Episode 8: Onborading
Congratulations!! You’ve hired your newest employee, now let’s talk about Onboarding them.
Let’s do a Pulse Check
- What is the onboarding strategy?
- Is the infrastructure (the SOPs, training manuals, LMS, etc.) available to teach and onboard?
- What additional resources do you need to successfully onboard and train?
A robust onboarding & training program creates ongoing engagement, a sense of belonging and continues to highlight your employer brand as well as enhances your new employee’s experience.
It’s critical that their first few months are connected, welcoming, and inclusive and that resources are being allocated to onboard and train them, regardless of their experience or seniority.
Even a senior-level candidate with years of experience requires onboarding and training. Although they may know how to do something, they still need to learn how to do that work within your company’s environment and culture.
Candidates are not mind readers and it is an unrealistic expectation to assume a brand-new hire knows what you are expecting without clear and open communication.
Create a feedback loop and touch base often.
The same three principles we just reviewed for hiring also apply to onboarding
Prepare your onboarding before your candidate starts. This is especially crucial for a remote team member as it takes extra planning to make them feel connected and included.
- Send a welcome kit to their home with branded swag/plant for their desk
- Make sure all their equipment. Logins and access are set up on day 1
- Organize an in person (or remote) welcome lunch to get to know the rest of the team members.
Reviewing your processes, SOPs and products through your new hire’s eyes, can create opportunities for improvement and enhancements that you didn’t expect.
- Create an orientation and shadowing program to review technical know how and to learn about the culture,
- Stagger the training. Too much info at once is too much
- Tailor the program to their learning style (Visual, Kinesthetic, Auditory)
And
- Be Present, Open, Inclusive, and Build trust
- Make yourself available to the candidate for any questions
- Do an end of week wrap to hear of any challenges, opportunities, or feedback
Having an unwavering commitment to building trust, with a focus on preparation, creating processes, and having the presence of mind to do so are the foundations needed to transform your hiring practice.
Happy Hiring!
Watch the previous episodes in this series:
Episode 1: Transforming Your Hiring Mindset
Episode 2: Writing Impactful Job Descriptions
Episode 3: Recruitment & Sourcing Strategy
Episode 4: The Candidate Experience
Episode 5: The Interview Mindset