There, you did it! Despite all that has been going on in the world, you were finally able to fill that one position that has been vacant for months. And even better, you found the perfect match! First off, congratulations! Finding the right candidate is not an easy task in ‘normal’ times and is even more challenging in the midst of a changing work environment. So, take a minute and be proud of yourself, you deserve it!
Now that the hardest part is done and you agreed on a date for the new colleague to start, it is time to start thinking about how to welcome your new team member and make a positive and long-lasting impression as a team and company.
Onboarding is an important -and often underestimated- tool, not only to help a new team member to get familiar with how things work at your company but, more importantly, lay the groundwork for employee retention.
Per definition, onboarding is ‘the process in which new employees gain the knowledge and skills they need to become effective members of an organization.’ An SHRM study showed that 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great onboarding. And don’t we all want our employees to stay?
You might have heard of or even experienced an onboarding process in your company already but you don’t know how to translate that into a virtual setting? Worry not, Talaera to the rescue!
We put together some ideas for your onboarding process that will help you shine as a manager and make your new team member not ever want to leave again. As an HR professional, you sure apply at least some of them already, but take it as a checklist to ensure your employee's wellbeing, especially during COVID times.
If you are hiring worldwide, consider these best practices to manage diversity and inclusion.
You sure know that the onboarding process starts the moment the new team member accepts the offer. With working remotely, you want to make sure they are all set and ready to go when the first day of work comes around. Here are some logistics to consider before they start:
A nice way of welcoming a new employee is sending over a little package that contains everything they need to start their job as well as some company-branded gadgets. A welcome package can include but is not limited to
After sending the package, make sure to check in with them to see if they received it and if they have any questions or need anything else.
Having a go-to person in the first weeks of starting a new job can be tremendously helpful to a new employee and will ensure that they can ease into their position and feel guided all the way. An onboarding buddy can provide them with information they typically don’t get out of a general employee handbook. They can give insights into established structures and how the communication works, and inform about go-to contacts for different topics and unspoken rules.
When determining an onboarding buddy you might want to consider the following:
Starting a new job can be overwhelming, even more so when you are not able to meet your new team in person and talk to someone on the spot when you have a question.
By structuring the first day of work you can take some pressure off the new employee and make sure they feel comfortable and well taken care of. Even though they are there to do a job, it is okay to make the first day about settling in and getting to know the team and workplace. Here are some suggestions on how to structure Day 1:
Ideally, the onboarding process should take at least 3 months. If possible, you can prolong the process for up to one year.
Even if the new team member has settled in and is doing their job, it is important to stay in touch with them and check in frequently to make sure everything is going well. You can do this by
The goal of onboarding should be to make the new employee feel fully included and a valuable part of your team. Open communication and transparency throughout the process are key to long-lasting relationships, inside and outside of work. Read more strategies you can implement in the workplace to ensure your diverse workforce feels included.
Establishing and refining an onboarding process might take a while. However, once you have it down to a science, the results will speak for themselves. New employees will be able to work effectively much faster, not to mention the engagement and loyalty they will show towards you and your company. A little effort goes a long way when it comes to employee retention. And in this fast-paced world of ours, isn’t that what we all wish for our teams?
According to a LinkedIn report, 94% of employees say that they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development. Offer educational learning sessions for remote employees, help them become a better version of themselves by working on a technical skill or on business English communication.
Help your employees take their professional English communication skills to the next level with Talaera. Pick any of the following online training modalities:
Remote. Flexible. Effective.
For any additional information or questions, you can also reach out at info@talaera.com.
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