How to Streamline the Onboarding Process

A good onboarding process is absolutely necessary for employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity. According to recent reports, merely 12% of employees would say that their employers had smooth onboarding procedures. Even worse, some employees don’t receive any onboarding! 

On the other hand, employees that undergo good onboarding are almost three times more likely to stay at their jobs. Most employers have all the tools to create an excellent introductory experience for new hires. Here are a few ways to streamline your company’s current onboarding process. 

Ask for Feedback 

When refining your onboarding process, your current employees can offer valuable insight. Ask for their opinion of your company’s current onboarding experience and how you can make it better. Continuously incorporating feedback into your onboarding process also keeps things fresh and engaging!   

In general, a company culture that’s receptive to employee feedback is essential to have. Studies show that employees are 4.6 times more likely to do their best work when their managers take their feedback seriously. Additionally, managers who take feedback to heart are generally 9% more wealthy than their rivals! 

On your end, you can examine how successful your company’s onboarding has been so far. How many of your recent recruits have left or been let go due to difficulties with doing their work? When employees don’t understand their roles, they’re more likely to become disinterested and frustrated. If your company has had a spike in turnover, a poor onboarding process could be the cause. 

Ensure Consistency 

If the onboarding process is different for every new employee, there will undoubtedly be confusion about how your company operates. You can’t expect your employees to work and collaborate efficiently when everyone isn’t on the same page. Every business should have a written policy for how to train new hires, even if it’s just a simple checklist! 

The most important thing is for new hires to get a basic understanding of your company and their position within it. A checklist can help prepare them with essential tasks that need to be completed. Those could include reading the handbook, setting up a company email account, or participating in any online training modules. 

Go Paperless 

One of the biggest pitfalls in any onboarding process is a company’s reliance on paper data entry. Paper forms for new hires require much more time to complete and are easier to misplace. Shifting to digital onboarding forms and procedures will streamline the entire process tremendously.   

Nowadays, digital onboarding forms are easy to manage with good HR software. New hires will appreciate having a platform where they can read and sign these necessary documents on their own time. If they need to review that information at any point after onboarding, it’s always accessible through the HR software!   

An efficient HR software program also serves your employees and higher-ups well after onboarding. Every employee can use it to access their pay stubs, plus 401K and benefits information. It also comes with performance and learning management features that encourage healthy growth. 

Email Automation 

Many new hires can understandably get overwhelmed with their positions at an unfamiliar company. Rather than checking up on them repeatedly, you can use email automation to deliver friendly reminders. This will keep your new employees on track with onboarding tasks and any upcoming deadlines that they need to meet. 

Email automation also works well for managers! Once triggered, you’ll receive an email showing how much progress your new hire has made on their tasks. If it looks like they’re struggling, you’ll be able to offer direct guidance as needed. 

Predetermine Training Needs 

Before your employee even enters the office, you should have a personalized plan of action in place. While seasoned employees probably won’t need as much assistance with adjusting, younger hires may need more coaching. It’s also essential to determine if your new hire has any skill gaps that need to be addressed. 

Each employee should get a 30/60/90 day plan that outlines what will be expected from them throughout onboarding. Additionally, managers should set up weekly or biweekly chats to check in with new hires. This ensures that your new employee’s performance is continuously up to the company’s standards. Even better, it will encourage open communication from all of your new employees throughout their tenures at the company. 

Create a Welcome Kit 

New employees love to know that they will be appreciated at their job! An excellent welcome kit should have a mix of fun and valuable things that highlight your company’s culture. For example, most tech workers can appreciate a little Bluetooth speaker and a good set of headphones. 

A laid-back employer’s welcome kit can feature personalized clothing items or small toys, like yo-yos and fidget spinners. Wellness items like masks, bottles of hand sanitizer, and snacks are also appreciated. No matter what kind of wellness kit you create, each should include a copy of the company manual. 

Integrated HR Software Enables Streamlined Onboarding 

A good onboarding process allows your employees to excel at their jobs and uphold your company’s reputation. It should include consistent training tools for the entire workforce, along with seamless digital automation. Fortunately, a best-in-class HR software can single-handedly make any onboarding process more efficient.  

These programs combine onboarding with other important factors like managerial reporting and open enrollment. It also encourages employees to be more independent with self-service modules, digital attendance records, and payroll information. HR software is also extremely user-friendly, promoting faster growth for all new employees. 

Streamlining your onboarding process early on ensures the continued satisfaction of your employees in the future. With a happy and self-sufficient workforce, you’ll find that your business revenue will also improve! Utilizing employee feedback, as well as the implementation of HR software, positions your company for success.