Employee Onboarding

What is employee onboarding?

Onboarding is the process of introducing a new employee to an organisation, both the team and its management, but also its services and products. A more complete and precise definition is as follows: it is a set of formal and informal activities to welcome a new employee, adapt them, and involve them in the company's working and social environment. It is onboarding that allows a specialist to enter a new position without unnecessary stress.

Onboarding is a long process that can last from a few months to a year, depending on the size of the organisation, its corporate culture, internal rules and regulations. It is believed that it is during this period, and more specifically during the first six months, that most new professionals make the final decision whether or not to stay with the company.

For example, if onboarding is done well and productively, the employee will demonstrate their satisfaction with the working environment and will quickly begin to contribute to the common effort. For instance, according to the Harvard Business Review, companies that engage in targeted onboarding are 62% more productive. In addition, organisations that use special onboarding programmes have a 50% higher retention rate of new recruits than those that do not have onboarding procedures at all.

Onboarding and preboarding - what's the difference?

We have already learnt what onboarding is. Let's touch on preboarding in more detail. This is the period of adaptation of a new employee before the first day of their employment. That is, if onboarding is the training of a newcomer who has already started work, then preboarding is a preliminary adaptation, which is carried out at the stage when the candidate has just accepted an offer.

It is preboarding that significantly reduces the time needed for onboarding itself. In case a new employee has undergone preboarding, during the adaptation process at the workplace, they should only be prepared to perform specific tasks and explained the area of responsibility. During preboarding, the newcomer is already introduced to the corporate culture, told about the company's values and mission, processes and expected results. In addition, the preboarding may include a preliminary introduction to the team which the new employee is about to become a part of, a tour of the office, and a review of working tools.

The concept of onboarding is often confused with the process of adaptation. However, adaptation is an even bigger and longer process. It includes both preboarding and onboarding. Thus, preboarding is the narrowest term, while adaptation, on the other hand, takes place all the way from a newcomer to an experienced employee. Onboarding, in turn, can be called an intermediate stage, although many experts use this concept as a synonym for adaptation.

Benefits of onboarding

The objectives of onboarding are as follows:

• Reducing staff turnover and retaining talent

It is effective onboarding programmes and a well-organised adaptation process that help new employees fit into the team more quickly. Accordingly, they are less likely to leave the company in the first few months of employment than those specialists who have not undergone high-quality onboarding.

• Improving work efficiency, employee engagement and loyalty

Specialists who have undergone an onboarding programme in a new company understand their responsibilities and tasks more quickly. In addition, an effective adaptation process increases their satisfaction with their working conditions, which also increases their loyalty and commitment to the company.

• Saving time and resources

A well-organised onboarding process reduces the likelihood of errors and misunderstandings. This, in turn, significantly saves time and other company resources.

• Identifying internal problems

Supervisors or HR managers should collect feedback from new employees as part of the onboarding programme. This will help identify problems or weaknesses in the company.

• Shaping a positive corporate image and strengthening the brand

A positive onboarding experience can contribute to a positive company image. An organisation that pays sufficient attention to onboarding new employees maintains its reputation as a desirable employer.

Stages of employee onboarding

Onboarding is a long, complex and multistep process. It determines whether the start of work for the employee will be anxious and stressful or pleasant and inspiring. Let's have a closer look at what it consists of.

1. Preboarding

If we consider the preboarding process as a part of onboarding itself, it is the bridge between the acceptance of a job offer and the first day of work. To ensure that a prospective employee has a positive impression of the company, it is important:

• To send a welcome email

This can be an email or messenger text, depending on which platform you are communicating on, expressing your excitement about welcoming the newcomer to your team, as well as providing an introduction to the orientation meeting, dress code and other basic company policies. You should also explain the organisation's culture, values and beliefs, working style and timetable. For example, together with the email you can send the future employee a presentation on the history of the company's development and its mission, a video greeting from other employees, and a list of slang expressions and professional terms that are used in work. In this way, the specialist will see if your organisation matches their values, ideals, and ideas of a dream job.

• To invite an employee to join work chats

You can send the newcomer links to the company's social networks and invite them to join work chats and groups for informal communication. Then they will get up to speed with the pace of work and understand how to socialise in the new team.

• To give a welcome box

In addition, during the short preboarding period, you can treat the new employee to a small box of your organisation's merchandise, such as thermal mugs, office supplies, hoodies and T-shirts. It is especially important that all of these items and accessories reflect the company's values.

• To prepare the work area

No less important in the preboarding process is the preparation of a workplace for the future employee, of course, if the job is offline rather than remote. Everything should be ready for the newcomer's arrival - for example, all the necessary furniture, a computer with installed software, logins and passwords for accounts, even a uniform and badge (if this is your company's practice). Put simply, it is critical not to spoil the impression of the company: prepare for the employee everything they will need to start work comfortably.

• To fill in the paperwork

Even before the employee's first day of work, it is essential to prepare all the necessary documents so that the paperwork process does not take too long. For example, take care to sign the employment contract and NDA, i.e. non-disclosure agreement, if required, in advance. You can also request bank details and other necessary personal information from the employee before they start work.

