Leigh Yanocha, Managing Director, Head of People Strategy at Knopman Marks, helps professionals thrive in their careers.
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A great onboarding experience sets employees up for long-term success. Onboarding done right eases any doubts or concerns a new hire may have by providing a warm welcome and a solid foundation from day one. Though onboarding directly affects productivity and retention, many companies neglect this critical opportunity to support new hires and set clear expectations.
Getting employees up and running is not accomplished over three days or three weeks but over several months. In fact, onboarding begins as soon as a candidate accepts a position. The process continues as they are welcomed into the organization and deepens as they learn how to be successful and productive in their new role. Read on for a breakdown of the three key steps of a successful onboarding program.
Start With Pre-Onboarding
During pre-onboarding, communication is key.
Two weeks before a new hire’s first day, send a welcome email that outlines what they can expect in the coming weeks. A week before their first day, consider sending a welcome package to their home with branded company merchandise such as a notebook, pen, water bottle or T-shirt.
This period is an excellent opportunity to help new hires feel valued and begin ramping up for their first day. Schedule a coffee date for them with their new work buddy, a colleague who is in their corner during the initial stage, helping them feel comfortable and answering their questions.
Create An Orientation Onboarding Schedule
A powerful way for new hires to start their first day in a new role is with a practical or symbolic gesture of handing them keys to the office, depending on whether the onboarding takes place in person or virtually. The first day should include setting up the tech environment. Consider offering a “low down” session that presents an overview of everything from benefits to company culture. Whenever possible, have a class of new hires go through onboarding at the same time. The cohort model allows new hires to bond and helps to avoid burning out the staff.
New hires should meet their work buddy on their first day as well as their manager, who can talk to them in more depth about their role. During the first two weeks, new hires can have two manager check-ins per week, which can assume a weekly cadence in week three. One-on-ones can help companies understand how new employees feel about their day-to-day work, professional development and the company. These meetings can also reassure new hires that a program has been designed to support their success. Consider creating welcome events, in-person or virtual, such as a cooking class or other team-wide activity to offer another chance to connect.
During the first three weeks on the job, new hires should learn about the business they are entering and what they will be doing. Create opportunities for them to receive different overviews of business areas led by senior leaders across the company. After the first 30 days, new hires should feel that they have learned systems and platforms, had the opportunity to job shadow and network, and gained a feel for how to interact with clients and colleagues.
Design A 90-Day Training Plan
The third phase of onboarding should be dedicated to helping new hires get acclimated. It takes time to get to know the ins and outs of an organization, so consider creating a 90-day plan for new hires.
After the first 60 days, new hires should understand their role and feel they have the training they need to succeed. After 90 days, a new hire should be owning work, meeting with their manager weekly and feeling like part of the organization they have joined.
The onboarding process should be designed with care because a new hire’s introduction to a company sets the stage for their success, productivity and loyalty to the organization over the long term.
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