to start a brand-new job on top of someone else’s crumbs!
Start your new hire off with new, fresh supplies - set out a new notepad, a handful of ink pens and a folder for the employee to use on their first day. Once the employee arrives, let them know how to access additional supplies as needed. The same can apply to remote employees – send them a basic supply kit, with company logo items if possible, to ensure they have the right tools on hand in their home office and feel connected with the company. Provide either a printed or electronic copy of the office phone directory with notes on who to call for tech assistance, policy/procedure questions/or other common concerns. Are there certain websites that your team accesses or refers to frequently? Carrier phone numbers? If this information isn’t on speed dial already, put this into a document for reference so new employees don’t have to waste time tracking it down. Pro tip – make sure www.iiaofil.org is listed for access to the CE class schedule, RLI PUP and In-Home Business products, the IIA of IL Solution Center and a wealth of other resources.
Once your new hire has accepted your offer, an electronic paperwork process will expedite your onboarding. Sending documents to be signed through e-signature can get most of the paperwork out of the way before the employee’s first day. For i-9 verification, they can complete the form in advance and bring identification when they come to the office. If your team and onboarding is fully remote, I-9 verification flexibility has been extended through March 31, 2021. Details can be found at www.uscis.gov. Having all paperwork complete will provide the necessary information to begin setting up payroll systems, email address and system logins so they are accessible when the new hire arrives for training. Make arrangements to add their contact information to the website, order business cards and any logo apparel or other company welcome items you might offer new employees to help them feel like a part of the team.
Introductions & Schedule
Begin by sending an email to your team announcing the new hire. At a minimum, a brief introduction announcing the new employee’s name, where they worked before and what role they are stepping in to should go out a few days in advance of their arrival. You may also ask the
Starting Your 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.
