Teams are like puzzles. Every team member is a piece (hopefully) trying their best to fit in the...
Onboarding, by definition, is integrating a new employee into an organization. Unfortunately, the results of numerous studies and surveys tell us that newbies feel far from integrated at the finish.
Sure, a lot of new hires just need a little time to find their footing. You aren’t supposed to be a veteran or expert by the end of the process. But as we know, (especially in this neighborhood) there’s an ocean between doing your work and engaging with your work.
How do we get new employees excited for their role? How long should the process be? And how to onboard new employees remotely? Let’s take a look at best practices and tips for onboarding new people, starting with some common challenges.
Why onboarding employees isn’t as easy as companies think
Whether management’s school of thought is “You’ll get the hang of it” or “Follow the instructions we gave you to the letter,” new hires deal with overwhelm that stifles engagement. Here’s why:
- Coordinating training and onboarding activities while transitioning from one job to another is logistically challenging for people.
- The integration process is generic, lacking personalization, and therefore more difficult for some hires to fully benefit from.
- Communication across departments leads to inconsistencies that confuse new employees.
- New employees don’t feel they got enough training, or cannot revisit training materials and modules when needed most.
- Short, poorly organized, or fast-tracked onboarding processes lead to hires getting too much information at once.
- The company culture and core values aren’t made clear, leading to challenges and expectations that new employees didn’t anticipate
- New employees don’t receive enough feedback as they settle in, creating uncertainty and a lack of confidence in their abilities.
- Technical difficulties with onboarding platforms are frustrating and complicate the process.
It’s impossible to eliminate every problem. Each person is unique, and our jobs aren’t always supposed to be easy-peasy. But we can identify what issues are most likely to occur in our existing processes, and how they can complicate the roles we’re filling.
Stages of onboarding
You may find that any onboarding problems your organization has are limited to a particular stage in the process. Or maybe the current process isn’t sufficiently organized and doesn’t flow in order. Either way, this basic structure is a good place to start.
The tips and best practices we’ll share for onboarding new employees can also be sorted into these four different stages.
1. Post-hire
The new employee accepts the offer. During this stage, they’ll complete all necessary paperwork and other onboarding compliance requirements. They should also receive welcome information.
⚠️Watch out! Be careful of including too much instruction and detail in this beginning stage. Keep it clear and concise, guiding them toward the next step.
2. Orientation
Now they’re getting acquainted with the organizational structure, company information, and the requirements of their role. They understand what their job entails, who they report to, and key characteristics and policies of the company they’re working for.
⚠️Watch out! Ensure the new employee meets management or any other superior they’ll report to directly. Disengaged managers create disengaged employees.
3. Training
The training stage educates the employee further on job-specific skills. They acquire deeper knowledge of company workflows and proficiency in using the necessary tools and resources. They also become familiar with the objectives, customs, and culture of their department.
⚠️Watch out! Try to resolve any technical or skill issues with apps and software during this phase. “We’ll fix that later/I’ll have someone show you down the line” makes it more difficult for people to proceed with confidence.
4. Integration
Integration can continue for months after the formal onboarding process has concluded. This is where the new employee is accepted by team members and becomes part of the culture. Team-building and socialization play larger roles in firmly rooting the employee in their role.
⚠️Watch out! With a new hire trained and out on the floor, it’s easy to consider the onboarding a success. However, ongoing check-ins and feedback exchanges are important right now. Pay close attention to participation rates and other employee engagement metrics to ensure they’re as settled in as you think.
Best practices for onboarding new employees
Okay, it’s time to roll out the welcome wagon and get these new hires pumped to join your team. Here are some onboarding tips to improve or add to your process.
1. Share org charts and communication expectations
Knowing who’s who and the appropriate way to get in touch is fundamental. It’s also so commonplace for people who work there that they think it’s self-evident.
Give new hires an up-to-date org chart (with photos, if available). Double-check that they know who they’re reporting to and how they should do so.
2. Curate a welcome package
Recognition and engagement begin before someone’s first day. Along with company information and information about their role, include a handwritten note or small welcome gift.
Company swag is a good pick here; it’s an up-front declaration that they’re part of a collective now.
3. Create weekly checklists
New employees frequently wonder if they’re up to speed or still getting the hang of it. It’s probably both, depending on the task and time of day.
Giving them weekly checklists for the first month or so can give them reassurance that they’re staying on track and completing what they’re supposed to. It also gives important cues for performance.
4. Consider introducing microlearning courses
Roughly half of new hires feel undertrained for their role. Information overload and time constraints can limit what they actually take away from a dedicated training phase.