The preboarding period is followed by the actual going to work.

2. Initial onboarding

This is a period of acclimatisation that lasts from a few days to a few weeks. During this time, even the most professional and experienced specialists may feel anxious and worried because they are in a situation of uncertainty. It is important to create such conditions in which the new employee will feel most comfortable and calm, despite the large flow of new information and vagueness of some points. For this purpose, it is necessary:

• To introduce the newcomer to the team

Onboarding of an employee should be handled not only by an HR specialist or manager, but also by other employees of the company. This way, if a newcomer has a question, it will be much easier for them to turn to a colleague than to the recruiting department or the boss themselves.

• To talk about how things work

You should help the new employee to get used to the new social environment and resolve their everyday questions. For example, show them where the coffee point is located, tell them how to book a meeting room and who to contact in case of technical issues. In addition, it is important to discuss the terms and conditions of employment once again. Remind the employee exactly how their salary is paid, when they can take their first holiday and for how long, what time the office lunch break is, and so on.

• To immerse in the corporate culture

While addressing general issues such as salary, working hours, and so on, you should tell the employee about the corporate culture, existing traditions, employee habits, and the history of the company as a whole.

• To assign a mentor

The mentor should be a colleague or teammate, but never a boss. It is vital that the mentor be on an equal footing with the new employee. This way, everyone will be more comfortable, and the adaptation process will be quicker and easier. In fact, it is the mentor who can introduce the newcomer to colleagues from other departments, give a more detailed tour of the office, share corporate traditions and talk about internal unspoken rules.

• To talk about plans

Share the company's plans and goals with the employee. Tell them how they can help realise and achieve them, and what skills and abilities are most valued in the company. At the same time, invite the employee to share their strengths and weaknesses.

Though, even on the first day of work, onboarding doesn't end.

3. Onboarding after the first day of work

After the first working week, you should get feedback from the employee and find out what their overall impression of the company is, how they feel, whether they are comfortable in the team, and whether they have established closer contact with someone. Honest feedback will facilitate the process of faster adaptation. The following things will help, too:

• Developing an adaptation plan

The employee must understand what awaits them in the near future. Therefore, it is necessary to make a plan for the entire adaptation period. Define the steps that will be necessary to achieve the first goals, but try not to overload the newcomer with too many tasks or responsibilities that are overwhelming for them. It is essential to introduce them into the role gradually. This is why the plan is drawn up. As a rule, it consists of a list of skills that the employee should acquire in the first or second month, and so on. These may include learning scripts, knowledge of the CRM system, cold calling skills, and so on. For each of these skills, you should set targets, such as passing a product knowledge test, making a certain number of cold calls per day, and entering the data into the CRM system. In other words, you should set clear OKRs, i.e. Objectives and Key Results. This OKR system helps an employee to correctly set their priorities. It is used in major corporations, such as Google. OKRs can be used to explain how a new employee's work affects the whole team, helping them make more informed decisions and feel important and part of a larger team.

• Strengthening social ties in the company

Pay attention to the relationship between experienced employees and the newcomer. Don't underestimate the impact of this - it is largely the team that determines how long a new employee will stay with the organisation. Organise as many individual and group meetings as possible for the new employee with those with whom they have to interact directly. Not only with colleagues from other departments, but also with stakeholders, for example. We have already written about who stakeholders are.

• Creating a supportive and healthy environment

Inspire employees by your example, create a psychologically healthy climate in the company, and maintain an environment where it is easy to ask for support and advice from the boss and get feedback and guidance. Thus, when both the manager and HR specialists share their knowledge, teach, and host master classes, it convinces a new employee that the organisation is interested in their development and professional growth.

• Carrying out team activities

We are talking about team building - events that bring employees together and allow them to get in closer contact, better understand each other and build team spirit. For example, you could organise an office party to celebrate the first significant period of a new employee's employment with your company. This could be the first month or the first year of employment. During this time, many employees are already making significant achievements or at least showing their worth. Pay attention to achievements first and foremost, and express your joy and pride in having this particular employee on your team. It is vital not only to praise the newcomer for their professional successes, but also to plan their further development and career track.

Staff onboarding checklist

There are special checklists to see how effective the adaptation process is in your company. We suggest you go through one of them:

Once an offer is accepted and before the employee comes to work, our company:

• Sends a welcome email.

• Provides not only a list of required documents, but also instructions on what to do if some documents are missing and you don't know how to find them.

• Communicates the dress code in advance.

• Announces the first day of work, e.g. a brief summary of what the employee can expect.

• Prepares the workplace for the new employee.

• Prepares all necessary documents in advance.

• Warns the team of future additions.

During a new employee's first working day:

• They receive a personal or video greeting from the CEO of the company.

• They get a list of key contacts and their areas of responsibility - HR, manager, department head, and so on.

• They receive a map of the office and daily routines - theirs and those of other employees.

• The newcomer is assigned a mentor who is ready to help and answer all work-related questions.

• They get a list of where to eat lunch inside and outside the office building.

• They are provided with a guide on 'how to communicate within the company' and an internal glossary (of course, it is better to have such a thing in the company).

