Strong onboarding strategies conducted shortly after hiring are critical to making new employees feel welcomed, included and knowledgeable about the workplace culture
How can HR professionals ensure those employees have a successful start 30 days after joining the organization? That was the #NextChat question of the day posed by Mary Kaylor, SHRM-SCP, manager of public affairs at SHRM. The following is a compilation of responses from
LinkedIn and
Twitter:
—Prakash Kabra, senior manager of talent acquisition and development at Fidelity International in Gurgaon, India, on Twitter
The TA Team provided our HR partners with the new-hire contact information so they could also call them prior to their start date, to introduce themselves and let them know they are their HR reps, and to ask if they have heard from their managers and know what to expect and where to report after orientation.
—
Heidie Kozarski, communications director for the National Association for Health Care Recruitment in San Antonio, on LinkedIn
[
SHRM members-only toolkit: Checklist for Developing Onboarding/New Hire Practices]
I have found that a well-rounded new hire orientation is the key. Depending on the size of the company, the orientation can last from an entire day to a few days and should include a discussion on culture, familiarity with the organization/company structure, benefits, expectations and testimonials from employees from all levels. Assigning a mentor is also a great idea, someone they can informally reach out to, have lunch with. (Note that all of the above can be accomplished virtually, including as a group.) Equally important is following up at three months, six months and a year later with a satisfaction survey.
—
Nancy Smith, HR consultant at NSmith Consulting in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, on LinkedIn
—Nicholas A. Mauro, manager of recruitment and workforce development at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Twitter
—Paula Fox, self-employed senior HR manager in Buffalo, N.Y., on Twitter
—David Kovacovich, business development director at BI Worldwide, San Francisco, on Twitter
—Nancy Walker, deputy director at Southwest Health and Human Services in Sioux City, S.D., on Twitter
—Bob "Professor Bob" Ficken, SHRM-SCP, HR director at Touro University California in Vallejo, on Twitter
Onboarding, as everyone has said, is essential, but I think establishing yourself as a resource, though relationship building is essential too. If a new hire is unsure who to ask for help when learning, they may not reach out for help. I always work to establish myself as a resource that will answer questions and help find them the tools they need to succeed without judgment.
—
Heather Landenberger-Roushia, HR and volunteer coordinator at Sun Tree Hospice of Colorado in Aurora, on LinkedIn
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