Microlearning modules can be done on the job, as they settle into the role. Gamifying training can make it even more engaging for enhanced confidence and job satisfaction.
5. Emphasize culture and core values
Integrity, inclusivity, innovation, or all three–make sure new people understand what the company values most. This reinforces why certain activities, processes, and expectations exist.
Loyal, high-performing employees feel they have a purpose, and their purpose is an offshoot of the company’s purpose. It also tells people pretty quickly whether or not a company is right for them long-term.
6. Personalize the process
Too much personalization can obfuscate onboarding, but some can make it so much more efficient and engaging. Knowing a hire’s experience level, learning style, outside responsibilities, interests, and more makes it all run smoother.
To get this critical info, make sure you’re surveying candidates during the interview stage. This will also help tailor recognition to sustain engagement for the duration of their stay.
7. Have a coworker volunteer to be their contact
Mentorship is a popular concept, but not everyone needs it. What’s always helpful is having another team member offer to answer any small thing a new hire won’t want to “bother” leads and managers with.
The buddy system eases the socialization process and helps new hires feel they’re fitting in every step of the way.
8. Set up meetings
New hires learn a lot by sitting in on meetings during the onboarding process. It gives them an authentic, up-close look at the company culture, leadership styles, and overall expectations.
It’s also a good opportunity to introduce the new addition to entire teams or departments at once.
9. Host a team-building exercise or lunch
There’s no better time to work on team cohesion than when introducing a new member. Get everyone acquainted in a fun, productive way by bringing everyone together for team-building exercises.
A team lunch is also a practical way to give people a chance to meet their new coworker under less formal circumstances.
10. Space out information dumps
If there’s a lot of material to share, give it in increments. This reduces the chance of overwhelm and anything being overlooked.
11. Poll them frequently
Onboarding software provider Talmundo reports that nearly half of HR professionals admit they don’t review or evaluate their processes.
If you’re reading this, you’re already on the right track, but take it to the next level by consistently inviting feedback.
Onboarding remote employees: 7 tips for success
Remember your first day at an in-office job. You show up and make introductions as the day begins. You scan the space, pick up everyone’s vibes, and get a general feel for the environment.
We’re often nervous leading up to that first day, our first hour on the job. But worries start to melt away the moment those scary unknowns become harmless knowns.
Remote employees don’t get this. There’s no brief period where they orient themselves and deal with their nerves. They’re also at a higher risk for disengagement. That’s why we have to dive right in along with them.
1. Update your virtual onboarding materials
Ensure onboarding info is in a central location, includes engaging content, and features a degree of personalization. It’s much easier for details to get overlooked or for there to be information gaps when everything is done virtually.
2. Reach out to welcome them before they start
Perhaps the most important tip for onboarding remote workers is to establish a relationship before beginning work. Mail them a physical welcome kit to help foster a grounding, tangible connection.
3. Celebrate them in the team chat on Day One
Give onboarding meaning by having the rest of the remote team welcome them aboard. HeyTaco is a great tool for this–shower your new crew member with virtual tacos of recognition. They’ll see themselves appear on the leaderboard, affirming their place on the squad.
4. Give them a virtual tour
Walk the new hire through every platform or process they’ll use in real-time, confirming they have access and can utilize every resource at their disposal. If appropriate, share your screen while doing the walkthrough and record the session. They can refer back when they have trouble navigating something.
5. Check in regularly and invite feedback
New remote hires can also be invited to a document where they can drop questions as they come up. This puts a little less pressure on everyone to cover absolutely everything during dedicated meeting times and makes it so they don’t have to reach out every hour.
6. Pair them up with a buddy
The buddy system is arguably even more effective when applied to remote teams. Naturally, working from home can lack the feeling of a real work environment. Having a colleague you chat with consistently to resolve issues and share updates orients remote employees in a virtual workplace.
7. Give some grace
In many cases, remote employees have to be much more independent and self-directed than in-person hires. That gets put to the test when you’re starting something brand new. Understand that settling in and finding the flow can take a bit longer, especially if this is their first remote position.
Make onboarding meaningful and engaging
There’s one more important issue we should acknowledge: While starting a new role is exciting, onboarding can be kind of boring. Staying present and absorbing absolutely everything there is to know about your new company puts the most attentive minds to the test.
One of the best practices for onboarding new employees is to make it as engaging as possible. Personalization makes onboarding more relevant to the hire, drawing them in. Adding elements of gamification similarly captures their attention. Soliciting feedback regularly lets them know that their point of view matters.
What did you think of these onboarding tips? Share it with a colleague and learn how to increase positivity and gratitude in the workplace with HeyTaco.