• At the end of the day, the newcomer is asked to complete a short survey on how comfortable the first day on the job was.

Then, during the first month of employment, it is essential to conduct regular debriefings with the new employee, inquire about their morale, advise on work-related issues, and not refuse to help.

This is how one of the most concise and average checklists looks like. Depending on the specifics of the company, its geography and scale, and the format of work, it can vary considerably.

In addition, there are key metrics to evaluate the success of the adaptation an employee has undergone. Pay attention to:

• The period of attaining productivity - this is the number of days it took for a new employee to reach the required level of productivity and start delivering value to the company from the first day of employment;

• The cost of achieving an optimal level of productivity - this refers to the total amount that the company has spent on onboarding a new hire, such as training costs, salaries, and so on;

• Staff turnover - you should keep an eye on this indicator for new employees, as it will help you to determine exactly how many of them left your organisation during the first year of employment and how many stayed. It can be calculated using a simple formula: the number of people who quit divided by the number of new hires;

• The retention threshold - you need to identify the time period when new employees are most likely to leave the company, and find out what goes wrong at these times that makes them decide to leave;

• The satisfaction of new employees - this is the newcomer's evaluation of different aspects of their job, such as schedule, salary, working conditions, and relations with the team and supervisor.

Onboarding tools

The key tools used for onboarding new employees have already been discussed above. For example, welcome emails and video greetings, individual meetings, welcome boxes and other symbolic gifts, questionnaires, and so on. So now let's consider the ones you don't already know about. These are:

• A welcome training session. It takes place during the first days of a new hire's employment. During this training, colleagues and the manager talk in detail about the company's values, successes, plans, and goals for the future. This is not only a great opportunity to get to know the company's working processes and its specifics, but also to establish contact with other employees.

• The newcomer's book. This is the name given to a printed or in most cases electronic document. It is a whole collection of useful information for a new employee. For example, it may contain data on the structure of the company, a list of managers and specialists from different departments, office layouts, and so on. In addition, it should describe work rules and regulations, for example, how to book a meeting room, what to do if you lose your badge, etc.

• Chatbots. This is a very handy tool in the onboarding process that makes it much easier to get answers to frequently asked questions. For example, you can configure the bot to send contacts of other employees, suggest places where you can spend your lunch break, or automatically make an appointment with a manager.

Thus, each of these tools can save time for both the new employee and their colleagues, as well as help spend their working days in the most productive way and bring more value to the company from day one.

Examples of onboarding

A competent onboarding system should exist in all companies, and especially in large corporations with a strong internal culture, rules and regulations, and a large number of employees from all over the world. For example, a whole programme for adapting newcomers is used at Google. There, on the first day, employees receive the so-called Welcome Pack, i.e. welcome gifts. These are mugs, notebooks and T-shirts with the corporation's logo, which allow new recruits to feel a sense of belonging to the big team, become a part of it and express it visually.

Google also organises Orientation Sessions - introductory seminars where employees learn about the company's history, culture, traditions, values, and mission. They also discuss basic rules, corporate regulations, and standards of work processes. Another important component of Google's onboarding programme is the Buddy Program. Each new hire is assigned a mentor, who is called a buddy. This is an experienced colleague who will help the newcomer adapt, answer any questions they may have, and get to know the team better. By the way, the corporation also has Online Learning Platforms, which provides all employees with access to various online courses and educational resources for self-study. This allows not only newcomers, but also more experienced professionals to develop their skills at a pace that is convenient and suitable for them.

IBM has an equally well-developed onboarding system. It also uses an integrated approach to the adaptation process and, in addition to classic welcome emails, welcome boxes and mentoring programmes, uses the latest technologies. For example, among the digital tools for onboarding, IBM uses virtual reality training. VR technology is designed to immerse new employees in the corporate culture and work environment to the fullest extent possible. IBM also pays special attention to so-called Feedback Loops - these are regular online surveys and personal meetings with the company's HR manager to get feedback on the onboarding process, which allows for continuous improvement of the onboarding programme.

Amazon, in turn, is interested in faster and more effective involvement of employees in work processes. For this purpose, the company practices Job Shadowing, when new employees observe the work of more experienced colleagues and ask them professional questions. Amazon also provides everyone with access to online self-learning resources that extend to internal workplace moments as well. As part of the onboarding programme, Amazon hosts team events, such as shared lunches and dinners, to help newcomers integrate more quickly and build relationships with colleagues.

Conclusion

We have found that the onboarding process plays a key role in the successful integration of a new employee into the team and the company as a whole. It is adaptation that determines how effective an employee will be, whether they can feel valued and become part of the team. Employees who have undergone high-quality onboarding are more loyal to the organisation, productive, and focused on professional growth and development. In addition, onboarding is another component of a positive employer image. The lack of an onboarding programme, in turn, leads to high employee turnover, reduced productivity, reputational risk and damage. Of course, it is up to organisations to decide which onboarding programme suits them best, to choose the tools for onboarding, to define performance metrics, and so on. However, the benefits of implementing and developing an onboarding programme are clear.