Your company’s new-hire process should be just as in depth and stringent as your hiring process. This is for two reasons; to set the environment for the new-hire, and to begin the process of retention right away by creating a welcoming environment. The transition of hiring to new hire should be a seamless onboarding process and should not feel like the floodgates are opened once they’ve received a job offer.
New Quest Coaching and Consulting is a coaching company for leaders and teams in Western Canada and they’d like to outline 5 Tips for Onboarding New Hires.
Often overlooked as a pile of administrative paperwork, your welcome packet should be divided into two sections, one ‘fun’ section and one administrative. The focus of this tip is around the ‘fun’ section meant to introduce the organization with latest articles and perhaps something personal from the team. It may be worth it to consider including a list of amenities provided by the company that are buried in the administrative side of your welcome packet. People are more willing to approach a company with an open mind if they feel the company is being transparent with them.
Note that we didn’t say to get rid of paperwork, we simply said to push it aside until later. Company policies, manuals, benefits, and other must-do documents take time to read and understand. Provide the new-hire with the paperwork and reasonable timeframe by which to have it read and returned signed. Normally, a day or two is just fine. This keeps their focus on learning about the company and gives them a better understanding of expectations by keeping their focus on the present during the first day, instead of skimming a mountain of paperwork.
A fun and a worthy investment of time, a company video outlining the culture you’re trying to present within the organization is a one-time effort with huge impact. Get testimonials from current employees, showcase fun things the company has done, and record some of the everyday functions. Provide a link to the video instead of making it a mandatory watch. Most people will click on it in their quest to learn more about their new job.
A personalized development plan with clear milestones for promotion, advancement, education, and skills development is a hugely impactful document. It immediately sets goals and drives the new-hires mind towards the future. Be clear about timeframes and realistic about goals. Be careful here though, if you make a promise, be ready able to fulfill that promise. Look at timeframes of 30 days, 60 days and 90 days after hire, then redevelop the plan for regular intervals. 6 months to a year is a great option.
While most supervisors would immediately fill this role, assigning a mentor outside of the chain-of-command is a better option. Assign a mentor who not only knows their role front to back but is a potential candidate for advancement. Watch the mentor and how they teach the mentee to get a good handle on how they’d do in a leadership position. The mentor will appreciate the responsibility and a reprieve from their daily duties, and the mentee can start connecting with his/her peers.
Onboarding new hires should be a fun, welcoming experience and should not be a slog of paperwork and superficial introductions. By investing a bit of extra time in your new hires, you’re helping to break the cycle of turnover, build a positive community and welcome people into the organization. For even more help, check out our leadership training and development course (now available online!)
We'd Love To Hear From You!
Get In Touch
newquest@newquestcc.com
Shane Jensen