Employee Onboarding Optimization

A well-defined onboarding process can help ensure new employees feel supported and transition to their new positions and the organization smoothly. When streamlining your onboarding process for a more engaging experience, it’s important to consider the factors below.

1. Understand your organization’s onboarding process. Are you a first-time manager onboarding a new employee? If so, take the time to learn about the onboarding process. Determine who is involved in onboarding from across the organization. Is anyone from the organization who should be involved missing? Departments to consider collaborating with include, but are not limited to, the human resource team to develop onboarding materials, information technology services for equipment and network access, and facilities for office access.
2. Finalize the “pre-onboarding” tasks. Prior to the new employee’s start date, be sure to share your contact information with the new employee so they can contact you if they have any questions. Ensure the new employee completes their onboarding paperwork in advance of their start date so account access is not delayed.
3. Create a thorough onboarding schedule. When onboarding a new employee, the first day details matter! Create a detailed onboarding schedule that new employees can use as a guide for their first few weeks in the organization, including their supervisor’s contact information, where to arrive on their first day, their work hours, the organization’s dress code, where they should park, their lunch plans for their first day (remember to ask about dietary restrictions and allergies) and more. It’s also helpful to include team members in the onboarding schedule so they feel like they are a part of the process.

SHRM has a great checklist for developing onboarding/new hire practices.

1. Make the first day exciting. When onboarding a new employee, it’s important to ease them into their new position. Create an exciting and fun first day by including a welcome gift with some company swag, setting up their desk with all of their needs, arranging a first-day lunch with colleagues and sending out an email to welcome the new employee. It’s a bonus if you provide some of the new employee’s favorite snacks, as well!
2. Check in regularly. Onboarding doesn’t end once new employees have finished their first week! It’s an ongoing process. Once a new employee starts, check in frequently. This is an opportunity to ensure they are happy in their new position and have the tools they need to be successful, and it lets you answer any questions they may have.
3. Be flexible. Understand that as you are onboarding the new employee, there should be some flexibility. The employee may need to spend more time building relationships than expected or need more time to complete a training. Having flexibility and not setting deadlines for every task will allow the employee to create their own schedule and thrive in their new position.
4. Ask for feedback. Requesting feedback will help you gauge how effective your onboarding process has been and whether it’s meeting employee expectations. It also can help identify any gaps you may have missed so that the process runs even smoother for future hires.

Francesca C. Callahan, SHRM-CP, is the director of talent acquisition and career advising resources and chief diversity officer for employee and institutional success at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.