What is an onboarding process?

Effective onboarding can be key to retention, as supported employees are more likely to stay with your company.

The onboarding process is typically designed to help a new team member familiarise themselves with office layouts, resources, workspaces, tools and their colleagues. It’s also an opportune time to outline company policies and have your employees learn about the compliance rules they need to follow.

A well-thought-out onboarding process typically starts with a new employee’s first orientation session. In the following section, we explore how to introduce new employees to the rest of the team.

How to begin an effective employee onboarding process

Start the employee onboarding process with pre-boarding activities at least a week before the new employee’s official start date to ensure a smooth transition for both the new employee and their team. This is also known as the orientation stage of your onboarding.

Use employee onboarding software to prepare a welcome package

Coordinate with the IT department, HR department and any other relevant personnel to ensure your new employee has a fully functional workspace. Also, provide them with the necessary credentials to access any systems or software needed to do their job.

Provide a welcome package that includes equipment, login details and company information to help streamline their onboarding experience. This will help your new employee experience a seamless first day, thus creating a positive first impression. Your HR team may also use AI to automate some steps of the onboarding process, freeing them up to focus on the human aspect of welcoming a new team member.

Research shows that with remote onboarding in particular, laying a strong technological foundation can help aid the process. As we outline in our guide to the remote onboarding process, it’s helpful to break down every facet of your organisation’s technology stack and explain each of them in detail.

New employees may be unfamiliar with some remote technology tools and need to learn how to use them at their own pace. If you offer support and training in using these tools, they’ll likely progress at a faster pace and settle in quickly.

How systems create a good onboarding process

Having all these systems in place means that new employees can more easily find login details instead of asking staff members to procure devices and equipment for them before they can get started. As part of your welcome package, you may also communicate the expected dress code before their first day so they know how to prepare appropriately.

As part of the pre-boarding process, make sure that any necessary paperwork, including tax forms, is completed in advance to facilitate a smooth administrative process and HR compliance with employment regulations.

Celebrate newly hired employees

Your onboarding process may include steps for giving your new employee a warm welcome. In addition to helping new team members feel welcome and supported by their team and co-workers, making an event out of your new employee’s arrival can also foster a sense of belonging and employee engagement from the start.

Here are a few things you can do to help celebrate employees during their first few days at their new company:

• Make an announcement: This could be done via email, a mention during a company meeting or both. Encourage existing employees to respond to group emails welcoming the new team member, as it not only shows your new employee how excited you are to have them on board, but also encourages other team members and departments to extend a personal welcome.
• Organise a team lunch: The new employee’s direct line manager could organise a team lunch during their first week. This offsite experience allows new team members to get to know their colleagues in a relaxed setting. In addition to team lunches, consider organising team-building activities and social events to help the new team member integrate with their co-workers.

Conduct orientation

A successful onboarding programme usually includes employee orientation. It’s a structured process that introduces new staff members to company policies, colleagues and essential systems.

Companies might use orientation to handle paperwork, have the new employee review the employee handbook and answer any remaining questions about pay and benefits. While it may be important for HR to complete new employee paperwork as early as possible prior to the new employee joining the team, orientation provides another opportunity to finalise any outstanding items.

Introduce them to the company culture

In addition to paperwork, consider scheduling time for a member of the executive leadership team to visit, welcome your new employee and potentially offer a quick question-and-answer session. Orientation is an excellent time for a quick overview of the company’s history and an introduction to the company culture.

During employee orientation, be sure to provide any essential information and company policies, so new employees have the foundational knowledge needed to navigate the workplace. When employees start their first week with knowledge of the company’s background and a thorough understanding of its culture, they may be more likely to feel part of the team.

Include a tour of the workplace

Use orientation to give your new employee a tour of the facilities and provide them with a map. Giving new employees additional documents, such as an organisational chart, can help them understand relationships between teams and departments. As part of this structured onboarding process, clarify the new employee’s responsibilities so they understand their specific duties and expectations from the start.

When multiple new staff members start in the same week, consider turning the orientation process into a group activity. By doing so, you will reduce the amount of time spent on each staff member while giving them the opportunity to get to know each other early in the process.

At the end of the orientation process, your new employees may be familiar with a few people around the office. This helps them acclimatise to their new job more quickly.

Pair each new employee with a mentor

New employees can benefit greatly from getting expert insights from their direct supervisor and addressing any concerns they may have during their first few weeks of employment. In addition, having a peer mentor who is able to coach them can help reassure a new employee in the early stages of their job.

Mentorship programmes can boost productivity

While a mentorship programme is certainly useful during the onboarding process, ongoing support from mentors can be a positive part of your overall company culture. Ongoing support from mentors and peers can be significant for the long-term success and productivity of new employees and more experienced employees alike.

Create an onboarding system for immediate feedback

Requesting feedback from new employees is an important final stage of the onboarding process. Receiving regular feedback and checking in with your new employees may also improve job satisfaction among your new and existing employees, thus reducing employee turnover over time.

During the onboarding process, ask new employees whether they perceive any gaps in the onboarding process, from specific first-day activities to more general experiences during their first few days on the job. Regularly checking in and setting clear expectations and specific goals during onboarding help new employees feel supported and understand what is expected of them.

Keep in mind that new employees may take several weeks or months to reach full productivity after their initial onboarding. Although they may have completed their training, it is likely that the employee will have questions or experience unfamiliar challenges during their first year with your company.